Results 341-360 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The new national children's hospital will be completed later this year and will be open and treating children next year. When it is open, it will be an incredible state-of-the-art hospital. It will care for our children for the next 50 to 100 years and it will be comparable if not superior to many of the best children's hospitals in Europe and around the world. It will be our first digital...

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...

Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: A Cheann Comhairle, mar Thaoiseach agus mar Cheannaire Fhine Gael, déanaim comhbhrón ó chroí le teaghlach, cairde agus comhghleacaithe John Bruton. Molaim tírghráthóir a chaith saol seirbhíse poiblí iontach. Chuir sé go buan lenár dtír agus d'fhág sé oidhreacht shuntasach. As Taoiseach and as leader of Fine Gael, I...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Official Travel (7 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: As Taoiseach, I regularly travel to participate in formal and informal meetings of the European Council, in Brussels and elsewhere. In keeping with the Government’s Global Ireland 2025 strategy, I also place a high importance on engaging actively with fellow Heads of State and Government, both within the EU and more widely. I also use international visits to promote Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising (7 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The historical information requested by the Deputy has been set out in previous replies, the most recent of which was provided to the Deputy in reply to Parliamentary Question 37918/22 on 12 July 2022. Advertising expenditure in 2022 was €1,791,238 with €4,808 in 2023 and €490 to end of January 2024. The bulk of this expenditure relates to the dissemination of...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Contracts (7 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The historical information requested by the Deputy has been set out in previous replies, the most recent of which was provided to the Deputy in reply to Parliamentary Question 39981/22 on 26 July 2022. The Department of the Taoiseach has no expenditure on Ministerial or Departmental public relations. The Citizens’ Assemblies, which are staffed by the Department of the Taoiseach,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (7 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The historical information requested by the Deputy has been set out in previous replies, the most recent of which was provided to the Deputy in reply to Parliamentary Question 40017/22 on 26 July 2022. There has been no further legal costs or expenditure on legal services since that time. Separately, legal costs and services relating to independent Commissions, Tribunals and inquiries...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (7 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The historical information requested by the Deputy has been set out in previous replies, the most recent of which was provided to the Deputy in reply to Parliamentary Question 40035/22 of 26 July, 2022. The Department of the Taoiseach purchases office furniture and general office equipment such as computers and IT accessories as required. Expenditure on these items was €242,064.02 in...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 to 27, inclusive, together. The Government has established ten Cabinet committees. These are Brexit and Northern Ireland, children and education, economy and investment, environment and climate change, EU and international affairs, Government co-ordination, health, housing, humanitarian response to Ukraine, and social affairs and public services. I am...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: On the St. Patrick's Day events in the White House, I have not yet received an invitation. If I am invited, I will accept and, as always, use it as an opportunity to speak to the US President and Administration about matters of interest and concern to the Irish people. Those conversations are not always pleasant ones. While we agree on the majority of things, we do not agree on everything....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Of course. We are getting our own legal advice.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Durkan raised the issue of institutional investors. The Government recognises the need for protections to prevent institutional investors displacing owner occupiers. For this reason, we introduced tax and planning changes to protect traditional family houses from bulk purchase. These include changes introduced in May 2021 to the rate of stamp duty on bulk purchases. A 10% stamp...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. Deputy Durkan raised the operation and layout of emergency departments. I very much agree with him that staff work very hard in emergency departments and are often subject to abuse and even violence from a minority of patients and their visitors and that is never acceptable. The NTPF is used to commission private healthcare for public patients and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The HSE can recruit an additional 2,000 staff this year.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 to 23, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on housing met yesterday. The committee works to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the implementation of Housing for All and programme for Government commitments regarding housing and related matters. Our latest update on progress achieved under Housing for All was published last Thursday. Despite...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have an update on the bridge project to hand but I will follow up on it and get back to the Deputy directly.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have a direct role in deciding where post offices are located. It is a matter for An Post but I appreciate the feeling in the town. New Ross is a big town. It needs a post office, and post offices are much better located in the centre of the town than in other locations. I will speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, about it and ask him to get back to the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 12, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on health last met on 7 December 2023 and is currently scheduled to next meet on 12 February of this year. The committee oversees the programme for Government commitments relating to health and receives detailed reports on identified policy areas. It considers the progress of health reforms, including...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister is working on that legislation at the moment. We do not have a date yet for the publication but it is a legislative priority for the Department of Justice.