Results 10,641-10,660 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: I am always willing to consider legislative proposals or proposals to amend our Constitution but we always need to be careful that we understand what the consequences will be and how they will work. For example, if somebody as a consequence of that found their land was significantly devalued, would the taxpayer have to pay compensation? All of those types of things would have to be...

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

Leo Varadkar: A new Galway City Council was elected only in the last month. New councillors have been elected to it. Perhaps this is their opportunity to develop a master plan for the city, one that would be climate-proofed, that would provide for good amenities, public transport and extra housing of all forms. We need it to be of all forms: social, affordable, cost rental and homes for people to buy....

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for her question. I did not say that the declaration of a climate emergency by this House was merely symbolic. The Deputy used the word "merely", so I guess that was merely disingenuous. I said it was symbolic but that symbols and gestures do matter but they have to be followed up with action. The climate action plan published last week outlines those actions clearly. ...

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The offer being made is appropriate. It is to begin phasing in the increases from November this year, notwithstanding the enormous budgetary constraints.

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

Leo Varadkar: It is on top of a 2.75% increase already guaranteed under the public service stability agreement, increases to new entrants and the payment of annual increments. The next step should be referral to the Labour Court.

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

Leo Varadkar: If a dispute is intractable, we use the mechanisms the State has at hand.

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

Leo Varadkar: In the first instance, it is the WRC and if that does not work, it goes to the Labour Court. The management side has offered a Labour Court hearing on the dispute.

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

Leo Varadkar: The HSE received a budget from the Government, voted by the Oireachtas, of nearly €17 billion this year, an increase of approximately €1 billion on last year. It is not reasonable for an agency that is receiving such a big budget increase to come back looking for additional increases in spending during the year. It is often the case that additional money must be found towards...

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

Leo Varadkar: I ask the Opposition to also take account of that advice. It is disappointing that the WRC talks, which were aimed at averting the strike by up to 10,000 SIPTU members, concluded yesterday without an agreement. As we are aware, in early June, SIPTU announced that 10,000 members working as support staff in 38 hospitals and healthcare facilities would engage in industrial action for...

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

Leo Varadkar: The workplace evaluation assessment is not complete: three of the five phases are complete, perhaps the third is complete and the fourth is ongoing. The initial position was that payment would arise when the workplace evaluation scheme was complete. However, in an effort to come to a compromise in the past couple of days, the employer or Government side offered to begin implementation from...

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

Leo Varadkar: I take the opportunity to offer my condolences to the Fianna Fáil Party on the death of Councillor Manus Kelly in the past couple of days. He was a phenomenal motor sportsman and must have been enormously proud to have been elected to Donegal County Council for Letterkenny. I offer our condolences to the Fianna Fáil Party on what must have been very shocking news in the past few...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Freedom of Information Data (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The details requested by the Deputy regarding the freedom of information requests received in my Department in 2018 are as follows: Requests received - 490 Granted - 111 Part-granted - 243 Refused - 46 No records exist - 70 Transferred - 3 Withdrawn - 13 Handled outside FOI - 4

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Cabinet Committee C, which covers EU and international issues, including Brexit, last met on 21 June 2018. Given the significance of Brexit for the country, it is important that all Cabinet Ministers are fully across what is happening. Therefore, over the past 12 months, it has been discussed on at least 25 occasions at full Cabinet level. Recently Memos were brought to Cabinet for...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Communications (19 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We could have taken the Luas, which I, as the then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, was privileged to be part of connecting, and of opening a year or two ago. The last time I went to Technological University Dublin, Grangegorman, I was happy to travel on the Luas that I was involved in connecting to the technological university that I had been involved in creating so it was-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Communications (19 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----very appropriate. Again, I wish to inform the House that at some point there had to be a first hybrid bus. There are three. Six will arrive in the next couple of weeks and they will be on the Lucan route. There are 600 on order so this is climate action happening. On my telephone call with Prime Minster Morrison, it was a very short call of fewer than ten minutes. This question...

Pre-European Council: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I will attend a series of meetings of the European Council in Brussels this Thursday and Friday, 20 and 21 June. On Thursday afternoon and evening, we will meet in regular format, with all 28 EU Heads of State and Government. The broad-ranging agenda includes significant items such as the EU strategic agenda for 2019-2024, climate action, the European Semester, disinformation, the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Communications (19 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I spoke with the Prime Minister of Austria, Mr. Scott Morrison, on 10 June by telephone to congratulate him on his recent re-election as Prime Minister. We discussed bilateral relations and the deepening ties between our two countries, particularly our people-to-people connections and our trading relationship. We also discussed global economic trends. I updated the Prime Minister on the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Communications (19 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In fairness, we really only needed one bus. There only were six or seven Ministers present. We hardly needed six or seven buses for six or seven Ministers.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Communications (19 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There was plenty of space.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Strategy Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure I will be able to deal with all the Deputies' questions in the five minutes provided but I will do my best. On the balance of meetings as between Cabinet committees, sub-committees and also ministerial meetings, the Cabinet meets regularly, probably more regularly than would have been the case in the past. For example, this week we had two Cabinet meetings, each lasting for...