Results 38,841-38,860 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I know it would be a matter of concern to people as they head off for their summer holidays, or are travelling for business or family reasons, that we could have activity at our airports disrupted by drone activity. I understand that, as the Deputy said, the equipment has been procured by the DAA. There is a regulatory issue still to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: A shared island dialogue was held on 16 June at Dublin City University on the role of education in connecting communities across the island of Ireland. Some 150 education, civil society and political representatives from North and South participated in the event. The dialogue considered achievements and shortcomings of educations systems in bringing communities together over the last 25...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (28 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: On the Narrow Water Bridge, €2 million has been provided for the completion of the tender process for the bridge from the shared island fund. Louth County Council commenced the tender process in April and is due to conclude in October so hopefully it will be awarded this year or early next year. The Government will be appraised of the outcome of the tender and project costs. We will...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together. I met with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, in Government Buildings on 13 June as part of his visit to Dublin to celebrate Luxembourg’s national day. Luxembourg and Ireland enjoy excellent bilateral relations. In my meeting with Prime Minister Bettel I thanked him for his Government’s decision to open a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In response to Deputy Haughey's question, Xavier Bettel, the Luxembourgish Prime Minister, is a very good friend to Ireland and has very good connections to Ireland. As the Deputy mentioned, he learned his English in Malahide as a student. I am not sure if the Deputy would have met him back then. Perhaps he did in Gibney's or somewhere else. Of course, Mr. Bettel has made previous...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Child Poverty (28 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In spring 2023 a child poverty and well-being programme office was established in the Department of the Taoiseach. The programme office will focus on six areas: income assistance and joblessness; early learning and childcare; reducing the cost of education; family homelessness; consolidating and integrating public health, family and parental assistance, and well-being services; and enhancing...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Child Poverty (28 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. Regarding the report of the Joint Committee on Autism, I thank its members, including its Chair, Senator Carrigy. I intend to meet him one to one in the next couple of weeks to sit down, go through all of the recommendations and identify which ones we can make progress on quickly. The “no wrong door” principle is a good one. How...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (28 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will participate in the June meeting of the European Council in Brussels tomorrow and Friday. The agenda will cover Ukraine, economic issues, security and defence, migration, and external relations. In his remarks later, the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, will deal with external relations issues other than Ukraine and China. At our meeting, Heads of State and Government will discuss...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (27 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) is the only non-commercial public body under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach. NESDO is the corporate body for the National Economy and Social Council (NESC) which advises me on strategic policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social, and environmental development in Ireland. In 2022, NESDO had NIL expenditure on...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Public Sector Staff (27 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The below table details the number of staff employed in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, by grade, from 2019 to date. Grade 2023 June 21st 2022 Y/end 2021 Y/end 2020 Y/end 2019 Y/end Secretary General 1 1 1 1 1 Deputy Secretary 1 1 1 ...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Jun 2023)

Leo Varadkar: A comprehensive evaluation of how the country managed COVID-19 will provide an opportunity to learn lessons from our experiences in dealing with a pandemic. It will include a review of the whole-of-government response to the pandemic and how we might do better and be in a stronger position if another pandemic or other similar type event were to occur. It will include a consideration of the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. At approximately 4.30 p.m., the Government will publish the summer economic statement which sets out, as the Deputy said, the fiscal parameters for budget 2024, that is, the budget package for next year, which will be announced in October. I am satisfied that it provides the kind of multibilllion euro response required to help families with the cost of living, providing...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We would not be talking about full employment. We would be talking about how we would find money to pay jobseeker's benefit. We would not be talking about record levels of trade and investment. We would be talking about a budget deficit, how we are going to borrow the money to close that deficit at what the interest rate would be, and how we would curtail spending and increase taxes to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The situation is as simple as this. If we had followed Sinn Féin's economic policies for the past 12 years, we would have higher levels of unemployment, lower incomes, higher taxes, less money to spend on pensions and welfare-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----and less money to invest in public services and infrastructure. As a result of that, we would have more homelessness, bigger problems in the health service and, rather than having more citizens coming home every year, which has been the case for the past three years, we would have more citizens leaving the State. The Deputy mentioned the challenges in health and housing and I...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We have an agreement to do it. It will be a fact by Christmas-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----that every child under eight-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----every adult over 70 and people with medium incomes or less will have free GP care.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: That is a huge step forward.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: For the first time in the history of our State, that will be the case. The reason the Deputy has lost control again, and is shouting and interrupting me, is he does not want to hear the facts.