Results 30,981-31,000 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: It is a specific question about an individual and it is very difficult for me to answer a question without all the information.

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

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is aware it is unlawful for a Minister to make a direction about any individual patient but-----

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

Leo Varadkar: I will have to check on this as I am not up to date on the matter. I am sorry.

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

Leo Varadkar: I will have to check this out as well. The legal position may or may not have changed since then. While I have been around the table, we have never been involved in operational matters involving RTÉ, about where it locates its staff or anything like that. I am not sure we would like to get into that space either. Perhaps the legislation has changed since then but I am interested to...

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

Leo Varadkar: -----but it is interesting that that was possible in the past.

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

Leo Varadkar: I am advised that this matter is currently under negotiation between the IPU, which represents pharmacists, the Department of Health and the HSE. Hopefully, we will be able to make an announcement on that in the next few weeks.

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

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge the terrible impact low beef prices are having on the incomes of our beef farmers. I really hope we will see prices rise in the next few weeks, at least to the European average which they had been at previously. The Deputy will know the Teagasc farm report shows that farmers’ incomes fell precipitously in 2018 and while they recovered a bit in 2019, they have not...

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. I assure them that bingo is just as popular in urban Ireland as it is in rural Ireland.

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

Leo Varadkar: I know that from the number of queries I have received about this issue in recent days. I spoke to the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, about this yesterday. He is from rural Cork, as the Deputies will know, and he assured me that this new law will not have any adverse impact on bingo halls or bingo nights and will not cause any bingo nights to be cancelled or any bingo halls to be closed.

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

Leo Varadkar: However, it will require bingo operators, many of which are big commercial operations, to provide at least 25% of the money they raise for the charities. Some of them have not been doing that and that is wrong.

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

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of it. The Minister of State, Deputy Griffin, has been working on this with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, for some time and they hope to be able to confirm progress in a few months.

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

Leo Varadkar: The Minister, Deputy Zappone, is currently looking at this issue. I will ask her to contact the Deputy about it.

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

Leo Varadkar: I am sorry, is the Deputy referring to the DeSouza case?

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

Leo Varadkar: There is nothing about that in the withdrawal agreement but it is something we are taking up with the British Government. The British courts have made a distinction between being able to identify as British, Irish or both and being a citizen of Britain, Ireland or both. We do not agree with that interpretation. I have taken this matter up with the Prime Minister and the Tánaiste has...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Commissions of Investigation Expenditure (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Following consultations with the Opposition parties by the then Minister for Finance, the IBRC commission of investigation was established in June 2015. The commission is entirely independent in its work and Mr. Justice Brian Cregan is its sole member. The commission was originally due to issue its final report by the end of December 2015 at an estimated cost of €4 million,...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Commissions of Investigation Expenditure (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I can be shorter than that on this occasion. This is a commission of investigation and I need to be careful what I say about it. I answered a question earlier with regard to former Deputy Dara Murphy. I can confirm, however, that the Standards in Public Office Commission can investigate a former Member in relation to his or her conduct as a Member. The former Deputy, Dara Murphy, has said...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): British-Irish Council (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 6, inclusive, together. I was pleased to welcome the administration heads from Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and the British Government to Dublin for the 33rd British-Irish Council on 15 November. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the inaugural meeting of the British-Irish Council, BIC, and it was agreed that the council...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): British-Irish Council (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: When it comes to the British-Irish Council it has not been the norm for the UK Prime Minister to attend since its inception. I think that Mr. David Cameron may have attended one of the meetings, perhaps in London, or a few during his term of office, but it has been the norm since its inception to send a different senior Cabinet minister to attend the British-Irish Council to represent the UK...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Functions (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, together. My Department assists the Taoiseach and the Government, including the Independent members of Government, through the Government secretariat, the programme for Government office, the Cabinet committee structure, and the parliamentary liaison unit. As outlined in my Department's Statement of Strategy 2016-2019, these business...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Functions (4 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that no promises were made to Independent Deputies in return for votes on the confidence motion and there is nothing to publish. However, Independent Deputies and plenty of Opposition Deputies are in touch with Ministers all the time looking for help on issues and we try to help them as best we can. As the Deputy stated, the statement of strategy will expire at the end of this...