Results 5,321-5,340 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I have had a chance over the past couple of days to study the presentations that EirGrid and the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities have provided to the Government. Having looked at those presentations, I am confident that we will avoid blackouts and brownouts this winter, but nobody can guarantee it for certain because there are...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I very much agree that we need to upgrade, improve and modernise our grid but I would not agree with the Deputy saying that nobody has been talking about it. Very ambitious plans have been published to improve and modernise the grid, including the North-South interconnector, the Celtic interconnector between Ireland and France, and Grid West. At times they are controversial but no one can...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: It would be appropriate and reasonable to have a debate on that. I am sure that can be taken up by the Business Committee. As I said earlier, based on the presentations that I have seen from EirGrid, the regulator and the Department, I am confident that the plan that is being put in place will enable us to avoid blackouts or brownouts this winter but nobody can absolutely guarantee that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I remember that speech well and I remember visiting Bausch & Lomb that day. It was a very positive day. We were announcing additional jobs for the region, and those jobs have been delivered and have happened. In the past couple of years, there have been some very significant and positive developments for Waterford, which I know the Deputy will acknowledge....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The M20 project between Limerick and Cork is one that I strongly support and I know the Deputy does too. It is important to bear in mind that there have been very significant motorway projects that benefit Waterford. The Dublin to Waterford motorway is complete and it was done before the Cork to Limerick one. Just in recent times, we have done New Ross, and while New...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am not interested in Deputy Doherty's swipes against me either, but I am going to call out populism when I see it. It is a classic tactic of populist politicians from the far left and the far right and everything in between, all around the world, to display this tactic. You tell your opponents what they think and believe, and then you tell them how awful they are for believing or thinking...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Attorney General is finishing out a number of cases which he had taken on prior to his appointment as Attorney General to this Government. That is not unprecedented. I understand it has happened in the past with former Attorneys General, that they are allowed to finish out cases that they were involved in prior to their appointment. It is something the party leaders and the Cabinet...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am absolutely certain the Attorney General will be very careful to avoid any conflict of interest or any perception of that. He is a person of the highest integrity and ability and I have full confidence he will make sure there is no conflict of interest. I will endeavour to find answers to the Deputy's questions as soon as I can. I cannot promise it will be today. I do not know if a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (30 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. Regarding the mica issue he mentioned, I have not seen that report, so I cannot confirm whether what is being reported is correct. I can state the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, thanked the members of the working group at yesterday's meeting for its involvement and engagement in the process in recent months. He acknowledged, in particular, the stress and hardship...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (29 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that the Deputy has clarified that she is seeking details of the total amount spent by my Department on external consultancy contracts and legal services in the years in question.  In 2018, the total spent on external consultancy contracts in the Department was €1,112,563. The total spent on external legal services was €1,419,612. In 2019 the total spent on...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Agreements (28 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 200 together. The report "Four EU Free Trade Agreements - Opportunities and Impacts for Ireland" was published on my Department's website on 28 April this year and is available at enterprise.gov.ie/en/Publications/Four-EU-Free-Trade-Agreeme nts-Opportunities-and-Impacts-for-Ireland.html.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Expenditure (28 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy was advised in response to Parliamentary Question No. 158 of 15th September, my Department has not had any contracts with the companies in question since the 1st January 2015. The companies have not provided any courses or training services to the Department during this period.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (28 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The requested details of EU Directives relating to my Department that require transposition into Irish law are set out in the attached table. EU Directives that require transposition into Irish law Transposition deadline passed Yes/No Details of Communications from Commission on failure to transpose Directive EU Directive 2020/1833 of 2 October...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Agreements (28 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The report "Four EU Free Trade Agreements - Opportunities and Impacts for Ireland" was published on my Department's website on 28 April this year and is available at enterprise.gov.ie/en/Publications/Four-EU-Free-Trade-Agreeme nts-Opportunities-and-Impacts-for-Ireland.htm.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (28 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: IDA Ireland is partnering with a number of local authorities to secure planning permission for 11 new buildings, 10 of which are Advanced Technology Buildings, as shown below Region Advanced Technology Buildings Border Monaghan, Carrick on Shannon, Cavan, Letterkenny Mid East Navan Mid West Clonmel ...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The Government absolutely acknowledges that we have a severe shortage of student accommodation across the country and that for very many students it is unaffordable while for others it is unavailable. There are many reasons for that. Some are long-standing, some relate to Covid and some relate to the big increase in the number of people attending third level education,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The Bill is currently being drafted. It is a priority and the Attorney General in particular is taking an interest in it. One of the things under consideration is exactly what the Deputy has suggested, that is, that statutory timelines are set within which An Bord Pleanála must give its decisions. That is to avoid a situation where a development has been approved...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: All of us in the House value the work of secretarial assistants. That is true on a cross-party basis. I will certainly mention to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform that Deputy O'Reilly raised the matter and I will pass on the request she has made. I am not sure to what extent it is an issue for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission more than the Department of Public...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I appreciate this is an important issue but it is probably more a matter for local government than for central government. I will certainly let the Minister with responsibility for local government know that the Deputy raised the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of a number of closures in urban areas, including in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area. The Deputy has raised the issue before, as has Deputy Carroll MacNeill. It is not so much that An Post or the Government ever decides to close a post office, it is more the case that when the postmaster retires, it can often be difficult to find somebody who is willing to take on the role....