Results 37,061-37,080 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge the situation in UHL is grave. The hospital suffers from a high level of overcrowding almost all the time. There has been a lot of investment in the hospital in recent years. The budget has never been greater. Notwithstanding the difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, there have never been more staff. I include medical and clinical staff in that. Extra beds have...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy O'Donoghue has made a number of allegations with regard to cover-ups and other things. I do not know if those allegations are true and I do not have any powers to investigate them. However, if the Deputy has evidence to back them up, I would encourage-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: It is impossible for me to comment on allegations of cover-ups without knowing the specifics or what evidence the Deputy has. If he has evidence to support his claims, I ask him to make it available to the relevant authorities. To clarify, in case it was not clear from my original response, I do not have and have never had any role in the appointment of hospital managers.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am very sorry to hear that consultant in Letterkenny, Mr. Aslam, has resigned. I am sure the position will be readvertised. A hospital of Letterkenny University Hospital's size should have a good urology service. I absolutely agree with that. Again, it is very difficult for me to comment on the details of any individual's employment but I will certainly make sure the Minister for Health...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am very aware that rents are extremely high not just in Dublin, but across Ireland, and that we compare unfavourably with most other European capital cities.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Perhaps it is all. I am not sure about London, which is still part of Europe, although let us not go there. We all agree that rents in Ireland and in Dublin are unacceptably high. What can we do about it? A rent credit will kick in within the next few weeks. This will put €1,000 back into the pocket of the average single renter and €2,000 into the pockets of a couple. That...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Government has no plans to join NATO or any other military alliance. We are involved in security and defence co-operation through PESCO with the European Union. We also co-operate with NATO through the partnership for peace and have done for a very long time. I have not seen the report the Deputy mentioned so I cannot comment on it but I will ask the Minister for Defence to come back...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate the importance of this issue but I am afraid I just do not have that information to hand. I will ask the Minister for Health or the HSE to come back to the Deputy on that. I understand he has said the recommendation is now being implemented. I do not know why that was not done previously. I will ask the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to get back to the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The answer to the Deputy's question is "No." We do not commonly do free votes in our system. The Deputy is an Independent Deputy and every vote is a free vote for him. Most Members in this House are members of a political party and are bound by the policies of that party, the programme for Government and collective responsibility. We allow free votes on a small number of issues,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The answer to the Deputy's question is "No".

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: That is very open-ended question. I will interact with the House in different ways depending on circumstances. When it comes to any international agreement that depends on the advice of the Attorney General. If the Attorney General advises that an international agreement requires a vote in the House, then of course there would be vote in the House. Some agreements - and this applies to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: -----that I share, that the environmental protections in it are not adequate.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I do not like using the guillotine but sometimes it is necessary to get things done.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The policy tools are differential pricing, which now exists, and also the Government ad information campaign encouraging people to reduce energy use and, where possible, to use energy at times when it is more efficient. I would never tell anyone when they should or should not cook the dinner but it is fair to say that when it comes to things like using the washing machine or putting on the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the need to expand and develop our public health services in the mid-west, not only in UHL but also in the other hospitals such as Nenagh, Ennis and Croom hospitals. I am very much seized of the matter, having visited all of those hospitals on more than one occasion. I assure the Deputy it is very much on the Government's agenda for the next two years.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am very sorry to hear about the job losses at the Butcher's Block shops and I am very sorry to hear how those people are being treated. I strongly encourage them to engage with the Intreo service and the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, as needs be. The Government is there to help and to make sure that employment rights are enforced. That means that the people affected will get their...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I am not familiar with the 109X, but if it stops in Blanchardstown I probably should be. The provision of a shelter should not be too difficult. With the additional funding for public transport, perhaps additional capacity can be provided. If the Deputy would like to set out the details in writing on one or two pages, I will make sure the matter gets taken up with the NTA and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for reminding us once again that paramilitarism in Ireland is far from dead. I very much condemn the events in Strabane in recent weeks. There is very good co-operation between the security authorities here and those in Northern Ireland and in Britain. We want to enhance that in any way we can. Obviously, much of this relates to security, much of it is confidential and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: We review that list every six months, so it is probably up for review about now. It is handled by the Minister of State, Deputy English, as Deputy Ó Cathasaigh mentioned. Generally, we are guided by what we hear from employers as to which skills and posts they cannot fill. Two have crossed our desks a lot recently. One is bus drivers, which the Deputy mentioned. There are...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am happy to give a commitment that I will speak to the Minister about it. It came up in my meeting with the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, only in the past two weeks. I understand that the Minister and the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, met farmers from the Burren and local representatives on 22 November. I am told that the meeting was constructive and that the work of the Burren...