Results 9,681-9,700 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have any information on that issue but I will see the Minister for Health later and I will advise him that the Deputy raised the matter and ask him to reply to the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I can give the Deputy a commitment that we will look at it. I am not in a position to give him a commitment today about fast-tracking it. We have a roads programme and prioritising one project means de-prioritising another. We have to always bear that in mind. This project does not even have a route yet, or planning permission. It would seem to be premature to make that sort of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. This issue was raised yesterday by Deputy Micheál Martin, following which I sought and received a written update on the matter which was passed on to Deputy Michéal Martin's office yesterday. I will make sure it is passed on to the offices of Deputies Curran and Lisa Chambers today. Unfortunately, this is not a simple matter. The drug...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The matter is being progressed, but it is not as straightforward as may have been thought a few months ago.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. A decision was taken by the Government to approve the project which provides for a bypass around Adare and which will also link the port of Shannon Foynes with the main road network. I do not know if the application has yet been made to An Bord Pleanála. I understand the decision we made was to give approval to Limerick City Council and Transport Infrastructure...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I share the Deputy's concern about the potential loss of jobs. I am advised by Enterprise Ireland that the company announced the news to its staff last Friday and also the possibility of winding down the operation in Arklow in January. The company is considering relocating operations to its headquarters in Germany. The statutory 30-day redundancy consultation period commenced on 8...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am not familiar with this particular dispute but I will ask my people to check into it. I will send the Deputy a reply in writing.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: On a point of information and clarity, the figures we have from the Central Statistics Office, which is under my Department and a well-regarded and reliable statistical agency, indicate that remittances from Ireland to Nigeria are about €17 million a year, which is not an enormous figure. For Poland, it is €342 million; Latvia, €50 million; Hungary, €28 million -...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is studying the judgment and will respond to it in due course. There is always a possibility of an appeal. Consolidated road traffic legislation is long overdue. What has happened in recent years is that priority has been given to reforming road traffic legislation, which Deputy Broughan has rightly supported, with cracking down on...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There is a lot of talk about climate action and a little bit of hot air too. I believe we need action, actual policy decisions, changes being made and led by Government but also by communities and business individuals as well. I will give one or two examples of major policy decisions and actions taken by the Government in the past six to eight weeks when it comes to climate action.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: If the Deputy would give me 30 seconds at least I will come to answer his question. In the past couple of weeks, a decision was taken to take peat off our electricity grid, many years earlier than originally intended. It is not an easy decision for the midlands and is a big test of the just transition. It was a difficult and right decision taken by Government and State agencies. A total...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The additional carriages that we have ordered for the commuter lines to Kildare, Drogheda and Maynooth, which will increase the capacity on those lines by 34% in 2021 to the benefit of my constituency and others, and MetroLink, which is making a lot of advances. As the Deputy mentioned one road project I think it is only fair that I mention some of the many public transport projects that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will be very frank with the Deputy. I am a former transport Minister and I have a great interest in transport and continue to keep up to date with it as much as I can. I met the Secretary General of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, only last week to talk about some of these projects. This must be one that is only being examined because it was not even on the agenda. It...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I agree with the Deputy. On whether the GSOC report can be provided to the family, as he knows, GSOC operates independently of Government and independently of the Garda. However, we will make inquiries as to whether it is possible to share that with the family. At the very least, if there is some reason it cannot be shared, the family should know why. I take this opportunity to express...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy mentioned the issue of CCTV, which is not quite ubiquitous, but is very commonly present in buildings and on our streets. CCTV is a force for good. It deters crime and enables us to prosecute criminals where crime takes place. It is regulated by law. For example, the Garda Síochána Act 2005 regulates both Garda CCTV and community CCTV in public areas. I know Deputies...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is correct that when it comes to matters such as this and crimes of a sexual nature against children, it is not adequate for an organisation to investigate itself. Of course, other investigations may get under way, such as a Garda investigation because these are crimes which can be prosecuted. We need to bear in mind that this abuse occurred in the 1970s and 1980s-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----in organisations that no longer exist, having been replaced by Scouting Ireland. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, commissioned former Senator Jillian van Turnhout to undertake a review of governance and safeguarding in Scouting Ireland in May 2019 and Ms van Turnhout made several recommendations that have been implemented in full by Scouting Ireland. I will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I wish to congratulate the Garda on its swift action to prevent rioting and criminal damage in Cork. I do not think there were 100 masked youths on the street. The matter is under investigation, but I do not think that is quite what happened. Certainly, the Garda acted swiftly to prevent any crimes being committed or criminal damage being caused. It is a very good example of policing...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I have not yet had the opportunity to do so, but I will the next time I meet the Garda Commissioner.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Nov 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We meet regularly in the context of the Cabinet sub-committee on security. As the Deputy will appreciate, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, meets the Commissioner more regularly than do I and has already raised the issue with him on behalf of the Government. The Deputy referred to statistics. I am a believer in science - this is Science Week - and I like...