Results 5,701-5,720 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. It is that time of year again when we are starting to run into issues in respect of school transport. I know that such issues can cause a great deal of distress for many families. The best thing I can do is to let the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, know that the Deputy raised the issue and ask her to reply directly to the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid that I do not know why nobody was invited from that group. I do know that MICA and pyrite have affected homes in Clare and Limerick and that it is not just an issue in Mayo and Donegal. We will have to ensure that they are part of the solution in some way. I will let the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, know that the Deputy raised the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am afraid that I do not have any information on it to hand. I will certainly let the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, or the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, whichever one is appropriate, know that the issued was raise and ask her to contact the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am afraid that I do not have a timeline in respect of the proposed legislation currently. It is very much part of the Department's work programme.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The scheme was temporary. Like all temporary schemes, it has to come to an end. The big change that has happened in nursing homes is that the residents and staff are now almost all fully vaccinated. Thankfully, the number of cases and outbreaks has been, and continues to be, very small. However, infection control is always a good thing, particularly in nursing homes. What probably needs...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: On the western rail corridor project, the national development plan is under review and the revised version should be published in July, if not a little later. Of course, as the Deputy is aware, other reports have been produced on the issue, such as the Jasper Consulting report, which came to different conclusions. The Government is very aware of the problems being created by the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am a huge fan of greenways. All Members have seen the enormous success the Great Western Greenway has been in Mayo, as has the Déise greenway in Waterford. I have been on the great southern trail with Deputy Griffin and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, on a few occasions and I was delighted to hear that it is now being opened and extended. It is a long...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I appreciate the dilemma that exists. We did take a look at phasing out PUP on a sectoral basis but it is not as straightforward as that either. While retail may be open, many people formerly employed in the sector in the airport have not yet returned to work. While a handful of sandwich shops have re-opened, there are sandwich shops all over the city centre that are...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. It was not an off-the-cuff remark, by the way; it was an on-the-record response to a question I was asked at a press conference. Those are the facts. What the CMO said yesterday is that NPHET did not recommend the cancellation of communions and confirmations because, in the view of NPHET, they were not supposed to be taking place anyway. We had hoped it would be...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The opening date, if one likes, for the digital certificate was today, 1 July. We are the only country in the EU that has not done so but the regulation does allow countries six weeks to comply. As we stated from the outset, we intend to have that in place for 19 July. That is being worked on at the moment. I understand there are some significant difficulties but we are still confident...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The new guidance and advice from NIAC allows us to do two things. It allows us to speed up delivery of a second dose for people waiting for one, particularly those who had the AstraZeneca vaccine. That will be done in a matter of two to three weeks at the most. For younger people, that is, those under 40 who have not been vaccinated yet, it will speed that up as well. We are just working...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Ferguson report on antigen testing recommended that an implementation group be established to implement the report. The group Professor Horgan is now chairing is that implementation group. It follows on from the Ferguson report. We have very advanced plans for antigen testing in third level institutions in September and October. That is part of this initiative. I have guidance on...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Hospitality certainly is also a potential option.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I take this opportunity to extend my condolences to Terence Wheelock's family and friends, who, I know, are still grieving and still have a lot of questions they would like answered. As the Deputy said, a GSOC investigation was carried out into his death. I am not sure whether an inquest took place. I certainly will ask the Minister for Justice to reply to the Deputy about his specific...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy knows, in the rent pressure zones, rents can only increase year on year by between zero and 4%. We are going to change that now so that prices are linked to the harmonised index of consumer prices - inflation, essentially - and that will mean rent increases, depending on inflation, of probably no more than 0.7% or just above 1%, which is where inflation is running at the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Doing what the Deputy proposes, which is just having flat rents, would mean some people cannot pay their mortgage and some would have their pension cut.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As the Covid-19 restrictions are gradually eased, there have been changes to the status of driver testing services. A gradual reopening of in-person driver theory test centres commenced on 8 June. Essential driver training for essential workers who have not completed their training recommended on 10 May. Driving tests for essential workers are being prioritised. There will be a gradual...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. As he knows, we have a very ambitious plan in regard to apprenticeships, which involves getting up to 10,000 apprentices a year by 2025. It is being led by the Minister, Deputy Harris. We are now providing incentives and grant aid to employers to take on apprentices and that is showing some positive effects. In the context of the particular case the Deputy raised, if...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Thankfully, on the two occasions on which I was in Miltown Malbay, the sun was splitting the stones. It is a really beautiful place to be, particularly along the beach when the sun is shining. However, I know what Ireland is like in winter, as does the Deputy. We are all increasingly aware and cognisant of the importance of good ventilation in indoor settings. It is actually something...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jul 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of insurance costs for business in the Chamber again. I share his concerns about it, as Minister responsible for employment and enterprise. I assure the House that insurance reform is a priority for the Government. We established a Cabinet committee sub-group on insurance reform, which I chair. It met yesterday and is overseeing the implementation...