Results 36,361-36,380 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: You always know you are speaking the truth and touching a raw nerve when the Opposition tries to shout you down.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: We are-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: -----a Legislature. We are here to pass legislation. Looking at other parliaments around the world, they spend more time on legislation, doing what they are supposed to do, and less time on motions, statements and showboating.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: We should change our rules in September so that we spend more time on legislation and less of all the other stuff.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge the very important and valuable work done by the staff of the Irish Wheelchair Association. As the Deputy will be aware, this association is a charity and not a Government body and the staff there are not Government employees. Even if we were to increase funding for the charity, there would not necessarily be a guarantee that the money would go to the staff by way of increased...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: We will certainly examine the Bill. Sometimes there is also the law of unintended consequences when it comes to these things so we will have to examine it carefully but we will do so with an open mind. I firmly support an amendment to our Constitution to modernise the definition of family which is more reflective of the world we live in than was the case in 1937 but there are many...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am aware of the problem but I am not sure if it is correct to say that the areas affected can never be defined as rent pressure zones. I will certainly let the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, know that the Deputy has raised the matter and I will ask him to reply to the Deputy again.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for his question. I want to first of all express my sympathy on behalf of the Government to the families who having experienced the tragedy of losing a beloved child and had their grief compounded by the fact that organs and tissue of their child were disposed of in an inappropriate manner. These instances were identified as part of an audit of post-mortem practices in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The Government has not agreed any final targets yet for the agricultural sector but they will be in the range of 22% to 30%. As far as other sectors go, such as industry, transport or electricity, we are asking for the lowest emissions reductions from the agricultural sector because we recognise it is a special sector, is involved in food production, and needs to be...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The intention is to have the legislation enacted by the end of next week and obviously it then needs to go to the Áras for the President to sign. All things going to plan, we anticipate the scheme being open for applications well before the end of the year. We want to see houses being repaired, demolished and rebuilt next year.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly make the Minister for Health aware of the request. I have engaged with Cystic Fibrosis Ireland on a number of occasions as Minister for Health and since then. I have found it a very professional patient advocacy body which works with Government, industry and specialist doctors very successfully. It has helped us to improve cystic fibrosis care in Ireland immeasurably over...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I will check that out. As the Deputy has acknowledged, the scheme is run by the Department of Social Protection under the Minister, Deputy Humphreys. I am not sure if there is a specific exclusion for taxi drivers or if it is a general exclusion relating to self-employment. It is definitely not that because I know of barbers who have availed of it and are self-employed. I will check it...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I will definitely check that out again. I know that the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, is bringing through the legislation to transpose the EU directive. My understanding is that it will be enacted very soon and before August. I am not sure if it covers domestic violence fully and that may be the issue. It largely relates to flexible working for carers and parents. I will follow up and come...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister of State, Deputy English, who is responsible for work permits and work visas, is examining that matter at the moment. It is a good idea on the face of it but not as straightforward as we might like it to be. Unlike, for example, nursing or other professions, it is not fully registered or regulated either abroad or here. When a nurse or a doctor comes from overseas, for...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge that this is an unacceptable situation. I really feel for the parents who in many ways have had insult added to injury by the fact that this report has not been published yet. The note in front of me advises that the HSE will publish a number of internal audit reports by mid-July. It will include those completed by the HSE internal audit office during the second quarter of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I once again acknowledge the important and valuable work done by the staff of the Irish Wheelchair Association. As the Deputy will know, in fact and in law they are not public servants, are not employees of the State or any State agency or body. Maybe they should be, but they are not. They are employed by a charity, the Irish Wheelchair Association. Having said that the Workplace...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: It is very difficult to reply without knowing the details of the individual case. I had the opportunity to visit Connolly Hospital on Friday, one of the hospitals in the State where we are seeing waiting lists fall, which is really encouraging. This is down to the quality of the staff, the management there and the additional resources. The fact that this man has been waiting more than six...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Public Sector Staff (6 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I'm informed that it is the practice of my Department and its agencies not to hold records of the details of employees’ former employments. Such information is required for recruitment purposes, including by the Public Appointments Service, but in line with GDPR cannot be maintained for other purposes, with the exception of public service pension compliance and membership. Once...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Appointments to State Boards (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: In making appointments to State boards under my remit as Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, my department operates in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines on appointments to State Boards, published in November 2014.  The Public Appointments Service (PAS) has responsibility for managing an open, accessible and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Funding (5 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Internally, as part of its learning and career development offering - my Department operates an Advanced Payment of Fees Scheme on an annual basis, where employees are invited to apply for advanced funding to undertake third-level studies. Records indicate that as part of this Scheme and its preceding Refund of Fees Scheme, funding has been provided to approximately ten employees to undertake...