Results 30,521-30,540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I can certainly understand what the Deputy is saying. I can imagine a scenario in which two sisters or brothers are living in the one house when one passes on and the other is left with a significant tax bill, which he or she may be unable to pay, in particular if he or she is elderly. I understand the issues the Deputy raises or which could arise and they merit examination. It is not...

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I gcás Peter Kelly, ceiliúraimid dea-bheatha duine a d’oibrigh ar mhaithe leis an saol. Bhí grá mór aige do phobal a cheantair féin. Bhí grá aige do dhaoine i gcoitinne agus bhí sé an-tugtha don pholaitíocht. Bhí clú agus cáil air ar fheabhas a dhúthrachta agus de bharr gur oibrigh sé go dian...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I again extend my condolences to the O'Farrell family on their loss. There has been a GSOC investigation into the case and the independent review mechanism, IRM, believed there should not be a further investigation. However, subsequent to that, the Dáil passed a motion which led to Mr. Justice Haughton's review. I am told that he met several times with the O'Farrell family to discuss...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will have to have a look at the Bill as I am not familiar with it. I am not sure there is any legislation that will, in itself, prevent overruns on capital projects but I will take a look at it and get back to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am working on this issue with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh. We are hopeful of coming to a resolution as soon as possible. The new school will be built but has been delayed by roughly a year for various reasons. We want to make sure the school can stay on its current site until the new school is ready. We do not want the children attending the school to be shipped...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Negotiations.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Both the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, and I have visited Drogheda in the last few months to hear about the situation first-hand from both the Garda and people living in the area. Additional resources have been provided by the Garda Commissioner, and it is up to him to decide whether additional resources can be provided in the next few weeks. However, next year's...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. I am familiar with the pub, although I am not familiar with the road. It sounds like a matter for the county councils rather than central government, but I will ask my people to look into it.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I read the letter in a newspaper the other day. It arrived in newspapers before it arrived in my office and I did not get a phone call about it in advance. I imagine if I was the Leader of the Opposition, I would have a bee in my bonnet about that and would be feeling disrespected for two years, but I do not. I understand where the signatories are coming from in terms...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is important to people in Cavan and Monaghan. However, this session is on promised legislation and the programme for Government-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and there is nothing in either of those about those particular Garda stations. It might be more appropriate to raise this matter with the Minister for Justice and Equality during Question Time or to table a Topical Issue matter.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I outlined the Government's response to this earlier. Perhaps that was before the Deputy came to the Chamber. We are doing a number of things. First, we are increasing the number of beds across the country, including in Clonmel and Limerick. Since 2014, we have been adding more beds to the hospital system. Deputies will recall that when Fianna Fáil and the Green Party were in power...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of Justice and Equality is working on the Bill. Unfortunately, is not expected to come before the House this session.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid that, given that this session is about questions on promised legislation, I do not have an answer to her question because it relates to a school project, which I am sure is a major issue in Monasterevin. I will ask the Minister for Education and Skills to reply to her query.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I join the Deputy in acknowledging the progress that has been made in the greater Drogheda area and the success An Garda Síochána has had in quelling violence and tension in Drogheda in the past couple of months. That is, of course, in part connected to the additional resources provided for the area. The budget allocated to An Garda Síochána for next year is €1.88...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am not aware of that but I will have it checked out. My understanding is that the free travel pass applies to public transport, not transport provided by the HSE, the Department of Education and Skills and others.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge and value the work done by community employment schemes and those who supervise them. I had some very good engagement with them when I was Minister for Social Protection but as the Deputy knows, community employment scheme supervisors are not public servants. They are not our employees and any Labour Court recommendation that is made applies to the employer, which is not the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I have met them.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is now the law that an asylum seeker who has been in the country for more than nine months can work, which is positive. I am pleased that we were able to make that change. My recollection is that much of the law relating to driving licences is linked to EU directives.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There may be an issue around residency but in principle, if we are allowing somebody to work, we should allow him or her to drive to work or drive as part of his or her job so I will look into the matter and obtain a note on it.