Results 10,721-10,740 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is absolutely right. We would be happy, through the Business Committee, to find time to debate it and that would be entirely appropriate. It is a very big plan with many annexes so perhaps people need some time to read it. On a point of fact, there are three hybrid buses.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is not interested in the facts because the facts do not suit him. There are three Dublin Bus hybrid buses.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There are six arriving in next week or two and 600 are on order. This is the climate action plan in action. No more high emission vehicles are being purchased by Dublin Bus or Bus Éireann for our cities. Three hybrid buses have arrived already. There has to be a first one. Six more will arrive in the next few weeks and-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----600 are on order. This is climate action happening.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will appreciate that I do not want to discuss individual cases here in the Chamber. There are discussions ongoing between representatives of the State and representatives of Ms Morrissey with regard to exactly that matter but those discussions should happen not here but with her and her representatives.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I did a year ago. I admitted before that I believed a year ago that it would be possible to settle all of these cases by mediation and negotiation. Many cases have been settled by mediation and negotiation but it has not been possible to settle all cases, precisely because in some cases the facts are disputed and the issue of negligence is disputed, and I was wrong at the time. I did not...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----but we have come up with an alternative recommended by Mr. Justice Meenan, and that is the tribunal. The legislation was approved by Cabinet today and will be published, if not today, in the coming days. That provides an alternative to court. We are not going to take the right away from anyone to go to court but this does provide an alternative.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In addition to that, the Cabinet today approved the sum with respect to the ex gratiascheme and that amount will be disclosed to the 221 group today.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The reason we do not think this Bill is a good idea is because we believe it could force staff working in pubs and restaurants to pay tax on their tips. I heard the Deputy say that she thinks they should pay tax on them anyway and I am glad she has admitted that in this House because that would be the effect of this Bill. It would put tips through payroll and staff would have to pay tax on...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised that Fianna Fáil did not support it a few weeks ago but what is new?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In terms of meaningful actions that will actually protect staff working in bars and restaurants, we will amend the law to prohibit employers from using tips to make up wages and will require employers to state clearly what happens to the service charge.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, plans to legislate in this area. When customers leave a tip in a restaurant or bar they intend that the tip should go to the staff. We want to ensure that happens. The Minister, Deputy Doherty, will introduce legislation to amend the Payment of Wages Act...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and counted as income. Potentially, they could be counted against them when they apply for a medical card, social housing or things such as the family income supplement. I am sure that was not the intention, but that is our interpretation of the Bill. I will explain why that is our interpretation. The Bill changes the nature of tips. At present, in the vast majority of pubs and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----but that would be the effect of the legislation. That is why we do not support it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy knows better than I, there are mechanisms by which we can and do resolve such disputes. Talks took place at the Workplace Relations Commission yesterday and adjourned at 7 p.m. without agreement. The option is there now to go to the Labour Court to have this decided and finalised. That is what I suggest as the next step forward. That is how so many disputes have been...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----in-year increases in health spending. If we decide to do that, or if the Labour Court says we ought to do that, it will be exactly the thing we are criticised for, which is in-year increases in health spending.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is very easy to criticise the fact that during the course of the year the Government may decide to spend a few hundred million euro on health, but when one breaks it down, it is often pay increases for workers who deserve it, extra home help or new health programmes that should be funded. It is easy to criticise those things but sometimes they are necessary.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Many people have served as Minister for Justice since 1983. I am not sure how many but it could be a dozen people. I do not think this is about trying to have a go at a politician or former Minister for Justice. This is about Majella Moynihan and hearing her story. It is about understanding the wrongs that were done in our past, offering an apology to her from the Garda Commissioner,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will be aware that I answered a question on the same matter from Deputy Micheál Martin a little earlier but perhaps I can add a few things. The dispute is related to the non-implementation of the job evaluation scheme for support grades. SIPTU claims that this is a breach of the terms of the public sector pay agreements. Management agreed to the terms of the scheme but...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (18 Jun 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. In response to her questions, I have not spoken to Deputy Michael Noonan about it. I do not know if there are more Majellas out there: there may well be. I would have no difficulty apologising to those women on behalf of the State but I would like to know the facts and be able to answer the questions raised by the Deputy today before doing that. This is a story that...