Results 39,261-39,280 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: In regard to the recruitment restrictions in the HSE, the HSE still has the authority to hire additional home helps, up to a certain level, and the restrictions do not apply to the private providers which provide most of the home help. To be very clear on doctors, despite the talk and the description that we often hear of a recruitment and retention crisis in the health service, we have seen...

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

Leo Varadkar: There are 2,000 more doctors and 6,000 more nurses than was the case three years ago.

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

Leo Varadkar: The recruitment restrictions do not apply to nursing and midwifery, GPs, GPs in training, consultants and doctors who are on specialist training.

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

Leo Varadkar: They only apply to service posts. These are not doctors in training. The HSE had authorisation to hire 500, and it hired 770. No public body should hire staff it does not have the authority or the budget to fund. It does not happen in schools, it does not happen in Garda stations, it does not happen in Departments and it should not happen in the health service.

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

Leo Varadkar: I will check with the Tánaiste. I am sure there can be some engagement throughout the course of the day on the text of the motion and hopefully we can agree a motion that we can all support.

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

Leo Varadkar: The budget for disability for next year, which has been transferred to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, is €2.8 billion. It has been increased from €1.7 billion in 2017 so there has been a massive increase in budget in recent years. Of the €2.8 billion, €131 million will be allocated to ensure the full-year cost of...

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

Leo Varadkar: I am glad it was possible to come to an agreement in the WRC last night. The pay offer was an increase of 8% spread over time, with some of it to be backdated. Some people went to bed last night not knowing whether someone would be there to help them to get up in the morning and that was distressing for many people. Sadly, it is the nature of industrial relations that sometimes things can...

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

Leo Varadkar: I honestly do not know. Different people will have different stories about how the financial problems arose in the Peter McVerry Trust and it will have to be properly and fully investigated. Only when that is known will we know exactly what did or did not happen in that body. It is important that services continue and are not disrupted while investigations take place and while a new...

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

Leo Varadkar: I cannot do that but I will ask the line Minister to do so. We have provision for family reunification and it happens all of the time. However, it depends on the visa status, the time somebody has been in the State and his or her capacity to support any dependants he or she would bring over.

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

Leo Varadkar: I want to join with the Deputy in expressing my horror and devastation at the fact that so many people lost their lives on the roads this weekend. We have to turn the tide on the increase in road traffic accidents and collisions we have seen this year. We have made so much progress for so long that it is terrible to see it going back in the wrong direction. The Deputy is right to say it is...

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am afraid I do not have details of those schemes to hand. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to come back directly to the Deputy.

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The health budget is always difficult and no matter how much is allocated, there are almost always overruns. That is the reality of the health budget. We will have to work on it across government in the coming months, in co-operation with the HSE. Let us be clear that the budget allocated to health next year is the biggest ever at €22.5 billion, which is over...

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the important issue of Shannondoc. I will make inquiries with the Minister for Health and the HSE and come back to the Deputy with a more detailed reply.

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. It is important to say that the road safety budget comes largely from the Road Safety Authority, which is self-funding, so that money is not seen in the budget line. The fees charged by the Road Safety Authority covers its costs and funds the education campaigns and so on. The budget line to which the Deputy referred is principally for road maintenance and new roads and...

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

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate the Deputy's ongoing interest in this important matter. In most years, we allocate approximately €20 million or €30 million as part of a dedicated fund for new medicines. I am confident that we will be able to provide dedicated funding for new medicines in the service plan for 2024. The budget for medicines is €3.2 billion per year. Even savings of 1%...

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

Leo Varadkar: Like Deputy Cannon, I am a big fan of greenways. They have been a huge success in the past couple of years, starting in County Mayo and then moving on to County Waterford and other places too. Most of them follow the route of old railway lines. I will certainly take that up with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The Minister is very keen to see the western rail corridor extended northwards...

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

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly take that on board. I know there are different views in the region as to what should be done. We will have to work out how long it will take to do these projects as well. Obviously, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is going to take the lead on this. I will certainly convey the remarks of both Deputies to him.

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

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the first question on Castletown House and grounds, I am aware of the situation and I have spoken to the Minister of State, Deputy Donovan, about it. Conversations are ongoing with the landowner. We are keen to resolve that if we can, but it is a negotiation. I will say once again that I think President von der Leyen's remarks in more recent days have been more balanced...

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

Leo Varadkar: -----on top of the ones we already have.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue which I think is on the minds of everyone in this House and everyone in the country. On behalf of the Government, I condemn unequivocally the bombing of the Anglican Al-Ahli hospital yesterday in Gaza. It was an atrocity. It violated the rules of war and violated basic humanity. It might yet prove to be a war crime but whatever...