Results 2,741-2,760 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We acknowledge that rents are very high in Ireland. That is why we introduced the rent tax credit in the budget to help renters with the cost of renting. One of the interesting things fin thedaft.iereport released yesterday showed that for people who are established tenants, that is, the vast majority of tenants, rents went up by approximately 3.5%, which is slower than average incomes are...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Last year alone, 30,000 Irish citizens came home. As is the nature of migration, a lot of people go abroad but a lot of people come back. At least for the past three years, more Irish citizens have returned than have left. I am not sure that will be the case this year but tens of thousands of people come home every year and they run...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy and I am aware of the hotel he mentioned in Monaghan. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, told me about it the other day. The issues there probably relate more to the investor than the programme itself. The programme itself has produced some really good dividends around the country, both in economic investments and investments supporting community facilities as well.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The programme was originally set up, a long time ago now, with the view to encouraging the diaspora to invest back in Ireland and create jobs here. Over time, it has morphed into something else and not what was intended. For that reason, the Minister, Deputy Harris, on advice, has taken the decision to close entry to new applicants, I think as of close of business today. Having said that,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know. I would have to check with the Minister, Deputy Harris, on that.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I heard the Secretary General's words and I share the concerns about the escalating conflicts around the world, not just in Ukraine but also elsewhere. The doomsday clock has been around approximately 70 years now and it has always been at 20 minutes to midnight. I would bear that in mind too. I know it is three or four seconds now but when something has been 20...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have a date for the publication of the Bill, but it is a priority to ensure courts are resourced to administer justice efficiently and effectively. The Minister for Justice is optimistic that both the implementation of the working group report and the commitment by the Courts Service in its strategic plan for 2021 to 2023 to maximise the use of digital technologies to provide a more...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We anticipate having this assembly up and running by the middle of 2023. I welcome any input the Deputy may have between now and then as to how we structure the assembly properly to get the best outcomes from it. As is the normal course, the citizens' assembly will be allowed to hold its meetings, deliberate and make its recommendations. These recommendations will be sent to an Oireachtas...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I recall having this debate on how we count the numbers during the previous Government when Eoghan Murphy was the Minister with responsibility for housing. At that point, the CSO updated its methodology. The methodology the office uses, which is published on its website, was welcomed across the board at the time, including by Deputy Ó Broin, for example, and others. I am a little bit...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of the ongoing dispute. I understand the people concerned are employees of education and training boards. An industrial relations process must be followed and negotiations have to occur. I am not exactly sure at what point they are at, but I will endeavour to get more information from the Ministers for Education, and Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot, and will not, comment on individual cases currently subject to litigation.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate the Deputy is not asking me to do that. The remit of the State Claims Agency is clearly set out in law. Once cases are delegated to the agency, Government and Ministers have no role in the management of cases. That is not the case for every legal case but it is for those referred to the State Claims Agency. Its remit is set out in law and has been agreed by the Oireachtas.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know the details.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Ticketing systems and so on are a matter for the GAA rather than for the Government, although the report on retail banking published a few months ago indicates that the Government believes there should be a place for cash transactions. We want to encourage electronic payments. By the way, many older people and bachelors use cards, phones and Revolut and are well capable of doing so.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: However, I appreciate there are some people who want to continue to use cash. Cash remains legal tender in this State and we want to make sure it is facilitated where it can be.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue of neurology services, generally and particularly in CHO area 8 and in Laois-Offaly. It is a specific question about a specific branch of medicine in the Deputy's part of the country, which is the midlands. I do not have a detailed note on it right now but I will try to get the Deputy more information in writing this week or next week....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I again thank the Deputy. I am advised that we have funding this year for 23 neuro-rehabilitation nurses. These will be permanent positions, not once-off ones. As I mentioned in my earlier reply, we have a new consultant contract that is being offered. I hope the bodies that represent doctors will accept that. It will allow us to take some significant steps forward in terms of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I can assure people that there will not be a cliff edge on 28 February when a lot of the measures are due to expire. We will make decisions no later than the Cabinet meeting next Tuesday, we will inform the Dáil and the public next Tuesday and then any legislation that has to be done between now and 28 February will be done. I know we will have the Deputy's co-operation with that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is the objective of the Government to build safer and stronger communities. In order to do so, we need more gardaí and we need to properly train and support them. We also need to invest in our Defence Forces, the Courts Service and the Irish Prison Service. I appreciate that gardaí are working hard, they are under a lot of pressure and their jobs are much more challenging than...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Feb 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I assure the Deputy that I will take it in hand and it is a priority for me as Taoiseach and for this Government to build safer and stronger communities. That involves increasing the number of gardaí and investing in our Defence Forces, the Courts Service and the Irish Prison Service. It also involves dealing with the underlying causes of crime which are very much linked to poverty and...