Results 30,961-30,980 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Ó Laoghaire should not make the mistake of thinking that Sinn Féin received some sort of endorsement for its policies; it did not.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In fairness to the Deputy, he has asked some very specific questions, one relating to the minutes of a meeting held on 6 October last. I was not present at the meeting and I have not seen the minutes so the Deputy will forgive me if I am unable to answer questions at that level of detail. It is the case that some errors were made during the process of the RCOG audit. They were flagged at...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly give consideration to the Deputy's suggestion with regard to involving Dr. Scally again. He is very much trusted by the Government and, I think, by the House and the patient advocates. I would prefer to have that discussion with him rather than make an announcement on the matter now. We can certainly give consideration to funding independent reports for women who wish to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: However, the judge heading the CervicalCheck tribunal which the Government established is empowered to appoint independent experts who would not be paid by the laboratory or paid through a solicitor. They can, I think, be genuinely independent.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Mental health is an issue in which I have a great interest and one that is of major concern to the Government. I do not agree with the contention that A Vision for Change has not been implemented at all but I do think it needs to be replaced by a new document. It has reached the pointed where it needs to be renewed. A lot of things have happened since A Vision for Change was first adopted....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: When I say it is out of date, what I mean is that it is a document which was published some 15 or 20 years ago and which needs to be renewed and updated. That is what we intend to do. I will return to the Deputy on the question of the independent monitoring body. I must talk to the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health on that. The acute adult mental health unit at...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As I mentioned earlier, Lorraine Walsh did phenomenal work on the CervicalCheck steering committee. I have met her many times, as has the Minister. I am sure he would be happy to meet her again and speak to her on any concerns she has. Ms Walsh resigned from the committee on 31 October. The RCOG report was published only yesterday.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It was only completed in the past couple of days. I ask that people read the report-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and allow RCOG to come before the Joint Committee on Health, which it has offered to do. The best people to explain the report, which is essentially a clinical audit-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----are the individuals from the RCOG who compiled it. We established a patient advocacy service in the past couple of months. Such a service had not previously existed.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Bill is before the House. There will be more than enough time both here and on Committee Stage for Deputies to debate it and to put forward any amendments they may wish to propose. It is interim legislation. A bigger item of legislation involving the establishment of a regulator is also being prepared. The Bill is an interim measure designed to make some improvements while the larger...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----the Bill has caused some concern. I reassure people that there are no plans whatever in the legislation that would cause the closure of any bingo halls in Ireland. Rather, the legislation seeks to ensure that bingo halls, many of which are big commercial operators, actually provide money to charity as required. The legislation requires that 25% of the money goes to charity. We know...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Teaching Council is the professional regulatory body for teachers. I am not aware of the issue but if the Deputy gives me the details I will ensure that it is looked into by my people.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to get back to the Deputy on that.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There is no change in policy. We now have the lowest pupil-teacher ratios in primary schools ever and that has been delivered by this Government with the biggest budget ever for education.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The targeting of additional resources is both for disadvantaged schools and children with special educational needs.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is and I am happy to answer the Deputy, with the agreement of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. The Deputy asked the very good question of whether I can give hope to the people in the regions who will be affected by the closure of the peat power stations. The answer is "Yes" and I can. This is the first big test of just transition for our country which, over the next couple of years, will get...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for the question. I understand St. James's Hospital has withdrawn the poster and it was certainly not a national policy. I understand that this was specific to the hospital and it accepts that, at best, it was a clumsy idea. People who listened to Ms Phil Ní Sheaghda and Professor Patrick Plunkett on the radio this morning explaining how discharge lounges work and...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy but I am afraid I cannot give that confirmation. I will inform the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, that the matter was raised in the Chamber and I will ask her to contact the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I have not seen the Bill but when the Government sees it we will give it due consideration.