Results 34,801-34,820 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am informed that the Minister has written to the Ceann Comhairle to correct the record. I am confident he will do whatever is necessary in that regard. What this is fundamentally about, and I think we will all agree on this, is helping people to buy their own home. I believe in home ownership and this Government believes in home ownership. Ireland is still a country where 65% to 70%...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I know this is an important issue locally in Kenmare, Glengarriff, Bantry and in other parts of south Kerry and west Cork. My colleague, Deputy Griffin, is on the case as well. As the Deputy will appreciate, I do not have any control over the timing of the works on the tunnel, as it does not fall under my remit, but I understand the case being made to defer the works for a few weeks. I am...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I hear what the Deputy is saying and I understand the case he is making on behalf of his constituents. Just before this, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, was here for transport questions. Unfortunately, he is not here now so I cannot refer this to him, but Deputy Griffin and I will speak to him later in the day and make contact with TII and see if it is possible. There may be very good...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I want to add to the words of others in expressing my regret at the fact Professor Tom Keane has stepped down as chair of the Sláintecare committee, albeit six weeks before his term was due to end. I met him in Ireland and in Toronto. He is a fine man and I am sorry he is no longer part of this project. Obviously, I regret the fact Laura Magahy has resigned as the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I understand the Taoiseach is going to meet them and the Minister for Health has or is about to meet with the advisory council. I am not pointing any fingers here. The Deputy is the one who has been pointing fingers. I do agree with her that Covid care is a very good example of how we can run a health service well in the future. What she may not know, or may not wish...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: If what we have done in terms of our response to Covid in the past year or so is a success, and the Deputy has acknowledged it is, I think she needs to perhaps consider why it worked so well, why it was done so quickly and why it was able to stay on budget.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure that relates to promised legislation but what I can say is that what happened in the Dáil yesterday was wrong. What Deputy Carthy did yesterday was an abuse of privilege, to make an allegation against a member of the Cabinet based on rumour and no evidence whatsoever. I have no evidence that particular leak which Deputy Doherty referred to was done by a Cabinet member....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Of course, it is not a surprise Sinn Féin should abuse privilege on the first day back in this House. If that is the way they behave in opposition, imagine how they would trample people's rights if they were allowed into government. Why do they do it? It is because it was the form of their party leader. In 2015, Deputy McDonald came to this House and made false allegations about six...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Do not believe everything you read in the newspapers, Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I hope it will not get worse. The return to schools has been successful - much more successful than many of the doomsayers said it would be - and cases are now stable or falling. Hopefully, it will get better and not worse, but we cannot assume that. We cannot take anything for granted in that regard. I appreciate that children missing school is causing enormous disruption. Their...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: -----bear in mind that we have avoided huge numbers of outbreaks in schools and we do not want that to happen either.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: In fairness, the Minister and the Government have given this issue much of our attention. It is an issue that continues to come through my constituency office. It probably comes through the Deputy's office too. I sympathise with the lived experience of people who have to sit in a car park when they should be at the side of their partner being scanned, attending an appointment or giving...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The minimum wage has increased by 25% in recent years. It has been increased ahead of the rate of inflation and ahead of average earnings growth. We have one of the highest minimum wages in the developed world. If one adjusts it for the cost of living, it is not so high but still well above average for the developed world. That has been positive and has made a real difference in people's...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, I have visited Tipperary town on a number of occasions, including as a previous Minister with responsibility for transport. I believe, and the Government agrees, and so does the Minister for Transport, that the town needs to be bypassed. The only way we will regenerate the town is by bypassing it and relieving it from the through traffic it currently...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I suppose it is always the difficulty with any kind of system that involves a means test or threshold. If we do not give social housing to everyone, which, of course, is not possible, we have to set some sort of income limit and set of rules. There will be always someone who is €1 or €10 above the threshold regardless of where it is set. The income limits are being reviewed....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I am not across the issue and I do not have a note on it with me, but I will let Deputy Madigan, the Minister of State with responsibility for special education, know that it was raised in the House and ask her to contact the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Yes. My apologies.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is very much aware of the role played by school secretaries and caretakers in the school community and recognises the important work done by these staff and other support staff in the running of our schools. There have been intensive discussions at the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, which is an office of my Department, and a great deal of progress has been made in recent...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: That is the Government's position and policy objective.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Now that we have reached the point of over 90% of adults being fully vaccinated, we should revert to the status quo anteat least when it comes to partners attending maternity services. That is not to say that we should revert to the previous general visiting arrangements. There was probably too much visiting happening in hospitals, bringing infections into hospitals and nursing homes. When...