Results 40,021-40,040 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Just to clarify, I should say that increase of 1,000 special education teachers for the school year coming is compared to the school year in 2021, not last year.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 7, inclusive, together. The work of the child poverty and well-being programme office is to prioritise action across government in areas that will have the greatest effect for children and families experiencing poverty. From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Well-being 2023-2025 was published last year and is the initial programme plan...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue of child and family homelessness. Assisting individuals and families facing homelessness is a major focus for the Government and increasing the supply of housing, particularly social housing, is critical in responding to homelessness. We are now seeing record levels of investment being provided through Housing for All. In 2024, more than €5...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens' Assembly (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 15, inclusive, together. The Programme for Government: Our Shared Future committed to establishing four citizens’ assemblies on the following topics: biodiversity loss; the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin; drugs use; and the future of education. Three of those four citizens’...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens' Assembly (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, I understand what he is saying about complex and chaotic cases. I have come across them myself but as every case is different, it is difficult to comment without knowing the circumstances. I know the Deputy appreciates that. A number of Deputies raised the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use which was...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 to 25, 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 provides for a greater focus on improving the lives...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies for their questions and contributions. I think we can all agree with Deputy Boyd Barrett that the quality of school buildings varies hugely. I have the privilege from time to time of opening new schools. I am really impressed with the quality of building and facilities but that reminds me how much we need to do to bring the older ones up to standard. Some of our schools...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Media Sector (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The Future of Media Commission was established by Government in September 2020 as an independent body. Members of the Commission were appointed on the basis of their expertise in broadcast, print and online media, representing a balanced mix of experts in public service media, independent journalism, social media, new technology platforms, media economics, culture, language, creative...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Commissions of Investigation (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: In advance of the Government considering the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation on Mother and Baby Homes in January 2021 certain information relating to matters in the Report was disclosed in a newspaper article. In that context, the then Taoiseach requested that an investigation be carried out. The investigation was conducted by a senior official in my Department and received...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy and wish her and everyone in the House a happy St. Valentine's Day. It is very clear that we have significant problems in RTÉ. We see a culture of poor governance when decisions were not made or not made properly. We see a culture of arrogance from some of the senior people who were in charge of that organisation. We also see a wider culture of entitlement, a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: It is not. There are a number of options. One option is direct Exchequer funding but that funding might otherwise go to education, health or pensions, for example, and it would potentially give future governments undue influence over RTÉ if RTÉ was funded directly from the Exchequer. We know there is somebody in this House who might be head of the next Government and who is suing...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: -----and it will require a system to set it up. In the meantime, the TV licence remains the law. People should obey the law, pay charges they are liable to pay and pay their taxes. That is a very simple thing. I do not believe in tax amnesties and never did. I do not think the policy the Deputy is pursuing is the right one. It is a return to left populism and is a mistake.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot give a date today but we should make a decision on this in the coming weeks, and certainly in the coming months. I agree that at a time when misinformation and disinformation are rife and are undermining democracy here and around the world, it is important to fund public service media and broadcasting. That cannot just be about RTÉ for reasons I think we will all agree on....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The current position is the TV licence is the law. I encourage people to pay it, as I do and always have. It is not just about RTÉ; it is about Irish-language broadcasting, public service media, children's programming and the broadcasting fund, which supports many broadcasters and creators in the private sector who have their own small businesses. We need to bear that in mind when...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: At the outset, I thank Deputy Naughten for raising this important issue and I know rare diseases are a cause the Deputy has championed for many years. I know the effect that rare diseases can have on many patients living with them and, at times, it can be difficult to assess the appropriate medicines, technologies and diagnostic tools. We made commitments in the programme for Government to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that some of the posts that were approved in 2023 were affected by the temporary pause on new recruitment. A new workforce plan for 2024 is being developed by the HSE and it will be able to increase its total staffing levels by between 2,000 and 3,000 over the course of this year. This will include genetic counsellors and the development of the genomic resource associate role...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as a cuid ceisteanna. Caithfidh sos cogaidh a bheith ann anois. Tá an iomarca daoine básaithe agus gortaithe sa Phalaistín. This morning, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and I wrote formally to the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, expressing once again our deep concern at the deteriorating...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I really hope we do not make this conflict or these terrible events that are happening in the Middle East to be in any way about us. It is not about us or the differences between the different parties here or between the Government and the Opposition. It is about the civilian population in Israel and the civilian population in the Palestinian territories. I disagree with the Deputy on two...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly look into it and see what can be done. Over the past number of years we have tried to improve the financial position of carers. We have increased the carer support grant which is not means tested. We relaxed the means test for the carer's allowance, increased it and extended free GP care to anyone in receipt of the carer's allowance. We will strive to continue on that...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: My understanding is that the allocations are made every year based on the profile of the children in the school. For example, in any given year children with particular needs may leave the school and move on to another one or more kids with special needs may come in. It is based on the profile of the children in the school, not on the school itself. I understand that what Deputy Ó...