Results 3,321-3,340 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. That is our intention. We are still learning about long Covid. Many viral illnesses produce a post-viral syndrome. The vast majority of people who get the virus recover, but some develop a long-term illness. We need to see it in the context of other post-viral syndromes. More and more, we need to see Covid not as a separate illness but as one of many viruses from...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. Help is on the way for businesses struggling with high energy costs. It is in the Finance Bill. It is the temporary business energy support scheme, which will cover 40% of the increase in energy costs up to €10,000 per month per business, backdated to September. There are European rules and regulations around how far we can go in this regard and it is taxpayers'...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: We will certainty look at that. I appreciate the need to improve safety on that road. I have travelled it many times. I will make the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, aware that it was raised in the Chamber.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge that Deputy Durkan has raised this matter before in the Chamber and corresponded with me recently. I read the letter he sent me the other day. I am not sure if this is an area in which we can intervene as a Government. I undertake to speak to the Deputy about it, perhaps properly next week, and engage with the Minister for Justice.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. I take his point. I have a constituency service too and sometimes I find means tests are very mean. No matter where the line is drawn, there will always be somebody €1 or €2 above it. I know the Deputy appreciates that. In the current budget we have relaxed the means test for the SUSI grant, carer's allowance and fuel allowance but...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I will ask my people to look into that. I do not want to make any promises here, but it may be an anomaly. We will look into that and see if a change is warranted. Next week, a number of lump sum payments will be made: fuel allowance, €400; living alone allowance, €200; to carers, €500; working families, €500; people in receipt of disability...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge this is a very serious issue. We have helped people with pyrite in their homes to have those homes repaired, are trying to help people with mica in their homes to have them repaired and need to help people living in defective apartment buildings with the cost of those repairs. I agree with the Deputy that it is not their fault. We can argue about whose fault it was, but it is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I did not have a chance to listen to that documentary yet but I intend to do so over the weekend. I extend my sympathy and solidarity to the very brave men who are former students of Blackrock College for coming forward in the way they did. This, of course, is a matter for the Minister for Education, Deputy Norma Foley. I will let her know that the Deputy raised this and I will ask the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: We have. They are aware. Their legal departments and their human resource departments are aware of their obligations under employment law.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The Minister of State, Deputy Browne, raised this matter with me only last night and made me aware of the situation. My sympathies go to the families and to the people affected. We have a Red Cross scheme, which the Deputy will be aware of-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot next Tuesday night because the Dáil will be in session and I must be here. I will examine if it is possible to do so at some point.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: This is far from unprecedented. In fact, the current Taoiseach was also elected on a Saturday. It is not unusual for us to sit on a Saturday, on occasion.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: We are all paid anyway so none of us get any extra money for being here on a Saturday. There may be some additional costs in relation to ushers and support staff-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The alternative is for us to come back to the House on the Monday or Tuesday of Christmas week. It is no skin off my nose whether it is a few days one way or the other but I do not believe there is a major desire on the Business Committee, as I understand it, that we should sit during Christmas week.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The short answer to the Deputy's question is "Yes". Work currently being done by the Minister for Social Protection in moving towards pay-related benefits is not just about jobseekers; it could also apply to maternity benefit, paternity benefit, and illness benefit to better reflect the fact that if people are out of work for a temporary period, the money they get should better reflect what...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: We intend to hold the referendum to allow Ireland to join the Unified Patent Court. It is up and running. We would like to join it and we intend to hold the referendum on that, either next year but certainly no later than the local and European elections in 2024. That requires primary legislation in this House, which we are currently preparing.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid that I just do not know the details on that issue. I will check it out with the Ministers for Health, and Public Expenditure and Reform, and I will come back to the Deputy with a reply as soon as I can.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, the Finance Bill is going through the Houses. It will create the temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS, which will help businesses with the increased cost of electricity and gas. However, she is correct to point out that the scheme will only apply to businesses. It is run by the Revenue Commissioners and operates in the form of a tax credit. We...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am not entirely sure what the Deputy means by "cut to the bone". I am sure that, if I check into it, I will find that funding for those services has been increased year-on-year and will increase again next year. Leaving that aside, I agree with her fundamental point that energy prices are rising for everyone - households, businesses and voluntary bodies. We have acted to help...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Nov 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I would be happy to withdraw them because I do not particularly want to have a row with the Deputy over this, but I would like to note two points. She did not answer my question-----