Results 521-540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy and she is absolutely correct to say that comparisons are difficult to do from member state to member state, given the different costs of living and social services which are available. Obviously, education will remain available to children coming from Ukraine as will the provision of medical cards. There is an entitlement to social protection, once the 90-days in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies for their remarks. Deputies Doherty and Bríd Smith asked for a debate on health and raised the issue of health funding. The Cabinet approved a Revised Estimate for the health Vote earlier today. We are allocating an additional €92 million to health, which will include funding for new drugs in 2024 and for the fair deal scheme to make sure we do not see an...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----on funding for the LDA. There will be additional funding to allow it to accelerate its programme, including important projects like Donore Avenue, for example, formerly St. Teresa's Gardens. The exact amount is yet to be determined. I assure Deputy McNamara that we are very keen to have the mayor of Limerick Bill enacted. We want to have the election in June. I believe the office...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Adequate time will be provided for the debate. I am sure of that. I again point out to Deputies calling for debates on certain matters that the Opposition has at least two dedicated slots every week but that it did not choose to prioritise health this week.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: There is not one.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The debate will be adjourned if it is not concluded.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Tusla has an extraordinarily difficult job. The people who work in Tusla are very committed and do work which I think very few of us in this House would be willing to do. They look after children who have been abandoned and abused by their parents, have come to this country unaccompanied and have endured horrific neglect and abuse. It is totally wrong-headed to in any way try to blame the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Decisions regarding custody are made by the courts. Our courts act independently of Tusla and of the Government. The court hears both sides of the argument, hears the case and looks at the evidence, and-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----then it makes a decision. It is not the case that judges always make the right decisions.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Nobody always makes the right decisions but they do it on the basis of the evidence and arguments they hear.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Ireland deeply regrets the failure of the UN Security Council to agree a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the protection of civilians and compliance with international law, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and urgent humanitarian access. This resolution was co-sponsored by no fewer than 99 UN member states, yet it was not adopted as a result of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: TDs and Senators are free to make up their own minds on these matters. I will not be attending. I have a long-standing and prior commitment to attend the Christmas carol service in the seminary in Maynooth this evening and that is the event I will be attending. It is up to other people to decide what they want to do this evening. I restate my belief that the current crisis in Gaza is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As the House will know, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, is currently in Dubai.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: He is representing Ireland and is also one of the lead negotiators on behalf of the European Union-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----on this critical issue of climate action and climate finance. I do not know which countries are competing for COP 29, to be very frank. We would certainly prefer that it be in a country that has a good record on climate action rather than one that might be resisting climate action. I am not sure which countries are offering to host at this stage. The EU's position and the one that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As I said in the House previously, climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity at present. We have to be the generation of politicians that turns the tide on climate change and biodiversity loss. We can do that in many ways, first, by reducing our emissions. Our greenhouse gas emissions are falling, although not fast enough. However, greenhouse gas emissions per capita have...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We are confident that we will be able to provide that State accommodation for the 90 initial days to give people who come here from Ukraine a chance to establish themselves and a chance to find their own accommodation and their own employment - whatever they can manage to do. Some of that accommodation already exists across the system. As I mentioned already, people from Ukraine who have...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. At the outset, I want to say I am proud that we have welcomed 100,000 Ukrainians to Ireland. That has been done at a time when their country is being attacked and invaded. All 27 countries of the European Union, including Ireland, opened their doors to people from Ukraine. Some of us opened our houses to people from Ukraine. Roughly 100,000 people have fled Ukraine...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Economic Policy (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council published its annual Competitiveness Challenge report in September 2023. The Council’s Report outlined nineteen priority recommendations across a broad range of areas for Government consideration. On 29 November 2023, the Government published a comprehensive formal response to the Council's recommendations. This is the fourth year...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Programmes (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Through the Shared Island initiative, the Government is engaging with all communities to build consensus around a shared future and delivering benefits for the whole island, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. The Government has so far allocated almost €250m from the Shared Island Fund, moving forward with our commitments and objectives in this area in the Programme for...