Results 9,061-9,080 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Taoiseach a Ainmniú - Nomination of Taoiseach (20 Feb 2020)

Leo Varadkar: First, I offer my congratulations to every Deputy who has been elected to the House for the first time. This is a really special day for them and their families, and one they will never forget. In June 2007, I was one of 49 first-time Deputies taking their seats. On that day, there were more first-time Deputies than today - change always happens in politics. That, too, was a change...

Ainmniú Iarrthóirí agus Ceann Comhairle a Thoghadh - Selection of Candidate and Election of Ceann Comhairle (20 Feb 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I did not realise the Taoiseach was present at the wedding feast at Cana but you never know. Ar dtús, déanaim comhghairdeas leis an gCeann Comhairle. Is lá speisialta é dó féin agus dá chlann. Guím gach rath air. Is dea-chomhartha é den ardmheas agus gean láidir atá ag daoine ó gach taobh den Teach air gur toghadh é...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): EU Issues (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: To the best of my knowledge, we have not lobbied for a change in EU trade policy with regard to Israel. It is certainly something we can consider. It is unlikely that we will be able to find consensus at European level to take action of that nature, given that some member states exhibit strong support towards Israel. We have taken a very strong position on Jerusalem. I was very active at...

Post-European Council: Statements (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I attended the meeting of the European Council and the eurozone summit in Brussels on Thursday, 12 December, and Friday, 13 December. At the European Council meeting on Thursday, we discussed climate change, the EU's long-term budget and external relations, particularly the EU-Africa partnership and Turkey's recent actions in the eastern Mediterranean. We agreed to continue economic...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Ministerial Travel (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I reiterate that the Government jet is used in accordance with a protocol set out in the Cabinet handbook, which has been extant for a long time. It is used within those rules and I assure Deputies that civil servants would not allow it to be used outside of them. I visited Zagreb on 20 and 21 November. The programme for my visit included an official meeting with the Prime Minister,...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Ministerial Travel (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and for the same number as the Deputy since the middle of July.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Ministerial Travel (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Those are the facts.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Ministerial Travel (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Rather than all the name-calling, the Deputy should not be so sensitive.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Ministerial Travel (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: If the Deputy is willing to be critical of former members of my parliamentary party, he should at least be willing to account for existing members of his parliamentary party who are under investigation. It is reasonable to ask him whether they will be ratified as candidates for Fianna Fáil in the forthcoming election, and whether he will rule out considering appointing them as Ministers...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): EU Issues (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 13, inclusive, together. I engage with individual EU leaders, including President Macron, both bilaterally and in the context of my attendance at European Council meetings. I visited Paris on 2 April 2019, when I had an exchange of views with President Macron on a range of global, EU and national issues of shared interest. As part of our...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies. On the question regarding plastics, it is right and proper that officials and civil servants should engage with all stakeholders on any issue, whether it is industry bodies, unions, NGOs, or through public consultations, provided it is done in a transparent way and in accordance with the Regulation of Lobbying Act and the Freedom of Information Act. The lobbying Act...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We have not published our legal advice on this from the Attorney General for exactly the reasons that Deputy has said and we will not be doing so-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----precisely for the reasons that the Deputy counsels that we should not. I notice that Deputy Martin goes back to 1990 a lot and the former Minister Mary Harney's ban on smoky coal in Dublin, as though it was yesterday. It may seem like yesterday to Deputy Martin, but it is actually not. It is a long time ago. A lot has changed in the 30 years since 1990.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: What we now know is the scientific evidence that tells us that burning turf and wood is as bad for air quality as burning smoky coal.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That undermines any public health defence that may be made in the courts because the coal industry can say that if it is being argued that coal is being banned on public health grounds, it has scientific information that shows that burning turf and wood is just as bad for public health, and therefore the public health argument falls. That is the problem we are facing. We do not want to ban...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Ministerial Travel (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 10 together. Requests for use of the ministerial air transport service are made by Ministers' private secretaries to my office and are dealt with in the first instance by the staff of my private office. Requests are examined by my staff with regard to the need for and purpose of travel, destination, availability and suitability of other travel...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committees (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, together. Following the reorganisation of the Cabinet committee structures in July this year, the Cabinet committee on the environment was established. It covers issues relating to the environment, including climate action and the implementation of the Government's climate action plan. The Climate Action Plan 2019: To Tackle Climate...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions and contributions. I assure the House that the Government is deeply committed to fully supporting and developing Ireland's beef sector and to protecting the incomes of beef farmers. As we all understand, the Government does not have a role to play in determining the price that beef farmers get from factories. However, I would like to see an increase...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will find that many of those billionaires are not resident in the State. If one was to bring in a 100% tax for them, they definitely would not be resident in the State. The yield from any tax that is 100% is zero. Rather than bringing in revenue, we would probably end up with less. Anybody will understand that if something is taxed at 100%, one will not get any revenue out of...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. Issues relevant to the agriculture sector can arise, as required, at several Cabinet committees, including the Cabinet committee on the economy, which covers rural affairs; the Cabinet committee on Brexit, foreign and European affairs, which covers matters related to Brexit and trade; and the Cabinet committee on the...