Results 38,121-38,140 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I take on board the Deputy's point that we have a health committee and that a special committee is perhaps not necessary. I have not heard anyone, at least in government, make that proposal yet.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I fully concur with everything the Deputy said and with her sentiments. We made a decision at Cabinet on Tuesday to publish the report and agreed there would be a statutory inquiry chaired by a judge or former judge. The Tánaiste is committed to getting that up and running as soon as possible. It requires a motion in the Dáil. Ideally we would like to have that done and the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know if the Government has any influence on Corrib Oil. I do not think I have ever had any engagement with the company. Legislation to strengthen people's right to be represented by a trade union is planned. It derives from an EU directive on minimum wages and collective bargaining. We have set out a roadmap to do that, but the legislation will take some time. It is absolutely...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The EU Unified Patent Court is now up and running and we are keen for Ireland to be part of it. It requires a referendum and, as we all know, referendums in Ireland are not straightforward and can often lead to extraneous arguments being thrown into the mix and so on. We are keen to get it right and win it. It is a simple question. Do we want to join this court or not? The treaty is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: This matter has been raised with me by Senator Ahearn and Deputies Lowry and Cahill. It pertains to two Garda stations, namely, new ones that are needed in Clonmel and Macroom. They are very much needed. They are part of the PPP bundle with the family law complex in Dublin.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: If we stick with that, it will take forever, so we are examining unbundling it, which would allow us to go ahead with the Garda stations in Clonmel and Macroom quite quickly, certainly in the next year or so. We are working out the details and legal issues that relate to doing that. It requires bringing forward some spending, but if we take a long-term view, it would be cheaper to do it...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Feighan for raising this important issue. In part because of full employment and the fact there are more people at work in Ireland than ever before, there is no sector of the economy, whether public or private, well paid or poorly paid, that is not struggling to recruit and retain staff currently. Childcare and early years education is one of those. To help with the issue,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I meet the Minister, Deputy Ryan, once or twice a week. I guarantee the Deputy that the road programme often forms part of our conversations and discussions. It is not a secret that I am more enthusiastic about new road development than perhaps he is. It is good to have different views and parties within a coalition.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: To answer the Deputy's question, which relates to several national road projects, roughly €250 million is allocated every year to maintaining national roads and another €250 million a year to upgrading and improving them. It is never possible to fund every project every year. Regarding the N2, funding is in place this year to progress the Ardee bypass and Clontibret to the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In my constituency, we established an aonad, which is a Gaelcholáiste unit within an existing secondary school. It was the first time we had one in all of Dublin 15. It has been a great addition to the area, because we had two Gaelscoil, but no aonad or Gaelcholáiste. If one takes Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 together, that is a considerable population. I am sure the Deputy is correct...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is a fair question. I do not know the answer. I know it was not me, but I do not know the answer. The PSA falls under the remit of the Department of Justice. Thus, I will ask the Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris, or his team to get back to the Deputy within the next week with an answer.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I will have to come back to him with a more detailed reply. We have made considerable process in the context of onshore wind. A huge amount of our electricity, nearly 30% or 40%, is produced by means of onshore wind. We will be going offshore much more, in addition to Arklow, but it is important that it is plan-led and that we have the grid and consents. This is quite...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Any terms of reference can only be approved by the House, but I can absolutely give the assurance that the Tánaiste is going to engage with the Women of Honour, who helped to bring this to light in the way they did and campaigned on it, and with the Men and Women of Honour, which is another group, RACO, PDFORRA and retired members. He is very keen to engage with all of them, to come up...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I agree. It is extremely important that people, especially young people, have the freedom a driving licence gives them. That is especially the case in more rural areas where it is much harder to get around if someone does not have a driving licence or a car. My understanding is that there has been a considerable increase in the number of people applying for driving tests. It is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Tógfaidh an tAire Stáit, Teachta Butler, an chéad cheist. In respect of the other two questions, on modular builds and rapid builds, the first phase is under way. There should be people starting to live in the first 500 to 700 in the next few weeks. Some local authorities already use modern methods of construction. Fingal is one of those. We do not currently have any plans...

Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions: Motion: Cabinet Committees (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to answer questions Nos. 1 to 16, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on housing last met on 2 March. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for 17 April. This committee works to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the implementation of Housing for All. Progress on Housing for All is reported on a quarterly basis. The latest progress report, for quarter 4 of...

Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions: Motion: Cabinet Committees (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The first question came from my colleague, Deputy Durkan. I agree with his basic contention that we need to accelerate the implementation of Housing for All. We have made progress but we need to do a lot more and a lot quicker. I agree with what he said in that regard. There are lots of reasons for hope by the way. We have more house building than at any time since 2008, more first-time...

Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions: Motion: Cabinet Committees (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We need to increase our efforts, ambition and delivery. Deputy Durkan is absolutely right in that regard - not just to say it or demonstrate it, but to do it. In regard to Deputy Boyd Barrett's question on protests, I have no difficulty at all with protests. They are an important part of democracy. They are not allowed in some countries which he champions, but they are allowed-----

Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions: Motion: Cabinet Committees (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----in this country, provided the protests are peaceful.

Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions: Motion: Cabinet Committees (29 Mar 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Are protests allowed to take place peacefully in Cuba and Venezuela?