Results 33,021-33,040 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised this Bill will be taken next term. I look forward to working with the Deputy to ensure that the legislation becomes law in 2021.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of Clonmel Garda station. He has raised it with me several times before, as has Senator Garrett Ahearn and Deputy Cahill. I do not have a date for the beginning of the project but I will certainly let the Minister, Deputy McEntee, know that the Deputy raised it this morning. We will try to get him an answer as soon as possible.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I will have to check into that matter for the Deputy. The Coast Guard search and rescue service is based in Sligo Airport. I cannot imagine it could be moved anywhere else. It is essential, therefore, that the airport continues to operate for the Coast Guard. Perhaps it could be moved to Knock but I doubt it. Sligo Airport will have to be provided funding, if it needs it, to keep that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is right and we need to deal with that.If I recall correctly, the plan was to reform the junior cycle first, get that done and move on to reforming the senior cycle. I am not sure if the two can be done concurrently. Perhaps they can. The leaving certificate as an exam has served us well. I have spoken to a lot of fifth year and sixth year students who now say to me they would...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I want to express my support and solidarity for the people in Killorglin and mid-Kerry. I assure Deputy Griffin this will be given the highest priority. We are not particularly concerned about contagion or spread to other primary schools or schools in the area because we are told there is not really much contact or interaction between the different schools. However, it...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I do not have any detail on the matter to hand. Certainly, if the Deputy or the Genesis counselling service wants to contact my office directly, we will see what we can do. It is very much appreciated and understood that there has been a real increase in mental health issues, depression, anxiety and others during the pandemic. A lot of people have really struggled with...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am familiar with the road because, long ago, when I was Minister with responsibility for transport, I allocated the funding to get it moving, at least in terms of transport and planning. I know there is an active debate at present on this in the area. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, is examining the proposal. He does have some concerns about the prospect that it may result...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I will have to come back to him about the framework. I am not familiar with it. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien to do so. What I can say is that in 2021 there is a further increase in the budget for Irish Water to invest more in capital infrastructure and water services next year. There is a very long list of work that needs to be done to improve water...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. At present, when it comes to swimming, sports, gymnastics and dance, only individual classes or individual tuition is allowed. This is based on the view from our public health experts that where there are classes, whether a group of six or 12, people will congregate and may interact before and after. They may also be brought there by parents or guardians who may then...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am not sure if there was a question in her contribution.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is spot on. From Friday, people will be allowed leave their counties, travel across the country and meet up with relatives. We need to bear in mind that it is not the travelling that causes Covid-19 to spread, rather it is the interactions between people. I ask people who are meeting up at the weekend and over the next week or two to stay safe as much as possible. They should...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am not familiar with the case but I will let the Minister, Deputy McEntee, know that the Deputy raised it again today and we will try to get him a reply as soon as we can.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am not familiar with that particular case so it is impossible for me to comment on it. The commitment that has been given is that there would not be deportations during the pandemic, particularly to zones where there is a high incidence of the virus. However, there was an exception that we said we would make, for example, if it was an issue of national security. I am...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: All of this was cleared up in the statement by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, some weeks ago in the Dáil. It was an informal contact and there was no instruction. The matter was not taken at Cabinet on 6 July. It was taken some weeks later. During that period the Minister had the opportunity to review all the names put to her and to discuss it with me, the Taoiseach, the leader of the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I believe there was a review. When it comes to JobPath, there is a quarterly report setting out metrics as to how the programme is performing. From my recollection as Minister for Social Protection, although it is a while ago now, the feedback from participants was generally very good. There are always people who will make complaints or who do not like a particular...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I welcome the acknowledgement that the Duffy Cahill report's implementation would not have solved this problem. It was suggested early on in this dispute that the Debenhams dispute was analogous to the issue with Clerys. We know that it was not. Clerys had a highly valuable asset in the form of a building. This was a different dispute. The report from the chairman of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is right about ventilation, particularly if people are going to spend a few hours together in the same room. This is a new vaccine but it is by no means the first vaccine. We anticipate that the data which will be collected on the vaccine and on patients will be much the same as they would be for any other vaccine and that it will be possible to use existing legislation. If...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: A change to this legislation is long overdue. The fair deal is unfair to farmers and small business people because of the way their assets are calculated. We have been working on this legislation for a long time. I am advised that it will be published in January. I fully accept that the Deputy will not believe that until she sees it, and nor will I, because it has been imminent for a long...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Agreements (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: CETA is one of the EU’s new generation of free trade agreements. It is designed to benefit EU and Canadian companies through improved trade flows in support of increased employment for our citizens. The elimination of tariffs, reduced trade barriers and simplified customs procedures all make it easier and cheaper for Irish companies of all sizes to export to Canada and vice versa. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Restart Grant and Restart Grant Plus schemes were designed to help small and medium sized businesses get back on their feet after what has been an exceptionally difficult time. The Restart Grant scheme was launched on 15 May with a budget of €250 million. The Restart Grant Plus scheme was launched on 10 August with an additional budget of €300m from the Government’s...