Results 28,801-28,820 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is worth pointing out that we are doing a lot already. We have already made low-cost loans available to businesses. The Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Humphreys, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, will launch the next of those loans on Wednesday, the future growth loan, which will enable...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Not endless, but substantial. We have put loans in place, as well as hosting seminars and producing information. That process is ongoing. I am not sure where the figure of €200 million comes from. Neither the Tánaiste nor I are familiar with such a limit, but we believe the Deputy might be referring to the rescue and restructure element of it, which is only one element of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In addition to the loans, the information, the seminars and the training, grants have also been issued by Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have that exact figure in front of me, but it has been a whole package of things. This has been done already. We may never see a no-deal Brexit and yet we have done all these things just in case it happens. In terms of the fire protections, as the Deputy described them, he will be aware of the €200 million rescue and restructure fund for business. I have explained how...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for his question. First, to pick up on a theme mentioned earlier, I do not think we can meet our obligations when it comes to reducing emissions, taking climate action or satisfying the demands of young people who want us to do more around climate change without a metro but just like a carbon tax, a metro on its own does not solve the problem. It only deals with one part...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As I understand it, what the Minister, Deputy Ross, said he cannot countenance is a two-year to four-year closure of the Luas green line. I agree with him. I think that would be unacceptable.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Second, I think we should have a discussion about where the tunnel goes. The current proposal, as I understand it, is to leave the machine in the ground somewhere around Ranelagh. We should have that discussion about whether it would make sense to go west or east from there, perhaps to UCD, perhaps to Sandyford. As the Deputy points out, the option of going to Sandyford solves the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: This is, of course, a matter for the Business Committee but I would like to comment, if I may. This is about restoring the status quo ante. It is about restoring an arrangement that existed-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I know. We want to restore the status quo anteto what existed from the 1960s until 2016, which was reciprocal rights. At the moment, vessels from the Republic of Ireland can travel north, into Northern Irish waters and fish within the six-mile limit but vessels from Northern Ireland cannot do the reverse.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is not right. We should not have a hard border on the land or in the sea. In terms of basic fairness, we should have reciprocal rights.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: No.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I accept that we need to make sure there will be adequate information available before people go to the polls. We have eight weeks in which to do so. The policy paper was approved by the Cabinet last week and there will be a public information campaign to explain what is being proposed. Needless to say, even though it is not a referendum in the constitutional sense, we will be applying the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Point taken. We need to make sure people will understand what they are being asked. Eight weeks is enough time, but we will get on with that work quite soon.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is correct that the matter was discussed at the Cabinet meeting today, and it was also discussed last week at the Labour Employer Economic Forum with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Irish Business and Employers Confederation. We acknowledge that there is an issue with bogus self-employment in some sectors but it is worth pointing out that the most recent labour force...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Tá brón orm, ach níl aon eolas agam faoin ábhar sin. I will ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, to provide a more detailed reply for the Deputy.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have any information on that matter before me. I will undertake to ask the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, to furnish Deputy Collins with a more detailed reply.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy knows, it is an objective of the Government to improve ambulance response times throughout the country. To achieve that, we have increased the budget of the National Ambulance Service every year for four or five years. That has allowed for the purchase of new ambulances, improvements to ambulance bases and technology, pay restoration for staff, and new posts. I understand...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy raises an important issue. Cruise tourism is growing all the time and can be very valuable to the local economy, whether in Dublin or in Kerry. I know that cruise ships even go into Foynes and from there to Kerry. We want to support it but since it is a commercial enterprise, we cannot subsidise it or provide grant aid. Any proposition has to be commercial. With regard to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Scéimeanna Teanga (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Tairgim Uimh. 1 go 4 a ghlacadh le chéile. Faomhadh scéim teangacha oifigiúil mo Roinne faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 in 2016. Cumhdaíonn sí an tréimhse trí bliana ó 2016 go 2019. Cuimsítear sa scéim reatha, atá ar fáil ar gov.ie, roinnt gealltanas atá in ainm is a chinntiú gur féidir le haon...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Scéimeanna Teanga (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Níl mé ullmhaithe le haghaidh gach ceist; therefore, with the Ceann Comhairle's indulgence, I will reply in both English and Irish. Deputy Micheál Martin asked about an buiséad, an cáinaisnéis don Ghaeilge, faoi Chonradh na Gaeilge, faoi Fhoras na Gaeilge agus faoi Údarás na Gaeltachta. In the last budget which, of course, was for this year there...