Results 31,181-31,200 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I honestly do not know why it does not apply in this case but I will check that out and provide the Deputy with a more detailed reply. It may well be - I am only guessing - that the directive applies to bodies that are largely publicly funded whereas this is a body that receives only a small proportion of its funding from the Government. That is just my guess because that is often the way...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: When the Deputy raised the issue of reform of the Oireachtas and restoring the people's trust in it, I thought he might have referred to Deputies Lisa Chambers, Niall Collins or Dooley, or perhaps even Senator Clifford-Lee, or some of his own party's Senators-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----who featured in an RTÉ investigative report only last week. Perhaps he will come back and comment on that at a later stage. They are all sitting Deputies and some of them will even be candidates in a general election for Fianna Fáil, which says a lot.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In respect of the former Deputy, Dara Murphy, I am aware the provision exists-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and we have had some discussions with him about it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will come back to the Deputy on that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Both I and my advisers have discussed with the former Deputy, Dara Murphy, a number of options as to how an inquiry can be carried out. That is one of the options we have discussed with him and it is still a work in progress. There should be an inquiry and Mr. Murphy has agreed to submit to one. He should pay back any expenses if the inquiry finds against him. I would like to know from...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----in respect of sitting Oireachtas Members who are under investigation by our ethics committee-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----such as Deputies Lisa Chambers, Dooley and Niall Collins or Senator Clifford-Lee, who still has not apologised for some of the remarks she made-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----whether they will be ratified as Fianna Fáil candidates in the next general election, when there is still a cloud of suspicion over them and when they are still under investigation. Will you, sir, answer that straight question?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is very much aware of these issues. We know that many parents are concerned that their child's crèche or childcare facility may close in the new year, or that they may find a steep increase in the charges they have to pay. We want to ensure that no crèches close in the new year, unless it is for a very good reason, such as, for example, as a result of issues...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I would like to be associated with those remarks and to offer my condolences and those of the Government to the Labour Party, Labour Youth and the wider Labour family on the loss of Cormac Ó Braonáin following a tragic accident. It must be an impossible time for his family and friends, particularly at this time of year. Some of those who attended the vigil that was held the other...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: On promised legislation, no fire services Bill is promised. On the other matter the Deputy raised, on my initiative and that of the Minister, Deputy Ring, an allocation has been made from the Dormant Accounts Fund for community centres that are not in public ownership to apply for money to carry out essential works such as fire safety works. It is news to me that it is limited to 20% of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: If the Deputy has concerns about planning on Meath County Council, he should take it up with Meath County Council. Plenty of local authorities require that childcare facilities be provided as part of new major residential developments. If the Deputy had told me about it, I would have raised it with the Fianna Fáil mayor of Meath, whom I met only yesterday. On childcare, we are...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister for Health to provide the Deputy with a more comprehensive response, but the winter plan has a number of elements. Opening additional bed capacity where it exists is only one part of it. Other measures are being put in place to reduce overcrowding, including more home care packages, more funding for the fair deal scheme, aids and appliances so that people can be...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The 41 carriages are for the greater Dublin rail network, for Drogheda, Maynooth and-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I did say that the €1 billion allocated to Irish rail under the infrastructure manager multi-annual contract, IMMAC, over five years will cover the entire railway network, including the Wexford line.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for raising the important issue of home help. As they will know, no politician has any role in deciding who gets home help or how many hours they get. Those are decisions for clinicians and managers. However, I can say that this afternoon the HSE will publish its service plan for 2020, which was approved by Cabinet this morning. It has a budget of €17 billion,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As far as I am aware, the State Claims Agency only covers public bodies. It would not be possible for it to take on the liabilities of private organisations, whether they are charitable organisations or private companies.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I certainly will and I have already done so in the past. I should point out that I am not the Head of State.