Results 38,521-38,540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It will go ahead.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: However, as is always the case, there is roughly €500 million for the national roads budget for maintenance and then also for new projects. It is never the case that there is funding every year to progress every project. It never was the case and it never will be the case. Funding happens on an annual basis and what we have agreed is that if funding becomes available through the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am no expert on family law but I think it is fair to say that he has highlighted this issue and the report has been carried out by the Department of Justice. It was passed by Cabinet for publication just yesterday and briefings are available to Deputies and Senators who want to know the detail of that and the recommendations.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: These things are always part of an industrial relations process and there is a mechanism by which matters such as this can be resolved. The unions talk to the Government on the one hand and then to the WRC and the Labour Court thereafter if needed. That is the way it works. An intervention from me would not change that.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, informs me that that is available in CHO 9 but perhaps not in all parts of the country. I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, to come back to the Deputy on the matter directly.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister of State to come back to the Deputy. I do not want to give an answer that is not correct.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Defence Forces (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. The Government approved a high-level action plan for the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in July 2022. The report sets out the initial implementation and oversight structures, comprising a high-level steering board, an independently chaired implementation oversight group and an implementation management office....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Defence Forces (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. The work and report of the independent review group on dignity and equality in the Defence Forces have raised very profound issues relating to culture and unacceptable behaviour. The value of the report has been demonstrated by the widespread support for its recommendations and the universal reaction of shock and dismay at its contents and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Defence Forces (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----but a conspiracy theory was spun by people on the Left that if people voted for the Lisbon Treaty that there would be an EU Army and that we might be conscripted into it and long before-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Defence Forces (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----the social media world there were conspiracy theories that people took seriously. As part of the response to that absurd and provably untrue conspiracy theory perpetrated by some people at that time, neither of those things happened-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Defence Forces (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not believe it is appropriate to allow Russia, China, Britain, France or America to decide whether or not we send troops on missions abroad. That should be a decision for the Government and for the Dáil.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 17, inclusive, together. The priorities set out in the Department's Statement of Strategy 2021-2023, reflect the role of the Department to assist me as Taoiseach and the Government to ensure a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland’s interests abroad, to implement the Government’s programme, and to build a better...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for raising those various issues. On waiting lists, the number of people awaiting hospital treatment and who have been waiting to see a specialist for more than three months or who have been waiting for an operation they need for more than three months is 50,000 lower than was the case this time last year. We are seeing progress in respect of some waiting lists, but...

Ceisteanna - Questions: An Garda Síochána (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 to 29, inclusive, together. A Policing Service for our Future is the Government’s plan to implement the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. Implementation of the plan is being overseen by a dedicated programme office in the Department of the Taoiseach and has now entered the final consolidation phase, with many...

Ceisteanna - Questions: An Garda Síochána (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. Deputy McDonald raised the very sad case of Shane O'Farrell who was killed in a road traffic collision, many years ago now. I again send my condolences to his mother and family. A scoping report has been carried out. It is very detailed and very comprehensive. The Minister, Deputy Harris, has met with the family about it. We would very much like...

Ceisteanna - Questions: An Garda Síochána (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Will the Deputy remind me?

Ceisteanna - Questions: An Garda Síochána (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am sorry. I thought I had covered the deployment of gardaí in my response to Deputy Dillon. The deployment of gardaí is a delegated function to the Garda Commissioner. It is not a decision that is made with the Minister for Justice or the Taoiseach. I am happy to transmit any thoughts the Deputy has on that, if she has not done so already.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (16 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Taoiseach's diary for quarter 1 of 2023 has been published and is available on the Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/collection/e0fb8-taoiseachs-diary/.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Commissions of Investigation (16 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The IBRC Commission of Investigation engaged four independent experts to assist it in its work. Details of the amounts paid to each to date are set out in the table beneath. 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 John Goodwin €83,947.50 €156,456.00 €123,984.00 €251,742.00...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Social Media (16 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the Department of the Taoiseach and the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) - which incorporates the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) - is set out in the tables below. Percentage of organic content posted on MerrionStreet.ie social media accounts either exclusively in Irish or bilingual Channel ...