Results 661-680 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Child Poverty (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. The report, Breaking the Cycle: New Measures in Budget 2024 to Reduce Child Poverty and Promote Well-being, describes the enhanced steps the Government is taking to help children to realise their potential and escape intergenerational poverty. While the most substantial investment the Government makes in reducing child poverty...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of diabetes. I am not sure if it has been raised with me in the House before. It is such a common illness that it is good to hear it being raised. It is extraordinarily common. Most people will have a family member who has diabetes. There are many different types, and people who have diabetes often have many other illnesses or co-morbidities....

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The terms of reference have not yet been cleared by the Government, but we hope to do so in the coming weeks. There will be consultation with the Opposition parties. I think there was a form of public consultation already, but I would have to double-check that. The inquiry will be independent and time-bound.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly make the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and Minister of State, Deputy O'Brien, aware of that request.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is absolutely right. I would welcome such a debate. I agree it should be fair, balanced and measured. It is also important that it be informed. I am not an expert on immigration law, but I worry when I hear Members of this and the other House mixing up international protection with temporary protection or EEA with EU. We in this Chamber are well paid and we all have a duty to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I would be happy to look into it. If the Deputy passes on the details to my office along with permission from the gentleman for me to make representations on his behalf, I will certainly do so. Our target is that no one who needs to see a specialist would have to wait more than ten or 12 weeks. Unfortunately, approximately 400,000 people are waiting longer than that at the moment....

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: On foot of the flooding in Midleton we increased the maximum grant from €20,000 to €100,000. We do not have any plans to raise it further but I will let the Minister, Deputy Coveney, know that the Deputy raised it. If he has the detail and information, we can take a look at it. I do not want to raise expectations I might not be able to meet but I appreciate that, while...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I agree that all parts of the country need to be adequately policed and not just our city centres. We are now back up to around 14,000 Garda members. Some 700 to 800 recruits will go through the Garda College this year. There will be 800 to 1,000 next year, and we anticipate we will be up to 14,500 gardaí again by the end of 2024. When the Garda College was closed during the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am not aware of that decision having been made and I will look into it. It sounds quite concerning. Maybe there is a reason for it, I do not know, but I would be quite concerned about any cuts of that nature for community funding. The Minister of State, Deputy O’Brien, is responsible for that area and I will get my office to contact him today and ask him to speak to the Deputy...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is important that all parts of the State and all counties are adequately policed. I agree on that. We are back up to about 14,000 Garda members at the moment. We expect 700 to 800 recruits through the Garda College this year, rising to 800 to 1,000 next year. That will allow total Garda numbers to increase to 14,500 by the end of next year. We are raising the minimum age at which you...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. Just over 13,000 people are in receipt of emergency accommodation from the State at the moment. It is not the same 13,000 people all the time, as the Deputy knows. There are people coming into homelessness and others going out of homelessness. Our objective is to ensure homelessness is rare, that it is not repeated and that when it occurs, it is short lived. At the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. What happened in Dublin last Thursday was shocking. Children were stabbed in broad daylight on their way from school to crèche and a riot then ensued on our streets that evening. I believe those are exceptional events and it is my job to ensure they are exceptional and that we do not see them happening again. That is why there is, and will be, a robust response...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We do not intend to do that. The number of people in emergency accommodation continued to rise when the ban was in place. All it does, unfortunately, is make the problem worse later. There is no one solution, but the main solution, we believe, is to continue to accelerate the construction of social housing and public housing. I believe this year will be a record year for the amount of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies. There will be statements today on law and order and the events of last Thursday. Tomorrow, the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, will take Taoiseach's questions and Questions on Promised Legislation in my stead for the best part of an hour, during which time she may be asked questions on any matter Members wish to ask about. I will be attending COP28 in Dubai so...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Yes, of course people who are migrants might commit crimes, just as people who are not commit crimes. In a country of 5.3 million people, if there are hundreds of thousands of migrants, there are going to be a few of them who commit terrible crimes, just as there are people born and bred in Ireland who commit terrible crimes every day, including murder. When I look at what happened on...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Of the alleged assailant, the victims and those who stopped the attack, most are from migrant backgrounds.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Thanks very much, Deputy. When it comes to concerns about migration - I talk to a lot of people about this all the time – I do not think the vast majority of people gave huge concerns about people coming to Ireland from the UK or the European Union, or about people coming here with work visas or student visas from outside the European Union. There is a real concern around irregular...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----recognition fund to recognise communities that have accepted a lot of people. I know we need to do a lot more to make sure the schools and GP services in particular are properly equipped. There are a lot of challenges to doing that, but we know we have to act in those areas.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Harkin. I am aware of the situation in Dromahair. I have only been briefed about it but only today and I do not want to comment on it in detail in case I do not have all the facts. I am told that a community engagement team has been set up, and it has been engaging with Deputies Feighan, Harkin and Kenny in an effort to set out exactly what is and is not happening in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate Deputy Lowry's bona fides in this matter. It is important to say that people who come to Ireland to seek international protection are not necessarily here illegally. Under our laws, people can seek international protection in Ireland and their status only becomes illegal when their application has been refused and a deportation issued. It is important that people do not...