Results 36,501-36,520 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: As I pointed out in my initial response, there was planning and additional capacity was provided. Twenty-one thousand extra tickets this year means 21,000 more children across rural Ireland on school buses this year versus last year. That is a big increase in additional capacity and would be welcomed by many families, who did not have school transport before, now availing of it. In line...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I want to acknowledge that everyone in government is very much seized and very much aware of the cost-of-living crisis, how it is impacting on people's household bills and many people having to make difficult decisions about what they spend their money on over the course of the next few weeks. We see it at the pumps, we see it in our utility bills and, increasingly, we are seeing it feeding...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to the €180/MWh, I honestly cannot answer that question. That is a question only the EU Energy Commissioner can answer. As I say, it is not agreed. It may be the case that when this action is agreed, that figure will come down. I agree with the Deputy that it seems higher than it should be but, as I say, it is an EU proposal, not a Government one and not one that has...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: A sum of €194 million was provided for homeless services in 2022. As the Deputy will know, the budget for 2023 is under negotiation. I am sure there will be funding for homeless services next year. There will have to be, given we have seen the fall in homelessness that had occurred now eliminated, essentially, and we are seeing very high homeless numbers again. All of that will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that the meeting with the Minister was arranged but that it then clashed with the confidence motion in the Dáil. That is why the Minister was unable to attend. I am sure the meeting can be rearranged and can proceed. The Minister does chair the national homeless action committee, and some of the people involved sit on that. As I said, budget negotiations are under...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: It is not fair to say that the Government has not acted to help households and families with the rising cost of living. As recently as January, all the budget measures kicked in such as lower income taxes and increases in the minimum wage, the pension, weekly welfare payments, and the fuel allowance. In spring, the Government intervened again by reducing excise on petrol and diesel, by...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The approach taken by the Government to date, since the changes in May, is that where the carbon tax increases, it is offset by other measures. That was introduced last spring with the reduction in excise on petrol and diesel so that people do not experience that increase in their pockets.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Just to be very clear, we are not opposed to bringing more gas ashore from Corrib if there is more available-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: -----and we are not opposed to Barryroe either.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I have not blocked any licence nor has the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: There is an obligation on the company to honour the terms of its licence and that involves demonstrating that it has the financial wherewithal to exploit those resources.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy mentioned cutting energy taxes. We have cut energy taxes. We took 20 cent and 15 cent off the cost of petrol and diesel-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: -----reversing several years of carbon tax increases in reality. We have cut VAT on electricity and gas to 9%.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: It is 20% in Northern Ireland and Britain. The VAT on electricity and gas in Ireland is 9% - the lowest it has ever been. As the prices of gas and electricity continue to rise, the proportion of taxes which the Government gets falls. That is the reality of the situation we are facing.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate there are many shortcomings in our health and mental health services, in particular, but it is important to acknowledge that what the Deputy said is not true. There have never been more people working in the health service. The HSE has recruited more staff in recent years than ever was the case before, a significant proportion of whom are clinical staff.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: No. The Deputy gave the impression that there was no willingness to recruit staff into our health service. I am saying that is factually incorrect. There have been significant increases in the number of people working in our health service. On the issue raised by the Deputy, I do not have a detailed answer to that, but I will ask the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to provide that.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Yesterday, the Government accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation to increase the minimum wage by 80 cent per hour, to €11.30 per hour. It will not take six months for people to experience it. It will kick-in in January. Most people who are paid the minimum wage are not paid monthly but are paid weekly or biweekly. Therefore, people will see the increase much...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: -----but I accept that it is occurring at a time of very high inflation. It is an increase of 7.6% at a time when inflation is close to 9%.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Therefore, it is not the final answer with regard to the work we will do to help people on low pay. People will see further action taken in the budget on tax, welfare and helping with their bills. This will bring them to a point where we are fully protecting them from inflation.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I join the Deputy in extending my condolences to the family and friends of the man who died in those tragic circumstances. It is Government policy to bring in supervised injection centres. We have plans to do so at Merchant's Quay. The Deputy knows the difficulties and complications that have arisen around this but we certainly have not given up on it. The policy remains an objective. I...