Results 37,581-37,600 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: However, I appreciate there are some people who want to continue to use cash. Cash remains legal tender in this State and we want to make sure it is facilitated where it can be.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Last year alone, 30,000 Irish citizens came home. As is the nature of migration, a lot of people go abroad but a lot of people come back. At least for the past three years, more Irish citizens have returned than have left. I am not sure that will be the case this year but tens of thousands of people come home every year and they run...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy and I am aware of the hotel he mentioned in Monaghan. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, told me about it the other day. The issues there probably relate more to the investor than the programme itself. The programme itself has produced some really good dividends around the country, both in economic investments and investments supporting community facilities as well.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The programme was originally set up, a long time ago now, with the view to encouraging the diaspora to invest back in Ireland and create jobs here. Over time, it has morphed into something else and not what was intended. For that reason, the Minister, Deputy Harris, on advice, has taken the decision to close entry to new applicants, I think as of close of business today. Having said that,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know. I would have to check with the Minister, Deputy Harris, on that.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I heard the Secretary General's words and I share the concerns about the escalating conflicts around the world, not just in Ukraine but also elsewhere. The doomsday clock has been around approximately 70 years now and it has always been at 20 minutes to midnight. I would bear that in mind too. I know it is three or four seconds now but when something has been 20...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue in Craughwell, County Galway. We want to invest in our towns and villages so that every town and village can have a certain amount of natural growth. It is important that we facilitate that. As the Deputy acknowledged, €50 million in funding has been provided specifically for wastewater collection and treatment needs in villages...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We acknowledge that rents are very high in Ireland. That is why we introduced the rent tax credit in the budget to help renters with the cost of renting. One of the interesting things fin thedaft.iereport released yesterday showed that for people who are established tenants, that is, the vast majority of tenants, rents went up by approximately 3.5%, which is slower than average incomes are...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The local improvement scheme is under the control of the Minister for Rural and Community Development. I think she allocated €12 million or €15 million to local authorities for that scheme in the past couple of days. I know it is a very important scheme for resurfacing and improving laneways across rural Ireland, as is the case in Dublin. It does operate in Dublin. It is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: My apologies if that was the case because we always tell all Deputies where we are going but sometimes we have to wait until the programme is finalised. I have not yet seen the final programme.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The Government Information Service, GIS, includes the Government Press Office and the merrionstreet.iecontent team and works on a cross-functional and collaborative basis to provide the Taoiseach, the Government and the Department with press office and communications services; ensure strong collaboration and co-ordination among press and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In respect of the questions about the communications function in my Department, I am not personally involved in any decisions on advertising, staffing or the awarding of private contracts to anyone for communications purposes. These are matters for the Secretary General. I hear what Deputy Carthy said about communications staff across Departments and I appreciate he has not had any...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Government Communications (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I think that in the round, the community welfare service works well, and we have seen how community welfare officers have responded to the increased need for exceptional needs payments in the past couple of months, with a significant increase in the number of payments being made. Obviously, that is because people have needed them, but it also demonstrates there is capacity in the system to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 10, inclusive, together. The public service, justice and policing reform unit is part of the wider social policy and public service reform division within the Department of the Taoiseach. The work of the unit assists me, in my role as Taoiseach, on criminal justice and policing reform, public service reform, social affairs and other related matters,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Once again, I extend my condolences to Shane O'Farrell's family on his sad death. A scoping exercise was done. I think it was by a retired judge. I have not seen the report but I know the Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris, is very keen to publish the report as soon as possible. He wants to put the published report out there. We want Members to be able to read it for themselves so that,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ukraine War (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 14, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on the humanitarian response to Ukraine last met on Tuesday, 31 January and the next meeting is scheduled for 23 February. This committee, which I chair, works to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the State's humanitarian response to people arriving from Ukraine who have sought temporary protection...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ukraine War (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies for their questions. When we talk about the whole issue of Ukraine and the wider migration issue, we need to put it into context. We are seeing a war on the Continent of Europe the likes of which we have not seen since the 1940s. We are seeing refugee movements across Europe the likes of which we have not seen in our lifetimes, certainly not since the 1940s. We have seen a...

Co-ordination of International Protection Services: Statements (16 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In the darkest days of our country's history, faced with famine, violence and the loss of our independence and freedom, we clung to a single hope. We endured, fought for, dreamed of and died for the promise of a better future, a better life for our children and for ourselves. In the same period, we fled in our millions to other parts of the world. Some were lucky and were able to breathe...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Schemes (14 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Consideration of any specific policy matter and associated compensation or redress scheme by Government is a matter for individual Departments in line with their statutory functions. Based on reasonable checks and searches undertaken in the time provided, this Department has not put in place such schemes arising from the responsibilities and work of the Department.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Cabinet Committee on Government Co-ordination is scheduled to meet again next Monday, 20 February.