Results 38,361-38,380 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge it is the case that patient safety is put at risk at times in our health service. It is never possible to eliminate all patient safety risk, but we do try to reduce it to the lowest level possible. We have increased the number of staff in our health service very considerably - there are 6,000 more doctors, nurses and midwives working in our health service...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I understand this is a matter that is under review by the Minister for Transport. Like the Deputy, I do not like the idea of a numerical cut-off age. I am sure there are people over 70 who are in good physical and mental health and who can continue to drive buses. There may be insurance issues involved, though. It is something the Minister for Transport is examining...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. We are always examining ways in which we can support carers better. As the Deputy is aware, there have been increases in the carer's allowance. We have relaxed the means test, provided free GP care to all carers, expanded respite services and so on. I cannot make any particular comment on the particular requests being made now. I will have to confer with the line...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. It is certainly a matter of concern to me and to the Government that development checks are not happening in some parts of the country. I believe it is linked to a shortage of public health nurses in some areas, but I will have to ask the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to revert to the Deputy with a more detailed reply, if that is okay.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: This is a particular problem in the summer period and it affects my constituency as well as that of the Deputy. My understanding is that the Bill is going to the Seanad this month. I cannot guarantee it will be enacted before the summer recess but that is certainly what we are working towards.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Feighan for raising this important issue. I am afraid I do not have a detailed reply to give him but I will certainly let the Minister, Deputy Foley, know the issue was raised and will ask her to come back to the Deputy directly.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I hear the Deputy. This issue first crossed my desk when I was a member of Fingal County Council so it has been going on for that long. For a long time, there were disputes as to whether new legislation would help. Let us see if it does. Let us get this legislation done as quickly as we can.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am familiar with the case. I know that our people on the ground in the United Arab Emirates are working on it and doing all they can to help. I am not up to date on it, so I will ask for an update from the Tánaiste and pass it on to the Deputy.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The Department of Health acknowledges that there are variations in the cost of care across public centres, as well as across private nursing homes, with public nursing homes generally having a higher cost of care. This is often linked to higher staffing levels and the more complex care needs of the residents who are there. The HSE will...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Good Friday Agreement (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. On 19 April, I was delighted to give the closing address, along with Prime Minister Sunak, to the three-day conference at Queen's University to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The President of the European Council, Charles Michel; the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen; and former US...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Good Friday Agreement (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I have to concur with Deputy Brendan Smith's remarks about the quality of the conference in Queen's University. I extend my thanks and congratulations to those who organised it. I was only sorry I could not be here for the Wednesday, because of my responsibilities here, but I managed to get the read-out of Senator Mitchell's speech. The point Senator Mitchell made, as Deputy Smith said,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 9, inclusive, together. As provided for in the programme for Government, we are progressing the shared island initiative, to benefit the whole island by working with all communities and traditions for a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. This involves: unprecedented all-island investment through our €1 billion shared...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Government believes, in respect of the budget announcement by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, that the people of Northern are entitled to a functioning Assembly and Executive and to be fully represented by the politicians they elected in May of last year. In recent weeks we have seen cuts to services which will affect the people of Northern Ireland adversely. The budget...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Last year, but that was because of inflation. Incomes will rise in real terms this year and they have risen in real terms almost every year for the past five or six years.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: They will rise this year, yes, in real terms, but we will not know that until next year because of the way statistics work. On where the Government stands on this, we want to help the people of Northern Ireland and the Executive if and when it is established. We have the shared island fund which we can use to help in different ways. We have the PEACE PLUS programme from the European...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together. As I announced on 8 March, the Government intends to hold a referendum in November this year on gender equality as recommended by the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality and the Special Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality. The decision to hold one or more referendums on this issue is in line with commitments in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We, as a Government, are committed to a referendum on housing. The Housing Commission is considering the matter. It has not yet advised us on a wording. Once we see it, we will consider it. Without any wording proposed from the commission, having a referendum concurrent with the other one in November is very unlikely at this stage. We will see the wording when it comes. Any amendment...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Functions (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The role of the Social Policy and Public Service Reform Division is to assist me, as Taoiseach, and the Government, in fulfilling Programme for Government objectives to help create a socially inclusive and fair society. Specifically, the Division assists the work of the newly established Cabinet Committees, as follows:the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Public Services and the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Functions (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Our vision is to make Ireland the best country in Europe to be a child. The role of the Department of the Taoiseach will be to co-ordinate and focus Government action. Poverty restricts a child’s opportunity. I recently informed cabinet colleagues that the new Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office has been established. The areas it will focus on are as follows: ...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Contracts (3 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of the Taoiseach does not have any contacts with the company in question.