Results 9,121-9,140 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on security is the most appropriate Cabinet committee to discuss policy related to drug gangs, as it deals with issues related to justice, community safety and policing reform. The Cabinet committee on security last met on 30 October. Separate from that, however, I met Commissioner Harris on 3 December...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: They do not want the answers.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, about it this week. If there is no good reason not to publish it, then I am sure it will be published. I should point out that unemployment today in Ireland is at its lowest level in 13 years, and there are more people at work than ever before, so we must have been getting some of our...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have an update but I will let the Minister for Health know the matter was raised again today in the Chamber and ask him to provide Deputy Curran with an update.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Neville for his question. I know he has a real interest in cystic fibrosis and improving services for CF patients. I do not know the timeframe but I will check it out and make sure the Deputy gets a reply.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. I spoke by telephone to Prime Minister Johnson on Friday, 13 December, the day following the election in the UK. I congratulated the Prime Minister on his election victory and we agreed that there is now a significant opportunity to restore the Good Friday Agreement institutions. We pledged to work with the parties in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister for Health to provide the Deputy with a more comprehensive response, but the winter plan has a number of elements. Opening additional bed capacity where it exists is only one part of it. Other measures are being put in place to reduce overcrowding, including more home care packages, more funding for the fair deal scheme, aids and appliances so that people can be...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The 41 carriages are for the greater Dublin rail network, for Drogheda, Maynooth and-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I did say that the €1 billion allocated to Irish rail under the infrastructure manager multi-annual contract, IMMAC, over five years will cover the entire railway network, including the Wexford line.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for raising the important issue of home help. As they will know, no politician has any role in deciding who gets home help or how many hours they get. Those are decisions for clinicians and managers. However, I can say that this afternoon the HSE will publish its service plan for 2020, which was approved by Cabinet this morning. It has a budget of €17 billion,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As far as I am aware, the State Claims Agency only covers public bodies. It would not be possible for it to take on the liabilities of private organisations, whether they are charitable organisations or private companies.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I certainly will and I have already done so in the past. I should point out that I am not the Head of State.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is a legislator and as a legislator, she is paid to know what the legislation is. The Health Act 2004 states that the Minister cannot make a direction to the HSE to favour any individual or approve any medical card or home care package. It is important that as a legislator, the Deputy is aware of the legislation.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I hope that Hannah's package can be approved in the coming days so that she can return to her home before Christmas and not in the new year.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: On promised legislation, no fire services Bill is promised. On the other matter the Deputy raised, on my initiative and that of the Minister, Deputy Ring, an allocation has been made from the Dormant Accounts Fund for community centres that are not in public ownership to apply for money to carry out essential works such as fire safety works. It is news to me that it is limited to 20% of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: If the Deputy has concerns about planning on Meath County Council, he should take it up with Meath County Council. Plenty of local authorities require that childcare facilities be provided as part of new major residential developments. If the Deputy had told me about it, I would have raised it with the Fianna Fáil mayor of Meath, whom I met only yesterday. On childcare, we are...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I would like to be associated with those remarks and to offer my condolences and those of the Government to the Labour Party, Labour Youth and the wider Labour family on the loss of Cormac Ó Braonáin following a tragic accident. It must be an impossible time for his family and friends, particularly at this time of year. Some of those who attended the vigil that was held the other...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In respect of the former Deputy, Dara Murphy, I am aware the provision exists-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and we have had some discussions with him about it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will come back to the Deputy on that.