Results 561-580 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I noted what the Australian Government did, and I know the Australian Government has a scheme in place to provide additional compensation to thalidomide survivors in addition to the compensation that they currently receive. This Government would be very happy to match what the Australian Government has done, both in terms of an apology and also in terms of a compensation scheme....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is definitely not dead in the water. Negotiations are ongoing and we want to get those projects under way, particularly in SETU, but we want to get a fair price for the taxpayer as well. Sometimes negotiations take time. As we are talking about Waterford matters, I am sure the Deputy will acknowledge that this has been a good week for investment in Waterford. There was a significant...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: A referendum on water ownership remains Government policy. We do not yet have a date for it. I want to reiterate that there are no proposals from the Government or, I think, any party in the House to privatise Irish Water. The fact that Irish Water has given the contract to a private company is hardly creeping privatisation. Some 100 years ago, the ESB gave a contract to Siemens to build...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I respectfully disagree. In the past two years, 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing war have come to our country. More than 70,000 of them have been accommodated by the State. There are some 14,000 Ukrainian children in our schools and between 15,000 and 16,000 Ukrainians working in our economy and contributing by paying tax and PRSI. I know it has not been a perfect response but when people look...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy knows, large aspects of BusConnects are in planning. We expect decisions from An Bord Pleanála quite soon - in the next few weeks and months. The power to direct the NTA, to the extent that it exists, lies with the Minister for Transport. He is in Dubai at the moment but I will let him know that the Deputy raised this so that he can take it into account. As people know,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As is often the case when it comes to a new set of rules or a new set of regulations, there can be a bedding in period. Once they are in place for a few months very often they work well and people's concerns are allayed but that is not always the case, and we have to be flexible and mindful of these things and sometimes make changes if they need to be made. With that in mind, the Department...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The toll increases are linked to inflation. It is part of the contracts that we have with the toll operators and, in some cases, the companies that built the roads. We have done a deferral in the past, paid for by the taxpayer, but that is something that can only be done on a temporary basis. If it is Sinn Féin's position that it is going to breach these contracts if Deputy McDonald...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know the timeline but I will check in with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman and come back to the Deputy directly on it.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I may be incorrect but I understand this is a social protection matter, which the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is managing at the moment. I think this is only a discussion document or something at that level. It is not actually a proposal at this stage so of course we will listen to people who have views and submissions on it. Among the things that we have done to encourage more people...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The position of the Irish Government is that we want initially to phase down fossil fuels and then phase them out. It is a realistic one, which understands that we will still need to use fossil fuels for a period ahead, but not forever, and it does understand that in ten, 20 or 30 years, technologies that may not be viable now may be viable in future and carbon capture and storage may be one...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Luddites for a start.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I rest my case. The Luddites were right. I thank the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will be in Galway on Monday morning and will have the great privilege of officially opening the Moycullen bypass. It is a project I was in involved in initiating when I was Minister for transport. At the time, we thought it might be possible for the ring road and Moycullen bypass to be built at the same time, so I understand the frustration people must feel that one part is done and the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I concur with him about the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises. All small businesses together employ more people than the public sector and the entire multinational sector combined. They employ people in every town, village and parish in the country. We appreciate that costs are rising for businesses. That is why the Minister,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The advice we have from consistent Attorneys General, and it remains the advice to the Government, is that the occupied territories Bill cannot be enacted by the Dáil because trade is an EU competence and that is clear in the EU treaties. Even it were enacted, it could not have a practical effect, and that has been the view of three or four Attorneys General from all sorts of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As we are discussing matters Galway, it would be good to put on record the fact today is a good news day for investment in Galway, with a total allocation of €1 million confirmed for the east Galway sports campus, €2.5 million for the Renville sports and community centre and €20 million for the sports ground redevelopment at Connacht Rugby. The Deputy and I have been...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----of that project for quite some time, as are the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, Senator Kyne, Deputy Ó Cuív and everyone in the area, and I am really glad that money is confirmed for Galway city and county. Of course, it is not just about rugby or sports. This will also be an important and much-needed events space and conference centre in what is the fabulous city of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. There is no need to be condescending. It may come naturally to you, but it is unbecoming of somebody who wishes to be Taoiseach.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Once again, the Deputy engaged in misrepresentation and misleading behaviour, because she is the great misleader. I did not say that there was downward pressure on rents. I know rents are rising. I said that increased social housing exerts a downward pressure on rents, and that is just a fact. She knows that is a fact but it does not matter what I say. She will twist, manipulate and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Of course I meet people all the time who has been on the housing lists for far too long. Anybody in this House deals with the huge number of housing cases in their clinics and constituency offices. I also meet people all the time who are now buying their first homes. I see the enormous joy when people get to move into their first home. I also meet loads of people who are getting social...