Results 39,301-39,320 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We are only a small country and we certainly are not a major military or economic power but we do have a voice and we are at the table when it comes to the European Union and the UN. We are certainly using that voice in the international bodies of which we are members. When the moment is opportune, these are the conversations we are going to want to have with our American allies and our...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The reason for the year's deferral is to allow us to give landowners another year to seek the dezoning of their land or to properly update various different maps to show which land really is serviced because there are some disputes as to whether land is serviced or not. We need a little bit more time here. The idea behind the tax is a very good one. When land is zoned and serviced, the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am very much aware of the issue because part of the Dublin West constituency is in the flight path and I have an ongoing relationship with parts of Fingal that used to be in my constituency which are also very much in the flight path. I am aware of the issue. I have not seen that particular proposal but if he wants to send it on to me, I can check it out.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister for Education, Deputy Norma Foley, to come back to the Deputy with a reply.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: While I understand that some nursing homes are closing, there are new ones opening all the time. An additional €45 million has been allocated for nursing homes in the budget for next year, including €10 million set aside to aid private and voluntary nursing homes that are struggling with Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA compliance. We are very conscious of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 13, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on health last met on 25 September and is currently scheduled to next meet on 23 October. The Cabinet committee on health oversees programme for Government commitments relating to health and receives detailed reports on identified policy areas. It considers the progress of health reforms, including...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In response to Deputy Durkan's question, it is always a struggle for health to come in on budget, no matter what increase is given in any year and whether it is big or small. That is especially so in the acute hospitals. It is much less the case in community care or the primary care reimbursement service, PCRS, which generally come in close to budget. There are areas that are simply not...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 to 23, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on the economy and investment was re-established in January 2023 and last met on 25 May. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for 16 November. The committee has a function similar to that of the committee on economic recovery and investment, which met six times in the course of 2022 and is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Dillon's question was on Uisce Éireann and he particularly raised the slow timeline for the Newport sewerage scheme. That is something I will make personal inquiries about. I have met Uisce Éireann about its work programme and it has been clear with me that it is not possible for it to progress all projects at any one time. Even with additional finance there are...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Paul Murphy asked about electricity supply. I am glad to say we are in a much better place in the security of electricity supply than we were this time last year. That is down to the extra generation taking place, in both renewable and gas, and the fact that there is a better partnership between EirGrid and the big energy users, including data centres. Data centres can be called on...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In percentage terms, the rate has fallen but is still at 69%, when one excludes those are who are not stated. That is pretty high by international standards but not high enough. That is why we are prioritising home ownership. I will have to come back to Deputy Ó Murchú on his question in respect of gaming. I might ask the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael McGrath, to come...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 to 33, inclusive, together. I travelled to New York to attend the UN General Assembly's high-level week. I delivered Ireland's statement at the UN's SDG summit, which highlighted the need to get back on track with reaching the SDGs. Towards that end, leaders adopted the summit political declaration, which Ireland co-facilitated with Qatar. I also...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Haughey raised the issue of the UN Security Council. It is very much our view, and I expressed this view at the UN General Assembly, that the UN Security Council needs to be reformed. It simply does not reflect the world in 2023. The five permanent members are the victors of the Second World War, which was a long time ago now. It is in dire need of reform and legitimacy. We...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----notwithstanding anything Deputy Boyd Barrett may have seen. It was established by the United Nations as a Jewish state in their historic homeland. Israel has the right to exist-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----but it does not have a right to do wrong. Finally, Deputies will recall that there were many calls to expel the Russian ambassador and to close the Russian Embassy in Dublin. Everyone in this House knows that I was 100% on the side, and remain 100% on the side, of the Ukrainian people in resisting occupation and resisting the war that is happening that has been caused by Russia. We...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I visited the US on 17-23 September, primarily to attend the UN General Assembly High Level week. During this week, I took the opportunity to have a number of bilateral meetings. I met with UN Secretary General António Guterres who thanked Ireland for its unswerving support for the UN. We discussed the Summit on the Sustainable Development Goals and we agreed the urgent need for the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Data Protection (17 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In reply to Parliamentary Question No. 133 of 3 October, 2023 the Deputy was notified of two instances of a data breach identified within the Department during the past decade. The case in 2016 arose on foot of a complaint by an individual made to the Data Protection Commission (DPC) in 2017. The complaint concerned an allegation that a breach had occurred by way of the unauthorised...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 to 36, inclusive, together. The Cabinet Committee on Children and Education oversees the implementation of commitments in the Programme for Government in the area of children and education, including further and higher education, with a specific focus on child poverty and well-being. The Cabinet Committee on Children and Education met on Thursday,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Cabinet Committee on EU and International Affairs oversees implementation of Programme for Government commitments and considers policy matters in relation to the European Union and international issues. It most recently met on 2 October, when it reflected on attendance and meetings at the United Nations High-Level week in September, and looked ahead to meetings of the European Political...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Functions (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Economic Policy Unit is part of the Economic Division of the Department. The Unit assists me, as Taoiseach, in achieving sustainable and balanced economic growth and in advancing the Government’s economic priorities. The Unit also advises me on a broad range of economic policy issues, and provides me with briefing and speech material on economic and related policy matters. It seeks...