Results 921-940 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Citizens' Assembly (7 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Programme for Government commits to establishing four Citizens’ Assemblies, on the topics of Biodiversity Loss; the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin; Matters relating to Drugs Use; and the Future of Education. The Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use is scheduled to complete its work by the end of 2023. The Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Artificial Intelligence (7 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of the Taoiseach has not previously and does not currently use artificial intelligence services.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Child Poverty (7 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office in the Department of the Taoiseach published its initial work programme for the next two and a half years From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Poverty and Well-being 2023-2025on 1stAugust. The Programme focuses on six areas that will have the greatest impact on the lives of children who experience poverty. These six areas...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Ministerial Staff (7 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The following table schedules the numbers of statements, many of which refer to 'nil' interests, recorded by my Department as having been submitted to the Taoiseach for the years in question. A statement of interests under the Ethics in Public Office Acts is only required to be furnished in circumstances where there are registrable interests, as set out in the Schedule to the Acts, to be...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising (7 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The bulk of the expenditure, from this Department, from 2020 to 2022 relates to the dissemination of information related to COVID-19 public information campaigns. The table below gives a breakdown of this expenditure. Advertising expenditure was also incurred relating to judicial and Director of Public Prosecutions appointments, Easter Sunday commemorations and public consultations for the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Official Engagements (7 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I have had no formal engagements with my Israeli counterpart or other figures in the Israeli Government since taking up my office in December 2022.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Official Engagements (7 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I have had no formal engagements with figures in the Palestinian Authority since taking up my office in December 2022.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Contracts (7 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: No contracts have been awarded to the company in question by the Department of the Taoiseach nor has any expenditure been incurred.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Middle East (7 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I took part in an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders by video conference on the 17 October, convened by President Michel following Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October. At the meeting, we reaffirmed our statement of October 15th, condemning Hamas for its brutal and indiscriminate attack; acknowledging Israel’s right to defend itself, while reiterating the importance of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Other countries come from a different perspective on this and we need to make sure we understand their perspectives, even if we do not agree with them. We must also guard against rising antisemitism and rising Islamophobia, both of which are happening in Ireland and in Europe and really concern me. We should also not forget that war crimes have been committed in our country. War crimes...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: On the issue of international alliances, it is a very valid suggestion that we would try to build an international alliance that looks for a ceasefire first and a peace initiative later. To have any influence, we cannot take absolutist positions. Once you take an absolutist position your influence is gone, unless you have other forms of power. You cannot be an honest broker in that kind of...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will participate in the October meeting of the European Council in Brussels tomorrow and Friday. The agenda will cover Ukraine, economic issues, migration and external relations, particularly the situation in the Middle East. A Euro summit will also take place. Later, the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, will cover external relations issues other than Ukraine and the Middle East. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies for their questions. The European Union does not have a single foreign policy. Each member state has its own foreign policy. This is very evident when one looks at the different positions held and different actions taken by the 27 member states. Depending on the case involved, we try, from time to time and on a case-by-case basis, to have a common policy. We have done...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. Deputy Tóibín said I was looking a little tired today. If I am, it is probably because I got back from Wexford at 1 a.m. and then had to be in Blanchardstown at 8 a.m., but this comes with the job. The rows in Government are much exaggerated. To answer the Deputy's question, though, which is a serious and valid one, and I do want to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 13, inclusive, together. I attended a European Political Community, EPC, summit in Granada, Spain, on 5 October. It was hosted by the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. The EPC is an informal forum which brings together leaders of around 50 countries from across the Continent of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. Deputy Tóibín's question related to the possibility of a State apology to the Traveller community. He spoke about the attempt for decades to assimilate the Traveller community, which was wrong and should not have happened. I recall that under the Government led by Enda Kenny, and with a lot of leadership from the Minister of State at the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 6, inclusive, together. In January the Government established ten Cabinet committees. These are on Brexit and Northern Ireland, children and education, economy and investment, environment and climate change, EU and international affairs, Government co-ordination, health, housing, humanitarian response to Ukraine, and social affairs and public...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Mother and Baby Homes (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. In the last ten years or so, apologies have been issued in the Dáil by various Taoisigh on behalf of the State. In February 2013, the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, issued an apology on behalf of the Government in Dáil Éireann to women who were resident in the Magdalen laundries for the hurt done to them and for any...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not accept it is a political choice. To the extent that it is, we now have a record budget for special education, a dedicated Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, and a record budget for disability services. The real struggle, we tend to find, is in hiring the appropriately qualified staff as well as a court decision that requires a huge amount of resources to be used on very complicated...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate that there is an ongoing and very severe problem with overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick. I point out for the record of the House that the number of people waiting for a bed in our hospitals today is 60 lower than was the case this time last year. That is a reflection of the additional beds and resources that have been put into the system. I would have to refer the...