Results 29,521-29,540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I again thank the Deputy. I am afraid I just do not see how the Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2019 relates to the Rockall dispute. This is a question of the Scottish Government, on behalf of the UK or, rather, off its own bat, asserting sovereignty over Rockall and thereby claiming an exclusive zone of 12 miles around that. We take a different view. When the exclusive economic zones were...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I had never heard that song until two days ago.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy very much for raising this important issue. I confirm to the House that the Cabinet yesterday approved the deployment of the Army ranger wing to the UN mission in Mali. That will require a motion of the House, so I ask for the House's support for that. It is the first time in nearly ten years that the rangers have been deployed in this way. It is something that the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----including fishery protection aircraft that are arriving this year.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It means improvement to our barracks. It means new equipment. It also means increased pay, pay restoration and increased pensions. It is not the case that money is handed back at the end of the year-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----even though that has been claimed by some. Recruitment is going very well but retention is not. I absolutely acknowledge that a large number of people are leaving our Defence Forces for various reasons, not least the fact that, because they are so well skilled, their skills are very much sought after in the private sector where there are also major skill shortages and labour shortages...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----including civil servants, local authority workers, nurses, teachers, doctors, all the people who work in this House and all the people who work in the public service all over the country.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It would simply be not right or fair to restore Defence Forces pay and pensions fully ahead of everyone else in the public service.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Everyone must have restoration happening at the same time. Nor would it be affordable to do what Deputy Healy is asking. The public sector pay bill is nearly €18 billion a year. A 2% increase alone is €360 million. We have heard the advice and the criticisms from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council telling us that we are increasing spending too fast. The Opposition needs to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----we need the Opposition to stop demanding additional spending everyday.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Opposition-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Opposition has a responsibility as well. Government has heard that message. We are going to heed it. We are going to try to keep spending increases under control-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----at around 4% or 5% this year.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We also need the Oireachtas to get that too because we cannot get a budget, Estimates or Supplementary Estimates through, if they are necessary-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----without the support of this House. We also need this House to reorientate its attitude to these things as well and come with us in trying to keep public spending under control.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is not simply "a matter of political will". As a Government, we need to see the bigger picture.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There were disputes with the gardaí and two of the nurses' unions. Those disputes were resolved following negotiations and, in the end, in the Labour Court. In resolving those disputes, we needed to make sure we did not bring down the entire public sector pay agreement. We cannot afford to bring it down. We are trying to resolve the Defence Forces pay dispute. We asked the Public...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It will have a knock-on effect across the board. The public sector pay bill is €17 billion or €18 billion a year. An increase of 2% across the board would amount to €360 million. That is not something we can afford to do.

Death of Former Members: Expressions of Sympathy (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am grateful for this opportunity to pay tribute to two members of the Fine Gael family, Richie Ryan and John Browne, who served our country with distinction and who passed away recently. Ba pholaiteoir prionsapálta é Richie Ryan. Threoraigh sé cúrsaí airgeadais na tíre seo trí cheann de na tréimhsí is measa in Éirinn. Is cuimhin linn...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (12 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is being worked on by the Minister and the Department of Health. I do not have an up-to-date position but I will certainly make sure it is provided to the Deputy.