Results 38,701-38,720 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I read about the tragedy that happened in the Mediterranean and saw the pictures. Everyone is horrified by what occurred in the Mediterranean in that people have lost their lives at sea. My condolences go to the families of those who were lost. It is not fair to simply blame European governments and the EU. The people who are most responsible for these deaths are the human traffickers -...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Garda Commissioner is responsible for recruitment but the Minister for Justice keeps in regular contact with him about this important matter. Funding has been provided for 1,000 new Garda recruits this year. That remains our target for the year. We are confident that the number of new recruits this year will exceed the number of retirements and resignations. In addition, we are...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I would have to talk to the Ministers, Deputies Darragh O'Brien and Eamon Ryan, about the matter. I know of plenty of examples internationally of both privatisation and remunicipalisation of waste services. There have been different results in different cases. I might be wrong but I would have thought that whether councils are willing to make the investment, pay compensation and do all of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Higgins for raising this important issue. I know that there are many people who are unfortunately afraid to use public transport at night because of the security issues the Deputy has rightly raised. We now have a new control centre at Heuston Station, which allows An Garda Síochána to monitor what is happening on public transport and in our stations. Obviously,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: That legislation is currently being developed. It now falls to the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to progress it. I do not have a timeline for its publication but I will find out and come back to the Deputy before the end of the week.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am very sorry to hear about the disruption that people in Ratoath have faced. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, is very much on the case, as is the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne. I will certainly check in with Irish Water and see if that can be done. I do not want to make a commitment in the House today but I believe it is a reasonable ask. We will make some inquiries.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: This is now a matter for the committee and I cannot speak on behalf of its chair or its members. They will have to make a decision on timelines. The Deputy asked me whether there would be a free vote here in the Chamber and there was. There will also be a free vote on Committee Stage.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: There has been a reduction in fees and an extension of services over recent years. With regard to the particular services in Sligo and Roscommon that the Deputy has mentioned, I do not know the details or the reason the bus did not stop in Boyle but I will certainly let the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, know the matter was raised here and ask him to come back to the Deputy directly.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am familiar with Cancer Connect. I know it provides a lifeline and a really important service to people, allowing them to get to CUH in Cork city for their treatment. There are a number of possible funding options. The HSE is one option. Other options might include the dormant account funds. Certainly, if I can be of any help, I am happy to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Far from being select, over 900 people have already registered to attend at the three sites. We have received 300 written submissions. That is quite a lot of people. I know the Dublin meeting is full. It may well be the case that Cork and Galway are full as well. I am not sure if it is possible to create more space, but if it is, we will.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy knows, acute Lyme disease is caused by ticks. I think people should be made aware of the habitat. That is a very valid point. I know there is some work being done to raise awareness around the possibility of getting Lyme disease. The diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease, though, is a controversial diagnosis. I would ask anyone to be cautious about using overseas labs or...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I 100% want to join with Deputy Farrell in condemning those cowardly people who attack our gardaí and other front-line uniformed and non-uniformed professionals. We are proceeding with body cams for gardaí. I hope that will at least reduce the number of assaults they have to endure, make it easier to catch those who engage in such assaults and be useful in general when it comes to...

Technological Universities Act 2018 (Section 44F) (Appointed Day) Order 2023: Referral to Joint Committee (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I move: That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Technological Universities Act 2018 (Section 44F) (Appointed Day) Order 2023, copies of which have been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 12th June, 2023, be referred to the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, in...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 1 go 8, go huile, le chéile. The Cabinet Committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland was reconstituted as one of ten Cabinet committees established in January 2023. It operates in accordance with the established guidelines for Cabinet committees and, where appropriate, substantive issues are referred to the Government for discussion and approval....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference and the British-Irish Council, two institutions of the Good Friday Agreement that are still operating, met in the past week or so. The Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, went to London for the meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. The Tánaiste and I were in Jersey last week for a meeting of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Data (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 20, inclusive, together. Ireland's well-being framework was launched in July 2021. Last week, we published the report for 2023. The development of a well-being framework is a major new initiative of this Government and is modelled on best practice from other countries. We know that no single measure can accurately capture how we are doing as a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Data (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their diverse range of questions. I will do my best to answer as many as I can. I associate myself with Deputy Dillon's remarks regarding the funding announced today for Daisy Lodge in Cong, County Mayo, to develop a respite care centre for children with cancer and their families. Cong is a particularly beautiful part of Mayo. It should not be forgotten that it...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Data (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----and they would have to be revised downwards. It is not a straightforward thing at all. We increase the funding for section 39s to reflect the fact that pay increases are being paid across the economy at the moment. On Deputy Ó Cathasaigh's question on culture and language, my regret is that we did not include it in the first place. It probably would have made sense to do so....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Equality Issues (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 to 27, inclusive, together. Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 imposes a statutory obligation on public bodies in performing their functions to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and treatment for staff and persons to whom it provides services, and protect the human rights...