Results 2,581-2,600 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----trying to do so much at the same time. I support, as the Government does, the appropriate use of state aid, but we should never forget that state aid is ultimately taxpayers' money given to businesses. Small countries like ours will never be able to compete with big countries when it comes to the amount of state aid they could give their companies. That is why we always need to be...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 11 go 22, go huile, le chéile. The Cabinet committee on health met on 13 February and is due to meet again on 27 March. In addition to meetings of the full Cabinet and of Cabinet committees, I meet Ministers individually to focus on different issues. I meet regularly with the Minister for Health to discuss challenges in the area of health...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. In relation to the windfall tax and energy prices, the windfall tax proposal, which is at an advanced stage and being developed by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Minister for Finance, derives from EU law in this area. My understanding is that it has two elements. The first is a tax on gas and oil product...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. In response to Deputy Bríd Smith, I am very much aware of what the Consumer Protection Act states. I am also aware of what European law states and what the laws relating to the regulation of the energy market state, all of which need to be taken into account. There are powers to regulate retail prices but there are no powers to regulate...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As regards sheep farmers, I acknowledge the difficulties they are facing. To use the Brexit adjustment reserve fund, one needs to be able to prove to the European Commission that Brexit is the reason prices are low and input costs are high. That would be a very difficult thing to prove. Unfortunately, we are finding great difficulty being able to meet the tests to draw down money from that...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 1 go 10, go huile, le chéile. I attended a special meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 9 and 10 February. The agenda covered Ukraine, the economy and migration. We also touched on relations between Kosovo and Serbia, as well as the tragic earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am very much aware of the issue. Residents in my constituency in the Hollywoodrath area and The Ward are having a similar experience. I am, and I will be, engaging with the Minister on it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We are definitely working on it. As the Deputy can imagine, I could recite a similar list for my constituency and I believe most Members in the House could do likewise. We have a massive school building programme at the moment. It is great to go into some of those new schools and see how well built they are and the level of services that are available. It reminds one of how old some of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am not aware of any plans to cover those costs at the moment. It is not standard that we would cover the costs of private healthcare or private treatments. Sometimes we do this through the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, mechanism, for example through the cross-Border directive. If there is a prior arrangement, we can do this but we must have some checks and controls around these...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I spoke on this a little earlier. The next step from the Government is the windfall tax and legislating for that in the House to allow us to take some of the windfall profits from last year, and indeed this year, and to use them to help people and businesses with their bills. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, is engaging with energy companies. I will engage with them directly as well. But I...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: This is a complicated insolvency involving a company based in Britain. I am not sure if the way that the Deputy described things is exactly the case. I do not know whether the Corporate Enforcement Authority has examined it fully and come to a determination on it so I would prefer not to comment on it. Either the Deputy or myself can make inquiries with the Corporate Enforcement Authority...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. During the pandemic all available Department of Health resources were devoted to the public health response. This meant that work on a vaccine damage compensation scheme was stalled. However, a senior counsel has prepared an initial report on this for the Department. It is expected that further work on it will be advanced this year. A...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We will arrange the briefings with agreement by the parties to do that this week. My Department is already working on that and will probably be in touch with Opposition leaders' offices today around having those briefings. I think we are at a very sensitive stage and I do not think anyone in this House, least of all me, wants to say anything that might jeopardise the acceptance of the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In relation to the Windsor Framework, we propose to take statements on it next week. We want to give Members some time to read and digest all the documentation. We propose to set aside Government time next week for that. In relation to the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, it is my understanding he is seeking time to make a statement today. I am not sure if the Ceann Comhairle...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. On behalf of the Government, I want to acknowledge that we have a very real problem when it comes to children being able to access the therapies, assessments, treatment and counselling they need. Children are being let down. It is not so much a matter of money or political will; both are there in abundance. There is a real difficulty...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The figures I have from the HSE and Department of Health indicate that we are seeing a levelling off in waiting lists. There has been an 18% reduction in those waiting for initial speech and language therapy treatment according to the latest available data. The latest available data from October indicates a small reduction in physiotherapy waiting lists of approximately 3% and approximately...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am almost astounded by the Deputy's response. Does he really think he deserves some sort of reward, or thanks, or kudos, for not opposing housing?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We should all be actively supporting the building of additional housing in our communities. He deserves no reward, nor thanks, nor pats on the back for not opposing thousands of new homes in his constituency, or even for supporting them. Between April 2021 and May 2022 he has opposed 1,315 new homes in his constituency. Where would those people be living now Deputy, if he had his way?...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Children's Rights Alliance for the work they do. We do not always see eye to eye but we have had very good engagement with them as a Government down the years. I am aware of its Report Card 2023, which was issued today or yesterday. To be fair to the alliance, in the round it gave the Government two As, five Bs, four Cs, four Ds and one E. We did not get two As last year and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Rinne an Rialtas go leor agus beidh níos mo gníomhartha ón Rialtas sna seachtainí romhainn. The Government has done a lot and we will do more in the coming weeks. We have reduced VAT to 9% on electricity and gas. Another energy credit will be deducted from people's bills for the March-April period. We have improved the temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS,...