Results 3,741-3,760 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy has got the numbers wrong again. Substantially more people came to Ireland last year than left.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: More Irish citizens returned than left. The difference was marginal but more returned than left. The impression the Deputy would create is a different one. He would create an impression of a country that is seeing its citizens leave in large numbers and not return in greater numbers.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Those are the facts. People are free to check them if they wish.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: People will see the Government's response to the cost-of-living crisis on budget day. As I mentioned, there must be three elements. We must increase pay and pensions, reduce the amount of tax people pay to allow them to keep more of the money they earn and reduce the cost of living in areas such as childcare, healthcare, public transport and rent. That is what we are working on. We will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I look forward to reading the Labour Party's alternative budget, hopefully being able to take on board some of the suggestions made. We will have a budget next week. The details will be announced by the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform next Tuesday. People will see a response of scale from the Government to help them with the cost-of-living crisis....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I will be brief. We probably need to take a dual approach to this. There is an international inflation crisis that is driven by monetary policy, the war in Ukraine and high energy bills. We need to respond to that reality by helping people with their bills. We need to help put more money in their pockets and also help to reduce energy bills in particular. As a country, we had a high cost...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the important issue of the very high cost of rent in Ireland, which is out of kilter and disproportionate when compared with our peer countries. I acknowledge that. What the Deputy has said about what I have said in the past is not the case. I have never said that landlords should be prioritised. A little like the Deputy’s leader, Deputy Doherty would...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The only thing I have said about landlords - and I stand over it and I have made this very clear - is that if there are any tax concessions for landlords in the budget, there should also be tax concessions for renters. That is what I said and what I meant, and I stand over that comment. If there are concessions for landlords in the budget, there should also be tax concessions for renters....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: -----that when things happen it is always the Government's fault. Is it not Sinn Féin’s fault in Northern Ireland therefore as well?

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Banking Sector (22 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: During 2022 the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) have been operating a number of loan schemes for my department that are targeted towards SMEs, including farmers, fishers and small mid-caps. Some of these loan schemes first require that SBCI approve a business’ eligibility for the scheme before the business can make a loan application to a participating lender. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (21 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) has been operating a number of Loan Schemes for my Department throughout 2022, that require approval of an eligibility code from SBCI for accessing the scheme. The €800 million Future Growth Loan Scheme closed to new applications in early May 2022, as lending capacity had been reached across all lenders, so it is unlikely that...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Transport (20 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I can confirm to the Deputy that neither my Department, or any of the Offices or Agencies under its remit, own any vehicles so the question is not relevant to our specific business operations. 

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Reports (20 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Details of currently ongoing studies, reviews and research projects undertaken or commissioned by my Department are set out in the table below. Study/Review/Research Project Anticipated Date for Completion Report on the Future of the Irish Retail Sector October 2022 Audit of the Small Business Assistance Scheme for Covid ...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: That is a fair point but-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Luas is the example - both lines.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of defective apartments. It is a big issue in my constituency too. Many of the homes in my constituency were built around the same time as many of those in her constituency and unfortunately there are a lot of problems with fire risk, water ingress and other issues. We helped people with pyrite, we are helping people with mica and it is important we...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am not familiar with the report so I am reluctant to comment on it. I will let the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and indeed the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, know the Deputy raised it in the Dáil and we will see what response is possible.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for sharing that story. I should say that the domiciliary care allowance, DCA, is not means-tested but the carer's allowance is. I would love it if it were possible for there to be no means tests but unfortunately they are necessary because financial resources, even in a very wealthy country, are limited. However, sometimes means tests are too mean and when knocking on...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Carey asked about Croí Conaithe, which as we know is a grant of between €30,000 and €50,000 to repair and bring back into use a building for residential purposes in small towns and villages. The Deputy proposes extending it to rural areas. I like that idea and think it makes a lot of sense but we need to take a little time to see what the take-up is like on the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: We will certainly work on this issue over the coming weeks. I know the Minister, Deputy Foley, will testify before committee about it. There are an additional 21,000 tickets this year and plans were made for additional demand. Unfortunately, those 21,000 are not enough. Everyone entitled to the service, as I understand, will get it. However, we have a particular issue with - Deputy Smyth...