Results 9,421-9,440 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We will certainly give consideration to a national action plan against racism. We have established a new anti-racism committee and that has a mandate to review current evidence and practice and to make recommendations to Government on how to best strengthen our approach in tackling racism. As the Deputy knows, we already have a national migrant integration strategy. Strategies are not...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy knows full well that no Minister or politician is involved in awarding contracts. That is not the way it works.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Perhaps it did 20, 30 or 40 years ago but it has not worked like that in a very long time. No Minister is involved in making a decision on who does or who does not get a contract.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy should know better than to make false allegations such as that in the House.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Absolutely they are false and the Deputy should withdraw them.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: No, they are not. They are false allegations.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----at the lowest level in many years.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: No, those are just the facts. I do not do figments.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. As he will see from the Exchequer returns being released today, the Government's reputation for competence around the management of the public finances is enhanced. As he will see, this year-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Is enhanced. As he will see, this year we will record a budget surplus even greater than was projected on budget day. He will be aware that, only the other day, Standard & Poor's raised our credit rating. Therefore, the facts say otherwise - a surplus being recorded that is bigger than we anticipated on budget day and Standard & Poor's improving our credit rating in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: No. I do not accept that. The House will have its opportunity to make that decision, on behalf of the Irish people, this evening. Once again, I congratulate Deputy McDonald on her party's by-election success. Sinn Féin had a fabulous "get out the vote" operation. We will not be caught off-guard on that on the next occasion.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is not begrudgery at all.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: A "get out the vote" operation is a great thing to do and all parties do it. Sinn Féin just did it much better. It is a genuine compliment actually.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I think, however, that Sinn Féin should not over analyse the success, or congratulate itself too much. Across the four by-elections, my party won many more votes than Sinn Féin, and Fianna Fáil more still. The result was certainly no endorsement of Sinn Féin's policies.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I spoke with Deputy Dara Murphy over the weekend. Deputy Murphy is willing to co-operate with any investigation by any statutory body into his attendance in Dáil Éireann, be it the ethics committee, the Committee on Members' Interests or the Standards in Public Office Commission. It is right and proper that the Deputy should do that and he is willing to answer any questions they...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It should be one handed over to the Standards in Public Office Commission and the next Dáil should have a different regime when it comes to expenses and to verifying attendance. This should be done independently and separately of this House. The time when we make rules for ourselves should end.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The housing crisis is very real and it affects many of our citizens and our constituents, including people we know, in many different ways be it through high or unaffordable rents in some cases, be it the struggle to secure a mortgage and to raise a deposit to buy ones own hone, or the sharpest end of the housing crisis, which is rough sleeping and family homelessness. Rebuilding Ireland is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Once again, I am not at all familiar with Ms Kiely's case. We will have to look into it. Not being familiar with the case, I cannot tell the Deputy how many cases are similar to it. I would not be able to answer that question. It might be worth sharing the six conclusions of the report with Deputies. The first is that cervical screening saves lives, including many of those women who...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for that. I am not familiar with that individual case nor is the Minister for Health, but we will certainly check it out. The Minister has undertaken to speak to the Deputy personally afterwards and take any documentation from him. We will see if we can look into it and see if anything that needs to be rectified can be rectified. Today will be another difficult day...

Freagra ar Eascairí - Return of Writs: Cork North-Central, Dublin Fingal, Dublin Mid-West and Wexford - Introduction of New Members (3 Dec 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Ar mo shon féin, ar son an Rialtais, ar son Fhine Gael agus ar son na Neamhspleáigh, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh na Teachtaí nua-thofa. To be elected to serve in Dáil Éireann is one of the greatest honours that our citizens can bestow on any of us, and has been since the first men and women were elected here 100 years ago. Today will be a memorable day...