Results 34,821-34,840 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: Obviously this is a matter for the NTA, which has seen a significant increase in its budget in recent years. Its budget has not been cut. In the next budget, we are projecting an approximate 5% increase in general spending, leaving out Covid emergency spending. There will be additional funding for road transport next year. Exactly how that is best allocated will be a decision for the NTA...

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

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate this issue is causing a lot of frustration, not just for people involved in forestry but in terms of the impact it is having in construction as well. The Government is keen to get it resolved. I am told by the Department that licensing this year will be significantly up on last year. There was an increase in licensing output in the seven weeks up to 2 July and approximately...

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

Leo Varadkar: Like the Deputy, my understanding is that the original deadline was extended to allow more consultation with the homeowner groups and that the deadline for the presentation of a solution is now 30 September, which is not that far off in that it is only two weeks away. I have heard no suggested or inklings that that deadline is going to be changed again, but I cannot be 100% sure of that. As...

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

Leo Varadkar: The Government is in charge of our health service or, at least, the public health service, but it has always been a principle of good government and good management of our health service that politicians and officials do not make clinical decisions.

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

Leo Varadkar: I have never come across a situation whereby an official or a Minister would seek to override the judgment of the doctor or nurse in charge of infection control in a hospital. I would be reluctant to go down that path. That may be my bias coming from my background as a doctor. That could create all sorts of other problems. Hopefully, we are getting to the point where this does not arise.

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

Leo Varadkar: This is a local issue of importance to the Deputy and the Minister of State, Deputy English. I do not have the information on particular water projects to hand but I will follow up on the matter and seek to have a reply sent directly to the Deputy.

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

Leo Varadkar: I will refer the question on the An Garda Síochána to the Minister for Justice, Deputy Humphreys. In regard to SouthDoc, I will inform the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, that it was raised here today and, as suggested by Deputy Collins, I will work with him to resolve the issue and make sure the service is restored. We do not have a date for the citizen's assembly on drug use yet....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The wearing of medical grade facemasks is predominately for “front line” workers such as those in the medical/healthcare sector and other key sectors whose work, by necessity, means that they will come into close proximity with others. The vast bulk of staff across my Department and its Offices are office-based workers based across eleven buildings across the country. Each...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Governments change policies as facts change. Sometimes policies change and in this case, we had a change of Government. It is a new, different Government, involving three parties, namely, my party, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party. Some of the policies of this Government are different to the ones of the past, as they should be. Among the reforms we made to help people who are renting...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised that the Government made the decision on changes to Part V based on a detailed report from the Housing Agency, which recommended-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: -----that some transitional provisions should be included but only for lands purchased while the obligation was at 10%. Land purchases before 2015 or after July 2021 will be at 20%. The Deputy supported that Bill at the time. He was for it before he was against it. It is a little bit like linking rents to inflation.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: He was for that before he was against it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: What happens is any time-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, need not be concerned. This is the regular pattern of Sinn Féin. The truth hurts. It really hurts.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Any time anyone speaks the truth to your party, you interrupt, you get aggressive, you get nasty and you get personal-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: -----and that is one of the many reasons people should be very afraid of Sinn Féin in government. If members of Sinn Féin behave like this in opposition, imagine how they would behave in government.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: If anyone stood up to them, whether workers, business people, pensioners, homeowners or property owners-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: -----they would be subject to this.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is absolutely correct in his initial remarks. The cost of living is rising and everyone can see that. We see it in the forecourts, the supermarkets and when people fill their oil tank for the winter. The cost of 1,000 l of home heating oil was €450 this time last year. It is €750 now; up to the level it was in 2019. We are seeing a return to inflation, a matter I...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have data on stop requests but I will find out the position. I am interested to know myself. I will find out and pass the information on to the Deputy. We are not going to rule out using maximum price orders, but I am conscious of what has happened in the UK. One can impose a maximum price order on the electricity or fuel retailer but the latter still needs to get the fuel...