Results 9,521-9,540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: This year the Government provided an extra €10 million for respite services. That sum provides for the opening of 12 new respite houses around the country, one in each region. Most are open, including the one in Sligo, but I acknowledge that the one in Donegal is not open but it will be opened in January. Initially, it will be a five-day service but it can be expanded to a seven-day...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do agree. We made a Government decision on 5 November this year to do exactly as suggested, that is, to prepare legislation to require political advertising online to be transparent. However, our current estimate is that we will have the general scheme for quarter 2 of 2020. Whether that will be in advance of the election is undetermined. That is as quickly as the Department believes...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Pringle for raising this important issue. From our constituency work, all of us will know how valuable respite services are, not just for those with disabilities but also those who care for them. Just having the opportunity to give the carer a break can be so valuable and can really help people to keep going. Just this year alone, 164,000 respite overnights were provided...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. When it comes to this area, what we are all striving to do is to balance the need and desirability for free speech, free expression and free association on the one hand with making sure that we do not have fake news and misinformation, whether it is online or in print. Misinformation and fake news is wrong whether it is online, in print or on posters. Many fake posters...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I did not say anything about this being a temporary issue. In fact, I specifically acknowledged that many of our emergency departments are very crowded all year round and that has, unfortunately, been the case for a very long time. However, the specific issue relating to the children's hospital is because of an outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus, RSV, and the norovirus in the past...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The solutions are to add beds to the hospital system, which we are doing, and to increase funding for home help. There has been an increase of 40% in home help funding within the past two or three years, with another additional 1 million hours next year and perhaps more in the years beyond that. It must be borne in mind that this is not only about money because one also has to find the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy McDonald will be very aware that there is a health sector strike north of the Border today. Among the things that front-line healthcare workers, health support staff, doctors and nurses are demanding in Northern Ireland is that the parties that have responsibility for running Northern Ireland should re-enter an Executive. Sinn Féin walked out of office in Northern Ireland three...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----instead of allowing healthcare workers to go on strike in Northern Ireland and demanding that Sinn Féin lives up to its responsibilities.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: At the outset, I acknowledge that our emergency departments are very busy at present. They are busy all year round but they have been particularly busy in the past number of weeks. As a Government, we deeply regret the fact that this is having a terrible impact on patients and their families and on staff. There are factors behind it, particularly when it comes to children's hospitals. It...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Everyone in the House understands and acknowledges that we need to increase capacity in our hospital system, particularly the adult hospitals, but also the children's hospitals. The Deputy will recall the decision made by his party when in government with the Green Party - an ideological policy decision to strip hundreds if not thousands of beds out of our adult hospitals.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We did not have much money in the first couple of years and we all know why that was the case. As soon as we had enough money from 2015 onwards in coalition with the Labour Party, we added beds to the hospital system. We have continued that now in the coalition between Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance. When Deputy was in office, his party took an ideological policy decision even...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We will continue to do so. We have a plan in place for another 2,000 beds to be added over the next ten years.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: On paediatrics in particular, in the past six months we have opened the new urgent care centre in Connolly hospital. That has enabled 1,000 children, who had been waiting for a long time to see a consultant, to do so.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That has resulted in a 27% reduction in the waiting list to see a general paediatrician only in the past six months. The new centre in Tallaght is under construction and will be open next year.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We have a children's hospital now under construction which is reaching roof height.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That hospital has been promised for as long as I can remember. It was first proposed in 1993 by the Royal Society of Paediatricians.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Fianna Fáil spent €35 million on a hole in the ground. We are actually delivering a children's hospital.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge that our emergency departments, including children's emergency departments, are under a lot of pressure. The pressure is principally linked to a significant increase in the number of people affected by the respiratory syncytial virus, RSV, and the norovirus in recent days, with increased attendances by children with chest infections, the vomiting bug and so on. As a result,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (26 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 to 130, inclusive, together. I was pleased to welcome the Administration Heads from Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and the British Government to Dublin for the 33rd British Irish Council on 15th November. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the inaugural meeting of the British-Irish Council and it was agreed that the Council...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: British-Irish Council (20 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I was delighted to welcome the Administration Heads from Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey and the British Government to Dublin for the 33rd British Irish Council on the 15th November. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the inaugural meeting of the British-Irish Council and it was agreed that the Council remains a valued strand of the Good Friday Agreement. The Summit...