Results 31,061-31,080 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I join the Deputies in expressing my sorrow and regret at the job losses in Arklow and the company's decision to relocate back to Germany. Since the announcement on 8 November, Enterprise Ireland has been engaging intensively with the company to see whether it was possible to find a solution that would avert the job losses. Unfortunately, it has not proved possible, and the company...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: If the terms of the grants were not met, they must be repaid. Our agencies, IDA and Enterprise Ireland, stand ready to try to find alternative employment and to use the site for such employment for the people of Arklow.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In addition, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and Intreo stand ready to ensure that anyone who loses his or her job gets the benefits to which he or she is entitled, the option of retraining and all the range of supports made available by Government to people who have been made unemployed.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is intended to end the burning of coal to produce electricity in Ireland by 2025. Any decision on a transition fund for Moneypoint would have to be made in advance of that. At least for now, it is intended to continue burning coal between now and 2025.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am not aware of the specific facility but I will ask my staff to liaise with the Minister for Health about it.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens' Assembly (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. The establishment of the Citizens’ Assembly on gender equality was approved by Dáil Éireann on 9 July and Seanad Éireann on 11 July this year. The Citizens' Assemblies Act 2019 providing for the use of the electoral register to select members for both Citizens' Assemblies was subsequently enacted and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens' Assembly (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure how we got from citizens' assemblies to the public services card and the minimum wage and all the way back again but I will do my best to answer as many questions as I can in the time allocated to me. When it comes to the proposed citizens' assembly, the model the Government has in mind is to follow the same process as we followed with regard to the Citizens' Assemblies on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens' Assembly (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: And party leaders as well. I was asked whether there has been an independent review of what does and does not work and the pros and cons of citizens' assemblies more generally. That was done. A report was submitted by Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, which gives her advice and experience, having chaired an assembly. It is a very good report on the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of citizens'...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 11, inclusive, together. Cabinet committees are established to provide focused political oversight of relevant initiatives and developments in policy areas, including in particular where there is a need for co-ordinated action across Departments and agencies. Following a Government decision on 25 July 2019 on the establishment of Cabinet committees,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Tánaiste met with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, on Monday, 2 December, during a working visit to Israel and Palestine. During the visit, the Tánaiste also met with a number of Palestinian political leaders including President Abbas and Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, and a number of UN officials also. The Tánaiste...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 16 together. The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure last met on 4 November and is scheduled to next meet on 16 December. The Cabinet Committee works to ensure a co-ordinated approach in the areas of infrastructure investment and delivery, Project Ireland 2040, and Rebuilding Ireland. There is significant work underway across each of the areas covered...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: National Economic and Social Council (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The National Economic and Social Council is an independent statutory agency operating under the aegis of my Department. The Council analyses and reports on strategic policy matters relevant to Ireland's economic, social, environmental and sustainable development. The NESC is a valuable forum where economic, social and environmental issues can be discussed between a variety of actors and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: National Economic and Social Council (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The National Economic and Social Council is an independent statutory agency operating under the aegis of my Department. The Council analyses and reports on strategic policy matters relevant to Ireland's economic, social, environmental and sustainable development. The NESC is a valuable forum where economic, social and environmental issues can be discussed between a variety of actors and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: My Department currently avails of a contract cleaning service as a temporary measure to ensure that service levels in my Department are maintained while a recruitment process for additional cleaning staff is undertaken. In this regard, there is currently one contract cleaner employed on an agency basis in my Department. There are no agency staff currently employed by the National Economic...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested in respect of the years 2014 - 2018 is detailed in the following table. There are currently 221.65 whole time equivalent staff employed in my Department. The administration pay budget for 2019 is €16.046 million. The increase in staff numbers reflects the additional responsibilities assigned to my Department in respect of climate action, national security,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: National Economic and Social Council (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The National Economic and Social Council is an independent statutory agency operating under the aegis of my Department. The Council analyses and reports on strategic policy matters relevant to Ireland's economic, social, environmental and sustainable development. The NESC is a valuable forum where economic, social and environmental issues can be discussed between a variety of actors and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising Campaigns (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There are no advertising campaigns, promotional events and launches currently planned for the first six months of 2020. However my Department will participate in all appropriate advertising campaigns, events and launches as required, and in light of events such as, for example, developments on Brexit.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Data Sharing Arrangements (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of the Taoiseach does not have any data sharing agreements in place with organisations other than Government Departments or state agencies.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Agencies Data (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: National Statistics Board The National Statistics Board (NSB), with the agreement of the Taoiseach, has the general function of guiding the strategic direction of the Central Statistics Office.The Statistics Act 1993 provides for an eight-member NSB.Two are senior representatives of the Department of Finance and Department of the Taoiseach. Five persons are nominated, two by the Taoiseach...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Strategy Statements (10 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The details requested by the Deputy on the progress of reform measures outlined in Appendix 1 of my Department’s Strategy Statement are set out in the 2019 Annual Report on the Programme for a Partnership Government. This report is available on the Gov.iewebsite.