Results 31,401-31,420 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Sorry?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I was distracted momentarily by my phone.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: For clarity, this is an Estimate which is being presented to the House on a no-policy-change basis. If any changes are to be made to the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, in future, the Government has not made that decision. Like many Estimates in the past, this allows the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to continue to pay all social welfare payments - pensions,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am sure that can be arranged but it literally is that simple. Nobody is being asked to vote for any legislation or change to the pandemic unemployment payment. No decision has been made on that by Government. This is an Estimates motion to allow the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to continue to pay pensions and other welfare payments from 8 June because if it is...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: That is the briefing, a Cheann Comhairle. I appreciate other people will want to talk about other issues.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am happy to clarify that, a Cheann Comhairle. As I have already said in this House, a week ago, if not two weeks ago, it is the intention of the Government to extend the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, and the wage subsidy scheme but that is a separate issue. A Cabinet decision has not been made on that yet. That will have to be done, probably some time next week. All we are asking...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister, Ms Doherty, is not here but I am sure she would be happy to provide a briefing to Opposition Members later on today. That is not a problem but I wish to clarify that it is the intention of the Government to extend the pandemic unemployment payment beyond 8 June and the wage subsidy scheme as well. The Government has yet to make a decision on to when they are extended but that...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett. I will pass on his concerns to the Minister for Health and ask him to fulfil that commitment if it was made. I did not make that commitment, nor did I hear it, so it is difficult for me to comment on it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I will follow up on it. I really hope that nobody in the House is trying to sow concern or worry among people who are in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment. People who are in receipt of the payment will continue to get it beyond 8 June. I can give that assurance to the House. The economy is only now slowly opening up. The payment will have to be extended. Nobody needs to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: None of those decisions has to be made now. They may well be decisions for the next Government and may require a further Revised Estimate in the future. Over the course of the next week or two we will need Revised Estimates for a lot of Departments, but they will be brought to the House on a no policy change basis because as much as possible we want any new policy decisions to be made by...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am happy to commit to asking the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to give Members a briefing, but she is not here and I am here for the next two hours. After I leave this House in two hours I will ask her if she is available for a briefing. If she is, Members will get one. I have no reason to think she is not available, but I do not know that with absolute certainty.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I was about to make that point. It has always been the case - at least for as long as I have been in the House - that the Government decides which Ministers come in. It is often that a different Minister comes in but it is always the case a Minister is there. On the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, HPSC, guidance, for the benefit of Deputy Boyd Barrett, it is actually both,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: It would be much harder to hold Ministers to account if they are self-isolating in a room for 14 days. Perhaps there is a practical solution to this. The Minister, Regina Doherty, is happy to take the Supplementary Estimate. I do not understand why it will take six hours given that it is a straightforward, no-policy change, Supplementary Estimate. She is happy to do it, however. The...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: We are happy to do that.

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: On a point of order, what are the arrangements for later?

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Monday was one of our brighter days since the start of this emergency as we reached a significant milestone. For the first time in 65 days, there were no reported Covid-19 deaths, evidence that our sacrifices are making a difference and that lives are being saved and protected. Last night, the figure was nine deaths, a tragic and timely reminder that this is not over and that we will have...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure I picked up on the exact questions but I will address some of the Deputy's points. As the House knows with regard to maternity benefit, women who were still on the payroll prior to the pandemic when they went on maternity leave can be included on the wage subsidy scheme. However, women who were not on the payroll and were only in receipt of maternity benefit cannot. We are...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: What is intended with ISIF is that €2 billion has been set aside for the fund to invest in Irish companies that run into trouble in order to save them from failing and, most importantly, to save the jobs of the people working in those companies. That will be done through equity investments. We would expect companies to pursue all other options first - to look to their own...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. He started by talking about funerals. I know this is a really difficult issue for many people and families, where only ten people are allowed to attend the funeral. I have spoken to some people who had to make that awful decision of choosing which ten and then explaining to the 11th, 12th or 13th person why he or she could not be there. I think we have all seen the...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (27 May 2020)

Leo Varadkar: On antibody testing, the latest I have heard, and I might not be fully up to date on all these things, is that HIQA and NPHET are not satisfied that any of the tests available are currently accurate enough to use. There are too many false positives and false negatives, and HIQA has published a health technology assessment on that. Once we have antibody tests that are accurate, they could be...