Results 29,481-29,500 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council Meetings (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----on that would be very wise. Deputy Haughey asked about balance. It is essential that we have gender balance, political balance among the groups, geographical balance and balance between big and small as well as between new and old member states. It is very hard to have that level of balance when there are only four jobs but we need to achieve it. President Macron and I are very...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council Meetings (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Indeed.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together. The report of the Seanad reform implementation group was noted and discussed by the Government at its meeting on 30 April 2019. The Government also noted that the report includes four statements from various groups outlining why their position was not in line with the recommendations of the report, including Fine Gael, Sinn Féin...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Our intention is to hold the referendum on extending the presidential franchise to Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland and around the world later this year, most likely concurrent with the four by-elections, the writ for which must be moved within six months of the vacancies arising. If four constituencies are going to the polls anyway, it makes sense to have the referendum at that...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----led by a judge. There were also campaigns on the ground and it was passed in one city. Limerick city and county voted in favour of having a directly elected mayor and will now have one. That will act as a demonstration project and other parts of the country will see how successful it is and in time, they will want the same. I would like Dublin and Galway to vote on the matter in 2021...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: When a narrow margin-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: When defeat is narrow, one sees many things that could have gone differently.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy was asked to take part in events with the Minister, Deputy Coveney-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----to write op-eds, and to take part is the campaign but decided not to-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----unlike Deputy Niall Collins-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----in Limerick who showed real leadership, actually took part in the campaign, and helped to secure the passage of the plebiscite, as did the Green Party, the Social Democrats, and Labour in some parts of the country. I am sorry to say that it is my sense that the Deputy secretly wanted the plebiscite to be defeated in Cork because he hoped it would make the Government look bad.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: He was willing to let down his own city in that regard.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: He showed no leadership on this matter-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and as a result of that, Limerick city and county will now get a head start over Cork.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy really let down his city in this regard. He showed a lack of leadership, unlike Deputy Niall Collins, who showed much more leadership on this matter by supporting the plebiscite in Limerick and helping it to get across the line.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the question------

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The truth hurts.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The plebiscite could have passed if Deputy Micheál Martin had shown a little bit of leadership, as Deputy Niall Collins did. I am sorry he did not do so.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the Seanad, as I have said before, I supported its abolition. Many countries, including New Zealand, Finland, and Portugal, have unicameral systems which work well, but I accept the referendum result. The people have decided that the Seanad will remain. That matter is now settled. Whether that was a vote for reform or not is a matter of debate, as is whether the people were...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The next step is to have a debate in the Dáil to allow people to give their views and to say what they think is right and wrong.