Results 33,781-33,800 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am sorry I cannot be more helpful on this matter. These are serious allegations. Any allegations that are made have to be investigated. People against whom allegations are made have the fundamental right to answer those allegations and to be considered innocent until proven guilty. That is why I would rather stray into this space, not knowing the specifics and not having heard from any...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Central Bank already has extensive powers in this area. It can take action against individuals under its administrative sanctions procedure and fitness and probity regime. It can conduct an enforcement investigation into an individual, resulting in sanctions, including: a fine of up to €1 million; a requirement to pay the bank's costs for the investigation inquiry; and...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know. The Deputy would have to ask every member of Government or we can try to find out for him. I have spoken to Pfizer and to Johnson & Johnson. These are companies that have big operations here so I have done that. AstraZeneca does not have a big operation here. I know the Taoiseach has sought to speak to the CEO of AstraZeneca but I do not know whether that has...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: This is probably more a question for the Minister for Health than a question on promised legislation. We are confident that we have done enough to ensure that schools are safe. So far, the return to school has been successful but, of course, more could be done in future. The Deputy will know from the plan that was published by Government two weeks ago that ventilation is a matter to which...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I extend my condolences to the Nkencho family as well. I have spoken to them in person and to their solicitor. I have also been in contact with the Minister for Justice and the Garda about this matter. It is my strong view that there needs to be an independent inquiry into the death of George Nkencho. The way we do that is through the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. There should be no tolerance of illegal dumping which is an attack on our environment, communities and landscape. Penalties for illegal dumping are significant. People who are found responsible for unauthorised disposal of waste are liable to a maximum fine of €5,000 on summary conviction and-or imprisonment of up to 12 months,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am sympathetic to the case he is making. I am not an expert in the area by any means. It is such a shame when we had got on top of the backlog of driving tests that we now have a very big one again. It limits people's freedom and their ability to take up employment. Later I will speak to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The company may only continue to carry out those works if it is exempted under the regulations. Without having the details in front of me, I cannot say whether it is exempted. Obviously, it can only carry out that work if it is exempted under the public health regulations. The extension of the licence which flows from the Deputy's question would depend on the answer to that question and...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am sure the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, will want to honour any commitment she has made on the matter. We all extend our condolences to the family. As the Deputy will appreciate, knife crime is a complex issue. He will be familiar with some of the studies from London and Glasgow as to which actions can help and which ones do not. It requires a response...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am also very sorry to hear about that man's passing. I know the Minister is already aware of the issue. Having more accurate and up-to-date data on people who are in touch with homeless services would be very useful. As the Deputy knows, people who are homeless, just as people who are not, die for all sorts of different reasons. Having more information on that and the precise cause of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: IVF treatment and assisted human reproduction treatment are tax deductible at the standard rate and most of the medicines people may need to help them in their treatment are covered under the drug refund scheme. That still leaves couples bearing a very large cost if they need to avail of IVF services. Money has been set aside to help people with the cost of IVF, to do it through the public...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: If I remember correctly, the programme for Government commits to recognising the state of Palestine as part of a two-state solution. We want to see a two-state solution, ensuring the security and longevity of the state of Israel and also allowing a state of Palestine to be established, with a control over the West Bank and Gaza as well. That has not yet happened but it is a matter in which...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I have not been in direct contact recently with the Kerry Group, but my Department has and the information we have is that this is a consolidation exercise between Naas and Charleville and that redundancies will be voluntary rather than compulsory. I am alarmed to hear the Deputy's suggestion that, perhaps, job losses of a larger scale may be mooted. I will ask my...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am sorry to hear about Sarah's experience. I caught a tiny bit of the interview on the radio this morning, but I did not hear it in its entirety. I will listen back to it in order that I can understand it a bit better. I do not know the details but I do know that conversations between therapists and, for example, doctors and clients are privileged and confidential....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I know this is an issue that the Minister, Deputy Harris, and Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, are very interested in and committed to. We are in the process of a major overhaul of the apprenticeship system, creating more apprenticeships, different types of apprenticeships and also, from my side, helping to encourage employers to take on more apprentices. We...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Ó Cathasaigh for raising this important issue. I am not familiar with all of the details but I can understand how that could be a significant problem. Getting from Waterford city to Dungarvan is not easy if one does not have a car and it takes a lot of time in any event. I will raise the issue with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and let her know that the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. One of the real improvements in healthcare in Ireland in recent years has been rapid access diagnostics for cancer, particularly when it comes to breast cancer. I do not know the details of the case the Deputy raised but I would expect any employer, particularly a public sector employer, to give someone the necessary time off to attend a cancer investigation appointment....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I will have to take that matter up with the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, and ask her to get back to the Deputy with a more detailed reply. I imagine the intention will be to enable people to catch up on any lost time or lost training that they missed out on due to Covid. At the same time, that has to be balanced with the need to have a churn of people coming on and off...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. To my recollection, it has not been brought to Cabinet but I will follow it up with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and ask him to provide the Deputies with a more detailed response.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Mar 2021)

Leo Varadkar: We are all grappling with the appropriate use of the GDPR in our work as Deputies and Ministers. I know that people working in public administration and business feel the exact same. The more clarity we can provide for people the better. If there is a specific aspect of the regulation that the Deputy has in mind, perhaps to do with medical cards, and he wants to give me more details later,...