Results 29,781-29,800 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (2 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The breakdown of costs paid to date by my Department for the visit of President Trump, in June of this year, are as set out below: Staff travel and subsistence €4,556.72 Hotel costs (staff) €1,000.00 Gifts presented €344.10 Further invoices are expected in relation to this visit, which include provision of media facilities at Shannon Airport, catering and additional hotel...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Reviews (2 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There are no live studies, reviews and research being undertaken or commissioned by my Department. The Deputy may wish to be made aware that the National Economic and Social Council is an independent statutory agency operating under the aegis of my Department. The Council analyses and reports on strategic policy matters relevant to Ireland's economic, social, environmental and sustainable...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Government acknowledges the enormous challenges we face as a country when it comes to housing. All of us feel particularly strongly about the fact that there are families living in emergency accommodation. While the family hubs are much better than hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation they are by no means a long-term solution. It is our objective to reduce the number of families...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----for those who are not able to own their own house. That is why we need the private market so that people can purchase and own their own homes. I want that 70% home ownership to be a reality for people in the 20s and 30s. As to what are we doing about it, there is the help-to-buy scheme which has already benefitted 10,000 people, mostly people in their 20s and 30s, helping them to get...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will ensure that the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, provides the Deputy with an update on the affordable homes scheme.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, the scheme is going towards a shared equity model. We will provide the Deputy with more information on that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised that the level of home ownership fell faster under Fianna Fáil than it has under the current Government. It is worth referring to that point. We really should not forget from where we are coming. We should not forget what happened ten to 12 years ago on Fianna Fáil's watch. When Deputy Micheál Martin's party was in office, we had a boom-and-bust cycle in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The banking sector collapsed and was unable to lend people mortgages for a prolonged period.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We had, on Fianna Fáil's watch, ghost estates, Priory Hall, problems with mica, hundreds of thousands of people in negative equity-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and hundreds of thousands of others in mortgage arrears. Deputy Micheál Martin is not in a position to lecture or advise anyone on housing.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The answer to Deputy McDonald's question is "No". We negotiate public sector pay with the trade unions. That is done under the terms of pay deals that happen periodically and that do not require legislation. We have a pay deal with the public service trade unions. When that comes to an end, I imagine that we will have another pay deal with the public service unions. That is how we...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The national minimum wage is calculated by the Low Pay Commission, taking into account the views of workers and unions and also employers in the business sector. It is now the second highest in the European Union. Far from being behind the curve, we are well ahead of it. We have the second highest national minimum wage in the European Union. Even when one accounts for the fact that we...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I did give the Deputy a straight answer-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----but unfortunately she chose to misrepresent it and put words in my mouth. While I give the Deputy straight answers, there is nothing straight about her whatsoever in the way that she responds to my answers when I give them to her. The Government is acting. The Deputy should look at the facts. We have more people at work in Ireland than ever before.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We have an unemployment rate that it is at its lowest in 15 years.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Poverty and deprivation rates have been falling for four years in a row and we have cut child poverty by 30% and we have increased the minimum wage every year for the past four years after it was cut by others. That is our record. It is a good one-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and we are going to continue to build on it but we will do it in a way that is sustainable and not counterproductive. The risk of Sinn Féin policies that are not responsible is that they will be counterproductive.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We would end up in a situation whereby people rather than getting an increase actually end up having their hours reduced or losing their jobs altogether and that is no good to anyone.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There are a lot of specific questions there. I will do my best to answer them in the time allocated. I did receive the Deputy's letter and have read it. I am not sure if he received the response-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----but it is in train. In respect of legislation, we would expect to have the public and community safety Bill next year, which will bring into law many of the recommendations made by Kathleen O'Toole in the commission she led on the reform of policing. It is being worked on at the moment by the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, and the Department of Justice and Equality. Ideally, I would like...