Results 39,241-39,260 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of wastewater treatment plants in east Galway. Deputy Cannon raised this with me last week, particularly in relation to Craughwell and Clarinbridge. A new funding stream was launched by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, in April under the multi-annual rural water programme for the wastewater collection...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: There are two aspects to this. The first is bringing vacant and derelict buildings back into use. I am glad to hear there are not many in Corofin but the Deputy will know as well as I do that there are many towns and villages in Ireland where there is a lot of dereliction. Our first priority has to be town centres and village centres first and bringing those vacant buildings back to life....

Financial Resolutions 2023 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on budget 2024. One hundred years ago, in April 1923, W.T. Cosgrave presented the first ever Budget Statement to Dáil Éireann. The budget was introduced just as the Civil War was ending, and the Government had a job on its hands to convince people both of its financial competence and the benefits of Irish statehood....

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (10 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The below table details the amounts paid by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecuting counsel from 2018 to end of September 2023. YEAR Fees Paid to Counsel by DPP 2018 €17,391,679 2019 €16,813,805 2020 €15,785,139 2021 ...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy McDonald for raising this very important and very serious matter once again in the Dáil. I say once again that Ireland unreservedly condemns the brutal attack by Hamas and other militant groups on Israel and the devastating loss of life it has caused. We also condemn the terrorist attacks that occurred in France last week and in Belgium only yesterday. We also demand...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Alongside the UN, we have called for the order which Israel has made for Palestinian people to move to the southern part of Gaza to be rescinded. That is not an acceptable demand in our view. We have also clearly condemned the cutting off of supplies of water and fuel to the people of Gaza. That is not acceptable. In contrast, we need humanitarian corridors. The European Union is working...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The position of the European Union is the one agreed in the statement by the European Council. That was agreed on Sunday after many conversations over the weekend. I hope we will be in a position to build on that position today at the extraordinary Council of the European Union. Each EU member state has its own foreign policy. We only have a common foreign policy when we agree to have one...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I hope that we can all agree a few things in the House. First, that we condemn without reservation Hamas's actions in Israel and that we call for the release of the hostages immediately and without any preconditions. I hope we will all agree, just as is the case for any sovereign state, including ours, that Israel has the right to defend itself and has the right to pursue the terrorists...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----and try to rescue the hostages who are currently being held in Gaza. I hope we can all agree on that. I also hope we can agree on a third thing, namely, that it is not acceptable for Israel in defending itself to violate international humanitarian law, to target civilians, to cut off civilian infrastructure or to order people to be displaced to the south of Gaza. I hope we can agree...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I hope that when this period is looked back on there will be what might yet be seen as a number of Donogh O'Malley moments. What we have done, particularly as regard to employment rights, such as the move to a living wage, is hugely significant. There is the introduction of statutory sick pay and all the different forms of parental leave, which did not exist before, as...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In terms of our accounts, when it comes to early years childcare and early education, the budget for next year for the first time will exceed €1.1 billion. When this Government came to office, it was €0.63 billion. There has been a 70% increase in investment in just over three years. That is really considerable. What does that mean for parents? It means by next September...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I want to recognise Deputy Michael Healy-Rae for raising the very serious issue of road safety. Like everyone, I was shocked to see the headlines over the weekend. Five more people died on our roads in different incidents around the country. With the Deputy, I would like to extend my deep sympathies to the families affected and the friends of those who were lost on our roads. It is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is all these things. We know from the success we had a few years ago in bringing down the number of road fatalities - and we should not forget all the injuries either, many of which are life-changing - that it is never one thing. It is about approaching the issue from five or six different aspects. I agree that road maintenance and improvements are part of that picture but they are only...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will come back on a few of the points. To be very clear, the budget is agreed by the entire Government and the entire Government is responsible and accountable for the budget. It is not agreed bilaterally between the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, and the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, and any other Minister. The...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am sure he is happy to engage.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am sure he is happy to engage. He has engaged with some and I am sure he is happy to do so again.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We believe the motion is balanced and does provide a strong statement-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----on behalf of this House.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We hope it will get cross-party support.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Just finally-----