Results 37,321-37,340 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not accept the thesis that there is overreliance on the private sector because that implies we should, maybe, have the same number of houses but with more public and fewer private. I have a different view: we need more public housing and more private housing. We need more private housing for people who want to buy and own their first home, which is a social objective we should all get...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as a ceist. Is rud an-tábhachtach é, mná d'onóir. Ceapaim go bhfuil an tuarascáil leis an Aire Cosanta anois ach níl mé cinnte, agus tá sé ag dul go dtí an Liobáin inniu. I understand the report is either complete or nearing completion and that if it is not already with the Tánaiste and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Níl an tuarascáil leis an Tánaiste fós. Tá an Tánaiste thar lear. I understand he has not yet received the report, but we will give the Deputy a more detailed answer to her specific questions before the end of the week. I understand from the Tánaiste's office that he has not received the report as yet but that it is expected very soon.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid that I do not have specific information to hand with regard to the ambulance service in Cork south west, or indeed any particular part of the country. The Minister for Health is beside me here in the Chamber and he will be happy to engage directly with the Deputy on this and to provide more information and answer the Deputy's questions as best we can. On the wider issue, we...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge that a lot, if not all, of our healthcare staff are exhausted at the moment and many feel burnt out. Ambulance staff are among those. It has been a relentless three years for people who work in our health service. Many of us went from lock down to unlock, and perhaps got to spend time at home or work from home, whereas our health services have been really stretched. It has...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure if it is entirely accurate to say we gave it the green light. Coillte is a State-owned enterprise and its own board makes its own commercial decisions. I can absolutely guarantee the Deputy that if I or any other Minister tried to interfere in a commercial or contractual matter such as this the Deputy would be accusing us of interference as well. It cannot work both ways....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The standing in relation to this particular joint venture is that the contracts are signed. They are signed for the first five years. I have said, the Tánaiste has said, and the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has said, this is not our preferred model going forward. Our preferred model is Coillte planting trees on State land and especially farmers. I was at the Irish Farmers' Association AGM...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: On the legislative question, our plan is to bring forward our own legislation to reform the ethics Acts and to strengthen SIPO. We hope to do that, and expect to do that, during the course of this year. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael McGrath, is working on that at the moment. Deputy English resigned and is no longer a Minister of State. Any further action would be a matter for...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: My understanding is the Revenue Commissioners are examining this issue and intend to close any loopholes that may exist or that are being abused. There have been some changes in the Finance Act but the Revenue Commissioners are examining this at the moment.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. They are quite detailed questions that I am not in a position to answer now. They do deserve a response. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Ryan to come back to the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The National Council for Special Education should have those figures or I would expect it to. I will ask my office to make the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan aware that the Deputy has raised this matter and ask her to come back to him directly.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I agree it is not acceptable and I am sorry for the experience the Deputy's constituent has had to endure. The difficulty is that the board is not quorate. There are a number of board members missing. Recruitment is now under way to fill the board so that it can resume its work.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly raise the matter again with the Minister for Finance.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid the Minister for Finance is not here. The former one probably knows the answer but cannot answer the question because he is not the Minister for Finance anymore.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of the issue and perhaps the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, will speak to the Deputy about it directly afterwards. If not, we will make sure the Minister for Finance, Deputy McGrath does. I understand the issue the Deputy is raising. We want to make sure we use the tax system and give tax concessions to people who have disabilities and need these...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is quite correct. Budget 2023 provided funding from the climate action fund in respect of the provision of solar panels for schools up to 6 kW output. The provision of solar panels for schools will be fully funded. The national development plan provides for capital funding of more than €4.4 billion for investment in school infrastructure during the period through to 2025....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We are experiencing some problems with An Bord Pleanála, of which I know the Deputy is aware. The medium-term plan is to replace An Bord Pleanála with a new coimisiún pleanála and also to introduce a new planning and development Bill, which I think has been published, that puts in place statutory timelines for decisions, like the Deputy suggested. In the meantime, we are...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Kehoe for raising this important issue. I was really sorry to hear and see what happened to Alejandro, a very brave boy who has suffered life-changing injuries. Indeed, we are all aware of the tragic case of a young baby killed by a dog, a matter that was recently before the Coroner's Court. Quite a number of farmers have been devastated by the destruction produced by...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Cahill for making me aware of the challenges being faced by Borrisoleigh national school. I appreciate that it is the experience of a lot of us and a lot of schools around the country that decisions on additional teachers and the extension of buildings take far too long. Unfortunately, the Minister for Education is not here at the moment, but I will let her know that the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Phelan for raising this important issue. On behalf of the Government, I want to reiterate our unreserved condemnation of what is happening in Iran, particularly the execution of people who are protesting against the regime there. We stand with the people of Iran in their demands for women's equality, for LGBT rights, for democracy and also for religious freedom. It is the...