Results 10,421-10,440 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Brexit Cabinet sub-committee has not met in 2019. The Tánaiste and I found it unworkable. Cabinet sub-committees involve Ministers, advisers and officials. When so many Ministers are involved in preparing for Brexit, having 60 or 70 people there made it unworkable. As I have told the House before, we decided to have Cabinet committee meetings to deal with Brexit. We have had 25...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is not my assessment. The best way to get things done is through having meetings of Ministers, advisers and officials and the Cabinet.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am restructuring the Cabinet sub-committees to make them more workable by having quarterly meetings. I propose to put Brexit, EU affairs and global Ireland together in a new committee. I do not have the terms and conditions of the beef package before me, but I understand the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has made farmers aware of it. If he has not, I am sure he will do...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Government and Oireachtas have their functions but, when it comes to prescribing a licensed medication, the decision on whether it should be prescribed or not is for doctors, whether within the community or the Defence Forces. Whether a doctor prescribes a licensed medication is not a decision for the Government or the House.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As An Post is a State-run enterprise, decisions on such matters are for the company's board and not for Government or the House.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. The remit of Cabinet committee C covers EU and international issues, including Brexit. Cabinet committee C last met on Thursday, 21 June 2018. Given the significance of Brexit for the country, it is important that all Cabinet Ministers are fully across what is happening. Consequently, over the past 12 months, Brexit has been...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The requirement for a prior complaint will be removed. We will have to examine the other matter. I am not an expert in the area, but I believe it relates to a Supreme Court judgment from 2008 which differs from a European Court of Human Rights judgment in 2014 or 2015. That is why I have asked officials from the Department of Education and Skills and the Office of the Attorney General to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised that work is under way on the Bill, but we do not have a date for its publication. It is a priority and we hope to advance it in the session that will start in September.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for raising the matter. I appreciate that many people work in the motor sales industry. For many, it is their business and livelihood. However, there is no scaremongering on climate change which is very real. There is plenty to be afraid of.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It has not been the Government's policy to discourage people from purchasing a new car. Newer cars produce fewer emissions than old cars and less SOx and NOx which damage air quality. We particularly encourage people, if they are buying a car, to buy an electric or hybrid vehicle.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: They could do it at home. I am pleased that 15% or 16% of new cars sold this year are electric or hybrid, which is great.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There are nine vessels in the fleet, which is more than we had before. We have five new vessels and four were decommissioned. It was never the case that all nine would be operational or at sea at the same time, but I can confirm that six are fully operational, two are in planned maintenance and one is in long-term refit. We will go from six vessels to seven later in the year, but that can...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As I am not aware of it, I will have it checked out. I will get back to the Deputy as soon as I find out what is the story.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will double-check with the Minister, Deputy McHugh, but my understanding is that European Union citizens resident in Northern Ireland will continue to be eligible for student grants and free fees as though they are EU students resident in Ireland. The status quoshould continue for Irish EU citizens who live and are resident in Northern Ireland. There is a citizenship and residency...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Every child in Ireland is entitled to a school place, although it may not be in the school of first choice.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In some cases home tuition is provided as an alternative. The Minister has powers under section 8 of the education Act which deals with admissions to require schools to open new special classrooms.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am informed that he has just used them at a school in my constituency and that he may need to do so in some other places also. It would be preferable for schools to co-operate in providing special classes, but he now has the powers to compel them to do so. We must bear in mind that the issue is not straightforward and that a school must have space. There are other issues also.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Everyone's financial circumstances are different. As the Deputy will know from all the studies and reports done in respect of the national minimum wage, very often it is not the main income of the household but a secondary or part-time income in many cases. It depends on the individual circumstances whether there are rent or housing costs, or not. As it stands, the national minimum wage...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have information on that project. The Deputy may wish to raise it as a Topical Issue matter, or I can ask the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, to correspond with him.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I have not yet had a chance to speak to the Minister about that matter but I will do so. I am sure there is no reason we cannot have a debate on it, although the scheduling of debates and decisions on those matters are for the Business Committee, not for me.