Results 38,761-38,780 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (21 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It makes no sense to me because I want to protect everyone’s property.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (21 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: On section 481, I will ask the Minister for Finance to reply on that. On the copyright directive, there is an official and a team in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Their names escape me but the Minister, Deputy Coveney, would be the main person to engage with on that.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (21 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (21 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Yes. On Deputy Bríd Smith’s question, I do not have an update on the security ERO, but we will defend it. That is our intention. That decision was made by the then Minister of State, Deputy English, with my support a year ago. I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, to provide the Deputy with an update. On what is happening with Iceland, I do not know all the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (21 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not but will ask the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, to come back to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 to 34, inclusive, together. I attended the meeting of the European Political Community, EPC, in Chișinău, Moldova on 31 May and 1 June. The EPC is an informal forum which brings together leaders from across the continent of Europe to discuss issues of shared concern. It first met in Prague last October and will meet again in October of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies again for their questions. I join Deputy Dillon in welcoming everyone who has come all the way from Achill. Tá fáilte romhaibh go léir chuig an Dáil. I wish to answer Deputy Dillon's questions on security of supply and price stability. We all agree and acknowledge that the best thing we can do to bring about price stability when it comes to...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together. The Cabinet Committee on the Economy and Investment was re-established in January 2023 and met on 25 May. The next meeting of the Committee is not yet scheduled.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: State Bodies (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In line with its obligations under Circular 25/2016, the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), the only body under the aegis of my Department, has the following dedicated email address for Oireachtas members: Oireachtas@nesdo.ie. This mailbox is monitored to ensure full compliance with target deadlines and standards in terms of acknowledgements and substantive responses to...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Policies (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: 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 future for Ireland and all its citizens. The Shared Island...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Bodies (20 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In Spring 2023, a Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office was established in the Department of the Taoiseach. Government decided that the Programme Office will focus on six priority areas. These are: 1. Income assistance and joblessness 2. Early learning and childcare 3. Reducing the cost of education 4. Family homelessness 5. Consolidating and integrating public health, family...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Go raibh maith agat, Cathaoirleach, as an gcuireadh a bheith anseo. Tá súil agam go mbeadh an cruinniú seo úsáideach duinn. Is deis atá ann cad atá ar siúl ag bhur choistí a chloisteáil agus chun ceisteanna atá agat a ardú liom. Is deis atá ann dom freisin chun tú a chur ar eolas faoi cad atá ar siúl ag an...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: EU enlargement is something of which we are very supportive as a Government. I am very proud of the fact that the most recent big enlargement into central Europe happened under the Irish Presidency. It was a Fianna Fáil Government at the time led by Bertie Ahern. The next significant enlargement should be into the western Balkans. We support the candidatures of Ukraine, Moldova and...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I pay tribute to and recognise the justice committee for the huge amount of legislation it has to deal with. I get a sense of it from the number of Government memos that come from different Departments. The number that come from that Department is enormous. It is a very legislation-heavy Department and that then, of course, lands at the committee. I do not know what the rules are...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Crowe asked about cross-Border projects, particularly in the context of health. The short answer to his question is "Yes". We are very interested in exploring new cross-Border projects that we could fund through the shared island fund. Some €1 billion has been earmarked for the shared island fund across the decade. So far, €250 million of that has been allocated and...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will take on board what Deputy Ó Snodaigh said on the Official Languages Act and the lack of urgency around some of its implementation. I am a big fan of the Gaelscoil and Gaelcholáiste movement and am glad we now have a Gaelcholáiste in my constituency and two Gaelscoileanna, one of which we are expanding. We should set the objective of saying that anybody who wants a...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: And no Gaelcholáiste. I am aware of that and we need to change that. Finding a site might be tricky.

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I totally agree with the principle and we should do it. I do not know where we are with the planning guidelines for Gaeltacht areas. I will come back to the Deputy by correspondence on that. Deputy Martin Browne mentioned thatched cottages. I am a big fan of thatched cottages. We used to have a thatched shop in Clonsilla in my constituency, which unfortunately is gone. I spent one of...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Moynihan is spot on in terms of the real challenge we have when it comes to capacity in the system, particularly in relation to children and young people with disabilities not getting their assessments or the services and therapies that they need. A big part of what we are doing now is making sure we have more staff available. We have increased the number of training places, in...

Working Group of Committee Chairmen: Engagement with An Taoiseach (22 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is important to put on the record that poverty, including child poverty, and inequality in Ireland have fallen, but we had a significant setback last year because of the cost-of-living crisis and inflation. I am determined that we get back on track now in reducing consistent poverty and the number of people at risk of poverty, particularly children, and in order that inequality continues...