Results 10,121-10,140 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: What is different is that there were two high-profile visits this year and that was not anticipated. That has given rise to a request for a Supplementary Estimate, which we are not ruling out at this stage. That is a matter for later in the year. As Deputy will be aware, we are often criticised by others, such as the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, IFAC, and often such criticism is...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is something we now need to work out between now and----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: A year has not passed in Irish financial history that the Government did not have Supplementary Estimates. If one did, I would like to know.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: What we are doing this year is we are listening to the advice and criticism of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and trying to minimise the number of Supplementary Estimates so that if there are Supplementary Estimates this year across different Departments, they will be a fraction of what they were last year. That is us listening to and taking the advice of IFAC, which I think we should.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The issue of Israel and Palestine was not discussed in our meeting. However, the Government will oppose and object to any attempts by Israel to annex the Jordan Valley or any other part of the West Bank which we would consider to be both wrong and contrary to international law. On the issue of Brexit and the Good Friday Agreement, picking up on Deputy McDonald's remarks, we have been...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 10, inclusive, together. In June, I chaired a meeting of Cabinet Committee G, justice and equality issues, and in July, I chaired a meeting of Cabinet Committee B, social policy and public services. On 25 July, the Government decided to reorganise the Cabinet committee structures and established the following committees: economy; social policy and public...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 7, inclusive, together. On Tuesday, 3 September, I met the Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, at Farmleigh House. He was on an official visit to Ireland, marking the latest in a series of high-level visits this year by the most senior figures in US politics, including President Trump and the Speaker of the United States House of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will have to defer to the Minister, Deputy Doherty, to provide the Deputy with an answer regarding the CE schemes. On JobPath, all I would say is that by any objective analysis this Government’s employment policies have been a resounding success. There are 2.3 million people at work in Ireland, more people than ever before, unemployment is below 5% and long-term unemployment is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is correct, a no-deal Brexit next month could have a very profound impact on our fishing industry. As she pointed out, about 35% of the Irish catch is taken from UK waters and that would be lost to us in the event of a no deal and perhaps vessels from other countries that currently fish in UK waters may be displaced into our waters, so this is a matter of real concern for...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There was a considerable increase in funding for sport in last year's budget. It was around 12% or 13%. I am not sure we will be able to do as well as that for next year but I am confident there will be a further increase. However, the decision on how that is allocated to individual national governing bodies is made by Sport Ireland and not by Government.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I agree with the Deputy's sentiments. Education is the great leveller and opportunity giver. Therefore, it is right we invest in it. The budget for education this year is €11 billion, the biggest ever budget for education since the foundation of the State. I am confident that the budget for next year will be bigger again. However, whether it gets allocated to the particular...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I too am reluctant to discuss in the Chamber the medical history of any individual or anything of that nature.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have information on the medical history of any individual patient.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I think so.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister, Deputy Madigan, addressed this matter yesterday during Topical Issues. I am advised that the first ever positive test for the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 in the Irish wild hare population was recorded in late July and, as a consequence of that, on 9 August the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht temporarily suspended the licence until the extent of the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the important issue of the Adare bypass. The Government is very keen to get the project done not just because of the Ryder Cup, but also in order that the beautiful town of Adare can be freed from congestion and people can travel to and from County Kerry more quickly than is currently the case. The bypass is included in Project Ireland 2040. I do not know the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: An extra €10 million was provided in the budget for this year to provide additional respite care which is so important for families and carers. It allowed an additional respite house to be opened in each community healthcare region. I do not know the circumstances of the particular closure to which the Deputy referred, but I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, to engage...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The official figures provided by the HSE for Limerick are 38, but as the Deputy knows there is often a dispute between the figures produced by the INMO and those produced by the HSE. Whether the figure is 38 or 82 is beside the point. There should not be that level of overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick. The hospital has had enormous investment under this Government. It has a new...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As I understand it, Apple put €14 billion or so into the escrow account. The account is currently losing money because of negative interest rates. It may well gain money should interest rates become positive again. We do not know what will happen. Nobody can predict the future because we do not know when the court's decision will be made or what will happen to interest rates in the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not think Deputy Barry has the correct information. The payment has not been axed. Anyone who was receiving the payment still receives it. However, new entrants to rehabilitation programme are no longer eligible for it. There was an inequality, in that some people were in receipt of the allowance while others who were doing similar courses elsewhere were not. It is not a cutback....