Results 10,621-10,640 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: On occasions we must be practical. There may well be developments in Deputy Boyd Barrett's constituency where ten apartments cost €1 million each and the question is whether the local authority should spend €1 million to buy one apartment and assign it to one family or whether it would make more sense to use that €1 million to provide housing for three families. That is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am sorry Deputy Burton was not able to stay to hear the answers to any of the questions raised.

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----away from roads and towards public transport, either some of those projects will have to be cancelled or maintenance will have to be slashed. That would be a big mistake, and I am alarmed to hear some Opposition parties suggest it. The climate change papers produced by NESC fed into the climate action plan and were very helpful. The transport papers are in line with the national...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I was not at the UCC climate change meeting but I understand that everyone else was, from the IFA to the climate strikers so it seems there was a broad attendance.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 10, inclusive, together. Cabinet B last met on 21 February and is scheduled to meet again on 27 June. It covers social policy and public services, including education, children, social inclusion, the Irish language, arts and culture, and continued improvements and reform of public services. Although the committee covers a broad range of areas and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I understand the decision as to whether a money message is required is one for the Ceann Comhairle and his office, rather than for Government. A key consideration by Government as to whether one is granted is whether the proposal has been costed. Do we have an accurate estimate of what it will cost, not just implementation costs, but also the broader cost to the Exchequer? Then, can that...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: If everyone lived in a densely populated village or a densely populated city, it might be possible, but given our settlement patterns it is not. We need to do a few things. When it comes to future planning, many new houses will be built in Ireland over the next ten or 20 years. We need to ensure the bulk of them are built in existing urban centres on brownfield sites to have the smart...

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not ever hear people saying which roads they want cancelled or which roads they want delayed, whether it is the M20, the Dunkettle interchange-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----the Ballyvourney to Macroom road, the Galway bypass, or the N4 because the roads programme comprises those projects and maintenance. Athy as well. If we are looking for a shift in Project Ireland 2040-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: National Economic and Social Council (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together. The National Economic and Social Council, NESC, is an independent statutory agency operating under the aegis of my Department. The council analyses and reports on strategic policy matters relevant to Ireland's economic, social, environmental and sustainable development. The NESC is a valuable forum where economic, social and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That matter was not on this week’s agenda as there are some ongoing discussions with the Defence Forces. I anticipate it will be at Cabinet next week.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid that I do not have an up-to-date update on that but I will make sure one is provided to the Deputy. The Government will publish an update of our no-deal contingency plans in early July but I will try to get the Deputy something before that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Eligibility for medical cards is means-tested in Ireland and always has been. However, more than 100,000 discretionary medical cards are provided to people who do not qualify based on means and who often have a particular illness. There was considerable variation from region to region in the past regarding how discretion was applied but that was standardised in more recent years. We did a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is very concerned about the absence of democracy in Sudan and the gross violations of human rights that have been happening in that country for a long time. It is very active on the issue, for example, through the Tánaiste's attendance at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. I would be happy to provide the Deputy with a written briefing that would set out the actions that...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is a tax policy of my party and one we stand over. Anyone earning over €37,000 a year would benefit from it. The average person working full-time in Ireland now earns €47,000 a year. As such, it is not only middle-income people who will benefit; it will be people who earn less than the average income. Certainly, higher income earners will benefit too but the vast...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That was Sinn Féin's policy. Its policy was to increase spending by even more than we increased it and to finance that through additional borrowing. It was to apply the maximum flexibility within the fiscal rules, which would have meant more borrowing and a rising deficit every year. There is a table on that in the document for the Deputy as well.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. As I have not seen the documents, it is difficult for me to comment on them, but-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That may well be the case, but I still have not seen them, which is why I cannot comment on them.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I argue that there was a considerable pause. We spent many months deliberating on the issue and exploring alternatives before coming to a Government decision to award preferred bidder status to National Broadband Ireland, NBI. Many months were spent in looking at all of the alternatives. I am curious that Eir is suggesting the project can be delivered for €1...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Any decision on changing the tax treatment of REITs is a matter for the budget and all proposals for the budget will be considered between now and decisions being made in October. It is always the case that we regularly review tax incentives and tax expenditures in advance of a budget. Regarding a rent freeze, we would certainly do it if we thought it would work but we do not think it...