Results 37,521-37,540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. Unfortunately we do not have data that are as good as we would like on real rents paid in Ireland. We should have data from the census and also the Residential Tenancies Board data when they come through. There is no doubt that a lot of people are paying very high rents and are struggling to pay them. This is why we brought in the rent credit, for which some 170,000...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I would have to check with the Tánaiste on that. The Tánaiste drew up the schedule for the visits for St. Patrick's Day. I do not believe it is correct to say that the Attorney General always travels to Washington D.C. with the Taoiseach. It has happened in the past. In the past the Attorney General has not travelled at all, and in the past the Attorney General has travelled to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not think that is a fair characterisation. There has been a very strong and meaningful response from the Government to help people with the rising cost of living. There was the auto-double payment of social welfare and pensions; a double payment of child benefit; a €400 fuel allowance; a €500 working family payment; €500 for people with disabilities, blind people...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----since the mid-2000s; the largest ever expansion of the fuel allowance scheme; increased thresholds for the working family payment; a major expansion of the hot meals schools programme; an increase in the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance; two fuel allowance lump sums; universal energy credits of €600 for every household; a reduction in student fees; a 25% reduction in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I have never been a particular fan of compulsory retirement ages. If somebody is fit and healthy and able to continue in their work, by and large we should allow them to do so, in particular at a time when we are struggling to recruit and retain staff across the board. I know there are some particular complications in this matter linked to contracts and so on, and there is engagement...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate that gardaí all over the country are under a lot of pressure. As our population increases, we need to increase the number of gardaí as well. The number of gardaí is now over 14,000, up from 12,800 back in 2015 when it was at its lowest in recent years. Funding is available to recruit 1,000 new gardaí this year. There will also be additional Garda staff....

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I have been to Virginia many times. It is a lovely town but it needs a bypass. I can give assurance to the Deputy that funding will be provided this year to advance that project. It is not possible to do every road project every year. There has to be a pipeline but the priority will be bypassing towns that need a bypass. Virginia is certainly one of those towns.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the important issue of the cost of living. We have seen inflation slow in the past few weeks. It is easing but there is a big difference between inflation slowing down and the cost of living going down. The cost of living is not going down but is still rising, which is hurting many families and people. We have not made any decisions yet. We will do so over...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The year 2005 is a long time ago and a lot has happened and changed since then, so a review probably is timely, but I have not had a chance to discuss that with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, or the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. Perhaps the Deputy will allow me to come back to him with more detail when I can.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: These big infrastructure projects take time, unfortunately.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I wish they could be done more quickly. It is Government policy to extend the train line from Pace, Dunboyne, to Navan. It would benefit the Deputy's constituency and mine, as the trains would pick up passengers in my constituency too, so I am keen to see the project progress, but these things take time. In the meantime, we need to make sure we improve bus services, in particular, at least...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is absolutely a priority for the Government and for me personally to have the commission on care established. I hope to have it established by the middle of this year. We have had a number of commissions look into particular matters in real depth under the Government. There has been the Commission on Pensions, the Future of Media Commission, the Commission on Taxation and Welfare and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will have to follow that up with the Minister for Transport. I appreciate that there are delays around the country in people getting their driving tests in a timely manner. I know that is particularly important in rural areas where people need their cars to get to work and college. I will check that with the Minister for Transport and come back to the Deputy in writing.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: That is something we are examining. As I said earlier, I have never been a big fan of rigid or compulsory retirement ages if people are fit and healthy and are able to pass a fitness test. Why would we not allow them to stay on, particularly at a time when we are finding it so hard to get staff across society and the economy because of full employment? It might have been different ten or...

Commission of Investigation (Collusion of British State Forces) Bill 2023: First Stage (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: No.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs was established by the Government on 18 January. Its role is to oversee implementation of programme of Government commitments relating to the EU and international issues. It generally meets in advance of regular meetings of the European Council. Its next meeting will take...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. On Deputy McDonald's question about Israel and Palestine, I agree that we must speak honestly with our friends. I hope, when the Deputy is in the US in March, she will speak honestly with her American friends about the stance she takes on issues relating to Palestine, Cuba and Venezuela. I have yet to see evidence of that but I will check her...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not think I need to answer the question as to what the point is in having elections, at least I hope not.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to Israel itself, we should acknowledge that it is one of the few countries in the region that has a democratically elected Government, an independent judiciary and equal rights for women and LGBT people. We would not like that to change. I am concerned that Israel is going down a very different path from that but I do not think our concerns about Israel should blind us to other...