Results 31,361-31,380 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. She raised the issue of the capacity of the HSA. Environmental health officers in the HSE will play a role. Capacity is a very real issue. We have had discussions about that at Government level. The Ministers for Health and Business, Enterprise and Innovation might be able to give the Deputy a more comprehensive answer than I can because they have been dealing with...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I have not been involved personally in any of those kinds of discussions but that may well have happened. There is a regular quad meeting involving Ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive and Ministers from the Government here. Under our memorandum of understanding, MOU, there is ongoing contact and co-operation between the Chief Medical Officer, CMO, in Northern Ireland and the CMO...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: It is both, Deputy. There are additional financial resources and additional staff, mainly redeployed from other areas in the public service. There are also real consequences. The approach that is going to be taken by the HSA, as is always the case, is one of compliance and working with employers to enable them to comply. The HSA will, however, be able to close businesses and sites, if...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: We disagree on many issues but there are issues we agree on. One of the issues we agree on is that the best economic policy and the best social policy is high levels of employment and full employment where that can be achieved. That is the best economic policy. It is also the best way to reduce poverty and to reduce disadvantage. The best new deal for people who have lost their jobs is...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have any information or details on the companies or particular workplaces the Deputy has mentioned, but I will absolutely make inquiries with the HSA.There is a procedure that the authority will follow if complaints have been made. I will make inquiries with the HSA about it today.

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. As I said earlier, I will have to make inquiries with the HSA. Before coming to any judgments, I would like to hear its side of the story. I have heard the Deputy's in this Chamber but I have not heard the HSA's. I will make inquiries with the HSA and find out what the factual position is. As the Deputy knows, employers who breach the Safety, Health and Welfare at...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure if there was a question there. As I said, I will make inquiries with the HSA about this today.

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: It is always a pleasure to converse with somebody who is another doctor as well as another Deputy. I was feeling a bit lonely in the previous Dáil. There have usually been a few doctors in the House and I think I was the only one in the previous Dáil.

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Of course. I am sorry. He is gone. It was always a pleasure to converse with Dr. Harty as well. It is good to see Deputy Berry is here as well, so there are at least two of us. I look forward to a good, robust and positive relationship. As the Deputy rightly said, about 500 people have expressed an interest in rejoining the Defence Forces, which is really encouraging. Those 500 will...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: On testing and tracing, the HSE will publish its revised plan on testing and tracing today, with updated key performance indicators. On the volume of testing, as I stated earlier, 44,000 tests have been carried out in the past seven days. That works out at roughly 6,000 per day, which I think is the figure referred to by the Deputy. As he rightly pointed out, the capacity is there to do...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (14 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I agree with the Deputy. Water mains that need to be repaired should be repaired and replaced if they need to be replaced. Deputy Carey mentioned this to me as well. I will make inquiries at Irish Water about that and find out if we can get the work done quickly. We all know the importance of clean water in terms of public health and general hygiene. In response to Deputy Harkin, when...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Contracts (20 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has not engaged any consultants in the period since 1 January 2020.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising (20 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: A whole-of-government communications response was mobilised in response to the COVID-19 emergency to formulate and implement a coordinated response that ensures maximum clarity for citizens, businesses and our wider community. This aligns with both World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) advice, both of which emphasise the importance of ensuring the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: European Council Meetings (20 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together. On 23 April, I joined fellow members of the European Council by video conference to discuss management of the coronavirus crisis and to chart a path towards economic and social recovery. This was the fourth such meeting, with previous videoconferences having taken place on 10, 17 and 26 March. In our meetings, we focussed on five strategic...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (20 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I spoke with the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday 15 May. I offered my sympathies to him on his recent illness and hospitalisation, and I also congratulated him on the birth of his son. We discussed the general Covid 19 situation and our respective experiences in seeking to contain the virus and manage its impacts. We shared information on our respective plans to start easing...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff (20 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: In this period, one officer, at a grade equivalent to Administrative Officer, has been formally seconded to my Department from a Public Sector organisation.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The current public health advice states that we should stay at home in all circumstances, except in the following situations: - to travel to and from work, if your work cannot be carried out from home - to shop for essential food and household goods - to attend medical appointments and collect medicines - for vital family reasons, such as providing care to children, elderly or vulnerable...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Roadmap, and the Principles of Approach to reducing measures set out therein, states that ideally a ‘whole-of-country-approach will be taken, however it also includes potential for a differentiated geographical approach depending on circumstances. Under the framework, Government will decide what restrictions to ease, at what point in time, having regard to the public health...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising (20 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: In 2020 so far my Department has spent €4,308.20 on social media buying. This relates to content produced in Autumn 2019. My Department is coordinating the National whole-of-government communications response to the COVID-19 emergency. There will continue to be expenditure on public information notices to ensure maximum clarity for citizens, businesses and our wider community....

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising (20 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: In 2020 so far my Department has spent €4,308.20 on social media buying. This relates to content produced in Autumn 2019. My Department is coordinating the National whole-of-government communications response to the COVID-19 emergency. There will continue to be expenditure on public information notices to ensure maximum clarity for citizens, businesses and our wider community. This...