Results 30,901-30,920 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: The Deputy knows full well that no Minister or politician is involved in awarding contracts. That is not the way it works.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: Perhaps it did 20, 30 or 40 years ago but it has not worked like that in a very long time. No Minister is involved in making a decision on who does or who does not get a contract.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: The Deputy should know better than to make false allegations such as that in the House.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: Absolutely they are false and the Deputy should withdraw them.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: No, they are not. They are false allegations.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I again congratulate the Deputy on his stunning by-election victory in Dublin Fingal. Ireland's cross-departmental delegation is appearing before the UN Committee responsible for monitoring the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The delegation is headed by the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality,...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: We will certainly give consideration to a national action plan against racism. We have established a new anti-racism committee and that has a mandate to review current evidence and practice and to make recommendations to Government on how to best strengthen our approach in tackling racism. As the Deputy knows, we already have a national migrant integration strategy. Strategies are not...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Micheál Martin for raising the important issue of air quality. We had a detailed discussion about this matter just last evening at the Cabinet sub-committee on the environment. We acknowledge that poor air quality has a severe impact on people's health. We are keen to act on this issue, and things have changed since the 1990s. We now know that peat briquettes and wood...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I said something else as well that I meant sincerely. When the CervicalCheck audit report came out in May, we in this House did not cover ourselves in glory and nor did large portions of the media. I specifically recall Deputy McDonald making statements that had to be taken back and her party's spokesperson sent out tweets that had to be deleted. Let us not have that happen all over again....
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: Out of respect for the women affected and their families, let us get this process right this time. Let us read the actual report, and not on Twitter. I am not referring to Deputy McDonald but another Deputy.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: Let us read the report and have a chance to consider it. We can then let the people from the RCOG who wrote the report explain it and answer questions. After mature reflection and consideration, let us then have a debate in this House with questions. Let us not do all over again what happened two years ago. I ask that we please not do that.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Howlin for raising the fact that today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It is appropriate that we discuss this. As Deputy Howlin points out, many people with disabilities would like to work if they can be assisted and facilitated to do so. There are, however, many barriers to doing so, and our job as a Government and a Legislature is to remove some of...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I will answer as best I can. The Rotunda hospital will go to Connolly hospital, which is owned by the State. The Coombe will go to the St. James's campus, which is owned by the State. The arrangements for Holles Street hospital moving to St. Vincent's Hospital have to be worked out. My understanding is that it involves a 99-year lease. The building is owned by the State and the land is...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I do not have its freehold title.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I did not think we were on the eve of a general election. Maybe I have been counting the numbers wrong. I will have to come back to the Deputy with an answer to his question as I am not familiar with the matter.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I assure any Deputies from rural Ireland that bingo is pretty popular in urban Ireland and Dublin.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: There are no plans to cause difficulties to bingo players. What is intended is a legislative change that will ensure that charities receive a fair share from bingo operators who act as their agents, that is a minimum of 25% of proceeds. These measures will increase transparency by placing some additional responsibilities on applicants for lottery licences. It is right and proper that the...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: We are very keen to see the money for community CCTV drawn down. There have been difficulties in some places around who or who is not the data controller. The Deputy raised this with me personally earlier and I will ask my office to look at it and see if there is anything that can be done to make these programmes more operational.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: It is not my practice to organise meetings on the floor of the House. The Deputy will appreciate that I receive a lot of requests and my diary is now full until the recess. However, I will meet them as soon as it is practical to do so.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Dec 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I am not in a position to update the Deputy. It is a decision for the Irish Wheelchair Association. The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, was due to meet it, but I am not sure if that has happened.