Results 30,161-30,180 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Correspondence (1 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Correspondence with the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development during the period in question is primarily a matter for my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. For the information of the Deputy I wrote to Commissioner Hogan in June 2017 thanking him for his good wishes on my election as Taoiseach, and in October 2017 concerning the Irish and EU...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (1 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I met Mrs. Arlene Foster, leader of the DUP in Government Buildings on the evening of 18 September. We discussed Brexit developments at that time and also discussed the political situation in Northern Ireland and ongoing efforts to restore the power-sharing institutions. I emphasised the Government’s full commitment to all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement, and our continuing...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (1 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Following a Government decision in July, the Cabinet Committee structures were reorganised. The Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Services covers issues relating to Social Policy and Public Services including health and Sláintecare. The Committee last met on 10September, 2019 and will meet again before the year end. The Committee ensures a co-ordinated approach to the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Capital Expenditure Programme (1 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There has been no capital expenditure by my Department or any agency under the remit of my Department since 1 January 2014.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for the question. This policy and proposal was developed by Deputy Coveney when he was Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in consultation with his officials. It is entirely reasonable that he would consult industry too when making a policy decision. The intention and idea behind it was to fast-track the planning system to make sure that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: This proposal was put forward by Deputy Coveney when he was Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government but it would not have been possible without Fianna Fáil's support for the housing policy, which I recognise.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure if the figures I was given yesterday were authenticated or not but they indicated that approximately 16,000 homes have received planning permission under this fast-track planning process. Some 6,000 of those are either built or being built. Approximately 10,000 have yet to commence but they may yet commence in the next few months or the next year. There is always a time lag...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. As I said earlier, it is entirely reasonable to look back on a policy change after three or four years to see if it was successful or not. We know that 16,000 homes were given fast-track planning permission through this process.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I need to study the research but I have not seen whether the authors looked at a counterfactual analysis or at whether developments that went through the old process commenced at a faster rate. The Deputy is right to point out that I have been in government since 2011 but he has been in Government too. Let us not forget that. Let us not forget his party's record when it comes to housing....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The reason we have a housing crisis in this country-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----is that Fianna Fáil broke the banks and the construction industry and bankrupted the Government.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We had a seven-year period during which almost no new homes were built in this State. There should have been approximately 200,000 houses built during that seven-year period, but none was built. That is why we have a housing crisis.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The responsibility for that lies with the Deputy's party in government. It broke the banks, the construction industry and public policy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: His party's record on housing is ghost estates, Priory Hall-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----mica, pyrite, hundreds of thousands of people in negative equity, hundreds of thousands of people in mortgage arrears, and hundreds of thousands of construction workers forced to emigrate. That is his record.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. It is worth acknowledging that we live in a country that has a relatively low crime rate compared with other developed countries and we are fortunate to do so. In large part, that is down to the excellent work of An Garda Síochána every day of the week. Were it not for An Garda Síochána, we would not live in a country that has a low crime rate. I...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I promise not to overrun.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Government has committed to reopening Fitzgibbon Street Garda station. I do not know the reason for the delay. I will find out and get back to the Deputy in the next 48 hours. It will be reopened. It is not the opening of Garda stations that reduces crime, rather it is gardaí on the streets. The number on the streets has increased not only in Dublin but also all over the rest of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I absolutely agree with the Deputy that the banking sector owes a huge debt to the people but he might be getting his history a little muddled. With respect, he is confusing the bank guarantee with the bank bailout. It is indeed the case that his party opposed the bank guarantee. There were two bank bailouts, however. There was the bailout carried out by Fianna Fáil when in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Really, no.