Results 6,161-6,180 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am not familiar with the details but I will inform the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, that the matter was raised on the floor of the Dáil and ask her to communicate with the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is committed to a two-state solution in the Middle East - a peaceful, democratic Israel living alongside a peaceful, democratic Palestine. We are committed to recognising Palestinian statehood at the right time, when that state is established, following agreement to establish it. That is the position of the Government currently.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am told that the racecourse is more accessible to more people than the Radisson hotel is, but I guess it depends on where one is living and what one's mode of transport is. Like Deputy O'Donnell earlier, the Deputy has raised the need for a shuttle bus in order that people can get to the racecourse, and in the interim get to the Radisson hotel until the move happens. I am happy to raise...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The small company administrative rescue process, SCARP, received Government approval at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. It is intended to get the legislation into the Dáil and Seanad as soon as possible and to have the matter legislated for before the summer recess, thus allowing that option to be in place for small businesses that can survive if they are allowed to restructure. It is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I was not aware of that. If it is the case that the investor is pulling out, that is very bad and disappointing news. I suppose we should wait to see what the announcement says. If it is as the Deputy says, that is very disappointing news for the region. He can be assured that the Government is still behind this project. This is really important to the future of Waterford city and the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I met the representative groups of taxi drivers and I have met them individually. I appreciate the devastating impact the pandemic has had on them. As Deputy O'Rourke is aware, they are entitled to the pandemic unemployment payment and can still earn income while drawing that down. There is an enterprise grant when they come off the pandemic unemployment payment and I believe fees are...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot give the Deputy a commitment right here right now but I will certainly speak to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, about it. I am familiar with the issue with pyrite and mica. Pyrite occurred in my constituency and people were included in the assistance scheme. I have been in houses with mica in them in Donegal and I worked very hard...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I remember when the vaccine programme started in January, the Deputy raised this issue and was of the view that the racecourse would be a better site for a vaccine centre than the Radisson Blu Hotel, because the latter is hard to access. I am advised that the vaccine centre will move out of the Radisson Blu Hotel, which will go back to being a hotel, and will be relocated to the Limerick...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: This matter was discussed earlier on. To recap, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, has made a clear and strong statement on this matter on behalf of the Government. We will use our influence on the UN Security Council, which will meet on this quite soon. The Israeli ambassador has been called in for some very difficult discussions with the Minister. We intend to co-ordinate...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: There is a dispute under way between dentists and the HSE and the Department of Health in relation to the DTSS. That is causing a break of services in some parts of the country, including, I understand, County Laois. We are keen to have that issue resolved as soon as possible and have the DTSS restored. I will inform the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, that the Deputy has raised...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The original plan was, as the Deputy described, that Danu would move into part of Riversdale Community College temporarily and a new building would be built either for the school or for Danu. I still think that is the right response and I know the Deputy and all the Deputies in the area do too. I still think that is the solution we will work towards and I am working with the Minister of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister for Finance to give the Deputy a more detailed reply on this, but my understanding from the Minister is that Home Building Finance Ireland, HBFI, was established to do exactly that. It provides finance, which of course has to repaid, to large, medium and small builders to help them fund the construction of new homes for people to buy. My understanding is that there...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: We have passed some extraordinary laws in this House and signed into law some extraordinary regulations I never thought we would because of the pandemic. We have curtailed people's freedom in a way I never thought we would in the past year or so and we have given the Garda powers to do things I never thought we would give it the power to do. However, this is an unprecedented situation....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I agree we need to resolve this issue quickly. Many people in Ireland feel that they can neither plant nor fell a tree. That situation cannot persist for too long. We need the timber for construction and we need to plant more trees in order to help us meet our climate ambitions. The Government accepts that an appropriate assessment procedure is needed for forestry-related licences and we...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate this is an ongoing issue causing much distress to people, both mothers and their partners. The national guidance is that partners should be able to attend the birth of their child and the 20-week scan, and should have full access to the neonatal ICU if there are any problems after birth and their child has to be there. It is still possible for hospitals at local level, for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is engaged in a huge programme of capital investment in public infrastructure under the banner of Project Ireland 2040. It is €10 billion a year, money which we may struggle to spend this year because of the delays in construction but still a massive budget of €10 billion a year. It is the biggest ever investment programme in public infrastructure, creating jobs...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I broadly agree with the remarks of the Deputy. We do, of course, have systems to monitor capital spending, not just the Committee of Public Accounts but also the Comptroller and Auditor General, although that is largely retrospective, and also the Project Ireland 2040 delivery board. There are mechanisms in place. Could there be greater transparency or can they be improved? I think they...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy makes a very good point and suggestion. We released a plan to have an outdoor summer and that may have issues that need to be dealt with. Local authorities are providing more bins and public toilets. I welcome that. We need more of that from local authorities. As regards gardaí, the budget for the Garda and the number of gardaí have never been higher. We are at...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I can confirm that the Government target has not changed. That target is that 82% of adults should either have had one dose, be fully vaccinated or have been offered a vaccine by the end of June. I was speaking yesterday about the possibility of opening the portal to all adults before the end of June so everyone will be able to book their appointment. They might not have the vaccine by the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 May 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for his questions. The Government is committed to a two-state solution in the Middle East of a democratic Israel living side-by-side with a democratic Palestine, peacefully co-operating together. Like the Deputy, I have been to the region, have met people who are Israeli and Palestinian and I admire their culture very much. It is impressive to see the state that has been...