Results 40,041-40,060 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: I can guarantee that. It might not necessarily be their school of first preference but I can guarantee that everyone in Kildare and also in my own constituency of Dublin West, where this also occurs, will receive a secondary school place. That is an absolute commitment and an absolute guarantee. Figures are used from the census and also from child benefit data. When it comes to secondary...

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

Leo Varadkar: If it is the case that children are not able to find a place, we will make certain that they get one but we cannot always guarantee that it will be their place of first choice, particularly if the school is not in their catchment area.

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

Leo Varadkar: I understand that a proposal was issued to staff representatives last year to establish a new grade of adult educator, with a standardised payscale aligned to Youthreach. A key issue that has been raised relates to incremental progression. The Ministers, Deputies Harris and Foley, who have regulatory responsibility for the ETB sector, have submitted an updated proposal to the Minister,...

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

Leo Varadkar: I hope to travel to the US next months for the St. Patrick's Day events and I will, of course, use the opportunity, both in public and in private, to share the views of the Irish people, and my own views, on what is happening in Israel and Palestine. I hope by then there is already a ceasefire. Let us pray there is but either way, I will be sharing our views with our friends and colleagues...

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

Leo Varadkar: As is often the case, industrial relations disputes can be quite complicated. I have a four-page note that I could read out for the Deputy but I am not going to do that because time is limited but of course, the employer and the Government will engage with the representatives of the adult tutors with a view to coming to a resolution. If that cannot be done then, of course, there are options...

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy very much for raising this important issue. It has been raised with me by Deputies Feighan and MacSharry as well. It was expected that patients and staff at The Rock community hospital would move to the new community hospital in Ballyshannon this week. However, it emerged that following a vote taken by the nurses' union, staff refused to move to the new facility, citing...

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

Leo Varadkar: I will have to look into it a little bit further. I am not an expert in how the courts operate but I do know they operate independently of this House and of the Government. I think it is the case that judges have discretion as to whether hearings are heldin camerabut they are done to protect vulnerable people, including children. I will make some further inquiries about it, in particular...

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy very much. He can be assured that the Government will be very keen to fund any plan to bring the barracks back into use and back to life. I do not know the details of the project but the Deputy can be assured that it is now very much on my radar.

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

Leo Varadkar: We did not actually remove our commitment but we did reduce it substantially on account of the financial crisis that occurred here 12 or 15 years ago. To cut to the chase, the situation is now different. We are in a much better place as a country, financially, and the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly are back up and running. I had a chance to speak to the Minister, Mr. O'Dowd, about...

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

Leo Varadkar: There are a number of really important projects in Cork that we are keen to progress. the Deputy mentioned three of them: the north ring road, the M20 between Cork and Limerick and the Mallow bypass. There are other projects too such as the ones in Castlemartyr and Ringaskiddy. I could name a few more such as the project linking Carrigtohill, Midleton and Youghal. We will do our best to...

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

Leo Varadkar: I will have to come back to her on that. To my recollection, a number of increases were agreed on foot of the resolution of the dispute in the summer and then increases agreed in the public service pay agreement, which has not yet been ratified by the unions. I will come back to the Deputy with more detail when I can.

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

Leo Varadkar: I understand that submission is currently with the Department and officials are going over the numbers to see what level of contribution would be appropriate. I will mention to the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and the Minister, Deputy Martin, that it was raised in the Chamber today.

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

Leo Varadkar: If the referendums are passed and the Constitution is so amended, it will still be possible for future governments and the Oireachtas to discriminate in favour of people who are married. That will not change. It will obviously be up to the Oireachtas and Government at the time to decide exactly on what basis they wish to favour or discriminate in favour of people who are married.

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

Leo Varadkar: This issue has not been brought to my attention before. Now that it has, I will make inquiries of the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, and the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and ask them to come back to the Deputy with a more thoughtful and detailed reply.

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for his ongoing interest in the issue of rare diseases and orphan medicines. He and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, are two of the strongest advocates in the House on these issues. There was a change in the Revised Estimate in December in which we allocated a certain amount - I cannot recall the exact amount - for new medicines. It was not specifically for rare...

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

Leo Varadkar: Of course I accept responsibility for it. I am the Taoiseach and the head of Government. I accept responsibility for all that is good about this country and also for trying to put right all that is wrong. That is my job as Taoiseach. The national children's hospital project is not a waste of money. It will be an absolutely fabulous facility.

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

Leo Varadkar: It will make an enormous difference. It will be there for 50 or 100 years. It will be comparable with and better than any children's hospital in the world. I know it has cost too much and taken too long. Like many other big projects, such as terminal 2 in Dublin Airport or the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire, nobody will regret it when they see it.

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

Leo Varadkar: I am very sorry to hear about that case. I read about it in the media. As the Deputy will be aware, the Health Act precludes-----

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

Leo Varadkar: Perhaps it is a different case. Either way, I am sorry to hear what that boy and his family have had to experience. The Health Act, for very good reasons, makes it unlawful for me or any Minister to direct the HSE to do anything for any particular patient. That would not be right, for all sorts of reasons. If the Deputy sends me on the details and permissions from the family to take an...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 1 go 8, go huile, le chéile. My programme included engagements with businesses with investments or interests in Ireland. I spoke at a dinner hosted by IDA Ireland, which was attended by business leaders from the manufacturing, chemical, technology and finance sectors. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael McGrath, also attended. I met with...