Results 37,741-37,760 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As regards sheep farmers, I acknowledge the difficulties they are facing. To use the Brexit adjustment reserve fund, one needs to be able to prove to the European Commission that Brexit is the reason prices are low and input costs are high. That would be a very difficult thing to prove. Unfortunately, we are finding great difficulty being able to meet the tests to draw down money from that...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 1 go 10, go huile, le chéile. I attended a special meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 9 and 10 February. The agenda covered Ukraine, the economy and migration. We also touched on relations between Kosovo and Serbia, as well as the tragic earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. In relation to the windfall tax and energy prices, the windfall tax proposal, which is at an advanced stage and being developed by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Minister for Finance, derives from EU law in this area. My understanding is that it has two elements. The first is a tax on gas and oil product...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: No. The ESB works as a State-owned enterprise-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----and has a profit remit. I think what we are talking about is a model that was tried in the Soviet Union and places like that, where it did not work out so well. In response to Deputy Haughey's question, like him, I do not support removing unanimity when it comes to sanctions. Unfortunately, there is evidence of circumvention, not particularly by EU countries, to the best of our...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----trying to do so much at the same time. I support, as the Government does, the appropriate use of state aid, but we should never forget that state aid is ultimately taxpayers' money given to businesses. Small countries like ours will never be able to compete with big countries when it comes to the amount of state aid they could give their companies. That is why we always need to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 11 go 22, go huile, le chéile. The Cabinet committee on health met on 13 February and is due to meet again on 27 March. In addition to meetings of the full Cabinet and of Cabinet committees, I meet Ministers individually to focus on different issues. I meet regularly with the Minister for Health to discuss challenges in the area of health...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate that a huge number of Deputies have asked important questions. I jotted them down as quickly as I could. Eighteen Deputies asking three questions each comes to nearly 60 questions. I will try to answer as many as I can as best I can in the time available. Deputy Dillon raised the issue of the emergency department in Castlebar, which needs to be extended. I agree with his...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked about shortages of medicines. He acknowledged that these are not unique to Ireland and have happened in the past but it is worse than I have ever seen it, anyway. I am told that alternative treatments are available for every product that is currently in short supply. Shortages of certain paracetamol, Amoxicillin or penicillin products relate to individual...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I think I or my office may be partially to blame as we are the ones who do the grouping.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In fairness to Deputies, on this occasion the questions were on topic but sometimes they are totally unrelated to the group.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 to 29, inclusive, together. Various proposals for constitutional reform are currently under consideration. Some arise form the programme for Government and others from the work of citizens' assemblies, the Joint Committee on Gender Equality, and others such as the EU agreement on a unified patent court that arise from legal requirements. While no...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. I will start with the proposed referendum on housing. The first step is for the Housing Commission to present its wording to the Government. That has not happened yet and we expect it will happen no later than July. There will then be consideration by the Government. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked if we will consult the Joint Committee on Housing,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: One will hear stories, which I often hear, of people who have not paid their rent for two years using their rights to stay in situeven though they have not paid the rent for two or three years.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: There are already a lot of tenants' rights and there will be more. We have the rent pressure zones, compulsory purchase orders and fast-track planning and we have had eviction bans. There has been no constitutional bar on doing any of that. Private property rights in Ireland are subject to the common good so I think the question is misframed. What is it that a housing amendment would...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Reviews (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Details of study/review/research currently under way Date commenced Estimated date of completion OECD research (funded by the EU) on Strengthening Policy Development and Foresight in the Irish Public Service. Q4 2021 Q2 2023 Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) COVID-19 Social Activity Measure. January 2021 Q1...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Ministerial Staff (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 to 123, inclusive, together. The persons currently employed in the Department of the Taoiseach as Special Advisers in my office, the office of the Tánaiste and the office of the Leader of the Green Party are detailed in the table below. The appointment of special advisers are made in line with the Public Service Management Act, 1997 and subject to...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Data (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Shared Island Dialogue series which has taken place over the past 24 months has so far engaged more than 2,500 citizens and civic representatives from across all regions, sectors and communities on the island of Ireland. Each Dialogue event has a different thematic focus, related to all-island cooperation and relationships under the Good Friday Agreement. A moderator with experience of...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Following a public procurement process published on e-tenders and OJEU the official Journal of the European Union in early 2022, the Department of the Taoiseach, with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, awarded a contract for data strategy services to support the implementation of the Housing for All plan to Ernst & Young Chartered Accountants. Expenditure under...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: No awards have been made to the organisation in question, from 2018 to 2022, by the Department of the Taoiseach or by the National Economic and Social Development Office which is the only body under the aegis of the Department.