Results 9,181-9,200 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will attend a meeting of the European Council this Thursday and Friday, 12 and 13 December. It will be the first meeting chaired by Charles Michel, who took over as President of the Council on 1 December. It will also be the first meeting attended by Ursula von der Leyen in her role as President of the Commission, and by Christine Lagarde since she took up office as President of the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Civil Service Renewal Plan (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As we all know, there is still a large gender gap at higher management levels in the Civil Service. The Civil Service renewal plan, whose implementation rests with the Minister for Finance for Public Expenditure and Reform, is working to change this. Our executive leadership programme is making a major difference. Thanks to encouragement and mentoring, more women are taking part in that...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): National Economic and Social Council (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their comprehensive questions. On climate action, I welcome that Ireland has gone up seven places in the climate action index produced by environmental NGOs. We came from a very low base and, as such, the improvement is not something to celebrate or crow about. However, it indicates measurable progress by Ireland on climate action in the view of NGOs. It is...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): National Economic and Social Council (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge our electric vehicle targets are ambitious. My understanding is that the starting point for all targets in the climate action plan was the extent to which we needed to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. The targets must combine to reduce our emissions by approximately 30%.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): National Economic and Social Council (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will provide it if it exists. I am not sure it does. I will check that out. It is correct that there is a significant surplus in the national training fund. We are liberating some of the surplus. Some €300 million of it was assigned to human capital initiative announced and launched a few weeks ago by me and certain Ministers at an event in Trinity College Dublin. Most of it...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): National Economic and Social Council (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is a high-density housing development on a city centre site involving housing for all and incorporating a mix of social and private housing as well as homes to rent. The Enniskerry Road site, which is our first cost-rental development, is under construction in Dún Laoghaire. I replied to several questions on the Connolly report earlier today. I will give consideration to whether...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Civil Service Renewal Plan (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform has overall policy responsibility for the Civil Service renewal programme. The Civil Service Management Board, CSMB, provides collective leadership of the programme. The CSMB is chaired by the Secretary General to the Government and its membership comprises all Secretaries General and heads of major offices in the Civil Service....

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----which called for the reprofiling of funds away from roads to public transport, even though Project Ireland 2040 already favours public transport over roads at a 2:1 ratio. It is on the record of the Dáil that Fianna Fáil did vote for that motion. Deputy Eamon Ryan has raised it on Leader's Questions and is concerned that Fianna Fáil backtracked so quickly on a motion...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I think it is part of an increasingly anti-rural agenda by the Fianna Fáil party, opposing the national broadband plan, advocating that we cut back the roads budget-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and going down a road that will end in the banning of the burning of turf and wood in rural areas-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----which Fianna Fáil seems to want to support, even though it does not seem to realise it. I do, of course, understand why it is doing this. The party wants the Greens to put it in office after the next general election. I totally understand the strategy behind that but Fianna Fáil cannot have two faces. It cannot cosy up to the Greens in Dublin and pretend to be the party...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Updating the profile for Project Ireland 2040 is done twice a year at the time of the budget and the summer economic statement. There is an online tracker, which I accept is not up to date, but we will-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I just said that.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We will update it. Deputy Howlin asked about the new national maternity hospital. It is our policy that the hospital will be publicly owned and that the land it is on will be in public control. It is important to acknowledge that the National Maternity Hospital, not too far from here, is a good hospital and already has a Catholic ethos. The chairman of the board is the Archbishop of...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and Kildare lines. It is now 2019, so 2021 is just under two years away. They are on order. If they could come any faster, they would but no Government can make carriages come from Japan any faster, unfortunately, so it would not be any different if the Deputy was in government. I will have to double check but I think the new locomotives are on order as well and they will by...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is a big project. It is being done in phases.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: No, it is not but I cannot answer when I am constantly interrupted. I will send the Deputy a briefing because she is misinformed.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): National Economic and Social Council (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 9, inclusive, together. The National Economic and Social Council, NESC, is an independent statutory agency operating under the aegis of my Department. The council analyses and reports on strategic policy matters relevant to Ireland's economic, social, environmental and sustainable development. The NESC is a valuable forum where economic, social and...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies for their questions. The Cuisle holiday home is operated by the IWA but is not owned by that body, as Deputy Martin Kenny mentioned. I acknowledge that there are real concerns from people with disabilities who have used the home in the past for their holidays and want to be able to do so again. Local people, too, are concerned because the facility provides employment and...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (11 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on infrastructure last met on 4 November and is next scheduled to meet on 16 December. In 2019, Cabinet committee D met twice, and post the restructuring of Cabinet committees in July, the Cabinet committee on infrastructure has since met twice. The Cabinet committee works to ensure a co-ordinated...