Results 1,001-1,020 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not want to see any innocent people being killed in the Middle East, nor do I think the Deputy does. He specifically mentioned Palestinian people. I would extend that to Israeli people, whom he did not mention. Innocent Israeli people should not be killed either, by Hamas or by any Palestinian armed group. Nor should any of our own citizens be killed. Let us not forget one of our...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: At the outset, I join the Deputy in expressing my condolences to the family of Aidan Moffitt, a man I would have met on occasion through his involvement in Fine Gael, and the family of Michael Snee. I particularly thank the Garda for the work it has done in bringing this prosecution successfully through the courts. I also note the bravery of the man who was injured in stepping forward,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The LDA is delivering real homes. I have been on site. I have been in the completed buildings. I have met the people who were moving into those homes. At long last, we are seeing that on the ground with the LDA, our public builder and developer, producing those homes. We will make sure the LDA is adequately capitalised to continue that programme and to make sure we can develop places...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We are small but we are far from ineffectual. We are a country that punches well above its weight in international relations. I did not say what the Deputy said: the misleader strikes again putting words in other people's mouths and stating things that are not true. If the Deputy ever has the opportunity to attend a European Council meeting, whether as a Minister or perhaps even as...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will attend that meeting and I will do the best I can to persuade the European Union and the European Council to adopt a common position. It may not be possible for us to adopt a common position. We do not have a single foreign policy across the European Union. We all have our independent foreign policies, which is something I know that Deputy McDonald supports, but I will certainly do...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: State Bodies (24 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) is the only body under the aegis of the Department. The following dedicated email address is available to Oireachtas members: Oireachtas@nesdo.ie

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Bodies (24 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Membership of the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) is made up of a labour delegation, led by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and an employer delegation led by Ibec, which also includes the Construction Industry Federation and Chambers Ireland. The current membership reflects long standing and established arrangements for engagement between Government, employers and trade unions on...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Haughey raised the issue of the UN Security Council. It is very much our view, and I expressed this view at the UN General Assembly, that the UN Security Council needs to be reformed. It simply does not reflect the world in 2023. The five permanent members are the victors of the Second World War, which was a long time ago now. It is in dire need of reform and legitimacy. We...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----notwithstanding anything Deputy Boyd Barrett may have seen. It was established by the United Nations as a Jewish state in their historic homeland. Israel has the right to exist-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----but it does not have a right to do wrong. Finally, Deputies will recall that there were many calls to expel the Russian ambassador and to close the Russian Embassy in Dublin. Everyone in this House knows that I was 100% on the side, and remain 100% on the side, of the Ukrainian people in resisting occupation and resisting the war that is happening that has been caused by Russia. We...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In percentage terms, the rate has fallen but is still at 69%, when one excludes those are who are not stated. That is pretty high by international standards but not high enough. That is why we are prioritising home ownership. I will have to come back to Deputy Ó Murchú on his question in respect of gaming. I might ask the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael McGrath, to come...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 to 33, inclusive, together. I travelled to New York to attend the UN General Assembly's high-level week. I delivered Ireland's statement at the UN's SDG summit, which highlighted the need to get back on track with reaching the SDGs. Towards that end, leaders adopted the summit political declaration, which Ireland co-facilitated with Qatar. I also...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Dillon's question was on Uisce Éireann and he particularly raised the slow timeline for the Newport sewerage scheme. That is something I will make personal inquiries about. I have met Uisce Éireann about its work programme and it has been clear with me that it is not possible for it to progress all projects at any one time. Even with additional finance there are...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Paul Murphy asked about electricity supply. I am glad to say we are in a much better place in the security of electricity supply than we were this time last year. That is down to the extra generation taking place, in both renewable and gas, and the fact that there is a better partnership between EirGrid and the big energy users, including data centres. Data centres can be called on...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: In response to Deputy Durkan's question, it is always a struggle for health to come in on budget, no matter what increase is given in any year and whether it is big or small. That is especially so in the acute hospitals. It is much less the case in community care or the primary care reimbursement service, PCRS, which generally come in close to budget. There are areas that are simply not...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 to 23, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on the economy and investment was re-established in January 2023 and last met on 25 May. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for 16 November. The committee has a function similar to that of the committee on economic recovery and investment, which met six times in the course of 2022 and is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 13, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on health last met on 25 September and is currently scheduled to next meet on 23 October. The Cabinet committee on health oversees programme for Government commitments relating to health and receives detailed reports on identified policy areas. It considers the progress of health reforms, including...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am very much aware of the issue because part of the Dublin West constituency is in the flight path and I have an ongoing relationship with parts of Fingal that used to be in my constituency which are also very much in the flight path. I am aware of the issue. I have not seen that particular proposal but if he wants to send it on to me, I can check it out.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister for Education, Deputy Norma Foley, to come back to the Deputy with a reply.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: While I understand that some nursing homes are closing, there are new ones opening all the time. An additional €45 million has been allocated for nursing homes in the budget for next year, including €10 million set aside to aid private and voluntary nursing homes that are struggling with Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA compliance. We are very conscious of the...