Results 28,981-29,000 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That was a long contribution.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It did not include a question on promised legislation or the programme for Government. I suggest that Deputy McConalogue should submit a written question to the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath. Alternatively, the Deputy could turn up for oral questions when the Minister of State is present.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I would be very happy to support the establishment of such a committee. I am not sure what the exact mechanisms are to make that happen, but I would be very happy to support it.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is okay. The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 has already been enacted. The best way to ask about a specific school is to table a written question, a private notice question or an oral question to the Minister for Education and Skills. Informed though I am, it is not just possible to be informed of every constituency issue.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Again, I am familiar with the legislation, the purpose of which is to restore the voisinagearrangement which existed prior to 2016. I am not sure, however, that I am in a position to give any of the specific guarantees requested by the Deputy. I will certainly advise the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, that this matter was raised. I am sure he will want to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Government does not have any role in setting fares for public transport. That is covered under the Dublin Transport Authority Act and the National Transport Authority. On additional carriages and capacity for the rail network, I have been advised by Irish Rail from my own queries that additional carriages are being renovated and others are on order. That will improve capacity on our...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, and the Minister of State, Deputy Mitchell O’Connor, are not here. I will advise them that the Deputy raised this issue and ask them to provide him with a reply as soon as possible.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Again, the Minister is not here, unfortunately. I will advise him that the Deputy raised this matter and ask him to provide a reply without delay.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: This requires both regulation from the Government and at European level, as well as responsibility from the platforms of the digital companies themselves. One can only regulate and legislate so much. I am advised that we are still awaiting the pre-legislative scrutiny report on the Bill from the committee.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is very much a constituency question but an important one nonetheless. I visited Ladyswell national school last week and met with the principal and the board of management. We discussed issues around its counselling service, which I understood had been shared between Ladyswell and Corduff, but was being funded out of the school completion programme. There seemed to be an issue with...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is a matter for the Commissioner to decide how those 14,000 are best deployed.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Citizens Assembly (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. Work is under way in my Department on proposals for the establishment of proposals for the establishment of a new Citizens' Assembly to consider gender equality. I am also proposing a Citizens' Assembly on a directly elected mayor for Dublin and the form that this should take. The function of a Citizens' Assembly is to...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Citizens Assembly (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Work is under way to finalise the terms of reference for the Citizens' Assembly. I hope to bring proposals to the Government on this shortly. I had hoped to have them for International Women's Day but we have not yet finalised them. There is a discussion within the Government as to whether it should examine constitutional issues that have already been examined by the Constitutional...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 11, inclusive, and 13 together. I attended the European Council in Brussels on Thursday, 21 March, and Friday, 22 March. As I outlined in my statement to the House on 27 March, the agenda included: Brexit; jobs, growth and competitiveness; external relations; climate change; and efforts to combat disinformation. European Union reform was not an item for...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I genuinely thank Deputy Howlin for acknowledging that I do not have a crystal ball, cannot predict the future and do not have an answer to every hypothetical question. I have learned from experience over the past year or so that it can be dangerous to look into the crystal ball and make predictions about the future or to answer hypothetical questions because when it turns out that one...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: A counter-smuggling operation, indeed. This will have to be stepped up, and Deputy Burton is absolutely right about that. We know how to counteract smuggling. Animal checks are much more difficult. They can only possibly be done physically by vets. It is our view that those checks should take place at ports and that the island of Ireland should be treated as a whole when it comes to...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is entirely reasonable that questions should be asked as to what we are going to do-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----to prevent that.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I travelled to Paris on Tuesday 2 April to meet with President Macron, at his invitation. Our discussions focused on developments relating to Brexit, in advance of the extraordinary meeting of the European Council on 10 April. We also discussed bilateral relations between France and Ireland, which are excellent. I will have the opportunity for further engagement with President Macron, and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Communications (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In December 2017, a Government decision mandated the use of the Government of Ireland mark for external Government communications activities. The roll-out of the Government of Ireland mark is underway and has been adopted by Government Departments and Public Sector Bodies to ensure that citizens understand what messages are being delivered by Government. Your question relates to the following...