Results 29,401-29,420 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 7, inclusive, together. As the House is aware, last Friday, the British Prime Minister, Mrs. Theresa May, announced her intention to step down as leader of the Conservative Party on 7 June, although she will remain as Prime Minister until a new Prime Minister is appointed. As I said in my press statement, I got to know Theresa May quite well over the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the renewable heat incentive, and following up what has been said, an inquiry is under way and it has not yet reported or made any findings. I do not think we should assume there was corruption, at least until the inquiry reports and states there was. I want to put this on the record. The general approach is to carry out the inquiry before making a judgment and this is the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Mr. Farage was mentioned earlier, as were the Brexit party and UKIP. They all want to withdraw their country from the European Union. I understand that People Before Profit in Northern Ireland also supported Brexit.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Perhaps I am wrong about that. People Before Profit in Northern Ireland is a pro-Brexit party-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and aligned with the views of Farage in that regard. I am not clear whether People Before Profit in this jurisdiction wants us to withdraw from the European Union but I know it opposed all European treaties, the Single Market, the euro and European integration more generally. This says to me that, as is so often obvious to me, there is a lot in common between the far left and far right.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 14, inclusive, together. I attended an informal meeting of EU Heads of State and Government in Sibiu, or Hermannstadt, in Romania on 9 May. I will answer questions on yesterday's meeting separately. President Tusk convened the meeting on 9 May, with a view to an initial informal discussion of our strategic priorities for the years ahead. Our first...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I had the opportunity to meet Boris Johnson once. We both spoke to the crowd in Trafalgar Square on St. Patrick's Day in 2012 or 2013. He seemed to have a good understanding of St. Patrick's Day but we did not have a chance to engage much on Irish affairs. That was the only time I met him but the Tánaiste has met him on a number of occasions. As I have stated on many occasions,...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----we will not be able to have the same budget as we would otherwise. I am of the view that this is the right thing to do. It is transparent.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is not being fair. What I stated previously was that the 2019 budget would stand. He asked me on many occasions whether this would be the case. A mini-budget was not introduced and nor was there a need for one. What we are doing for next year is slightly different because we recognise that a different scenario will apply. I did not suggest that the far right and far left...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is not. Plenty of examples can be offered.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am not saying that Deputy Boyd Barrett is anti-Semitic.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There are plenty of examples of people on the far left who are anti-Semitic.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As I explained earlier, the climate change letter was signed by nine out of 28 countries. It calls for carbon neutrality by 2050 and we support that. However, it also calls for much more onerous targets for greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 which we do not believe are achievable. We believe that we can achieve what we have committed to do by 2030 but we do not want to commit to targets...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): European Council Meetings (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----that it can use on our train lines as part of electrification and extending the DART to Drogheda, Maynooth and Hazelhatch. That is sensible climate action being taken by Irish Rail, a Government-owned company. Yesterday, I signed a joint letter with President Macron, the purpose of which is to seek EU funding for a Celtic interconnector in order that we can link the electricity grids...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (29 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I travelled to Paris on 15 May for an event co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in response to the terrorist attack on the Muslim community in Christchurch. I had the opportunity to speak with Prime Minister May and other leaders in the margins of the event. Prime Minister May expressed her hope at that stage that she would be able to...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Public Policy Matters: Discussion (30 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I wish the members a good afternoon and thank the Chairman. Accompanying me is the Secretary General of my Department, Mr. Martin Fraser. In the programme for Government, we wanted to strengthen accountability through attendance at Oireachtas committees and I welcome this opportunity to hear the committee's issues of concern and discuss the Government's response. For that reason, I will...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Public Policy Matters: Discussion (30 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. Deputy Fleming's suggestion is one worth considering. It is something we considered at the time of developing Project Ireland 2040 and decided not to go for it. Australia has such a body, Infrastructure Australia, a government agency tasked with overseeing and driving all its major infrastructure projects. It is an idea that is worth dusting...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Public Policy Matters: Discussion (30 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will pick up on Deputy Fleming's point. It might be more of a question from me to him. Does the Committee of Public Accounts not have any oversight over the matter?

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Public Policy Matters: Discussion (30 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I would have thought section 38 organisations at the least should be included.

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Public Policy Matters: Discussion (30 May 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The same should apply maybe for section 39 organisations that have more than 50% funding.