Results 1,121-1,140 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We have a real difficulty finding staff for our CAMHS service in large parts of the country. It varies from one CHO to another. It seems that where there are good promotional and career progression opportunities, it is easier to find staff. That is the case in one CHO. I would not be doing the Deputy's question justice if I were to merely rattle off an answer now. and, therefore, I will...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the important issue of foster carers. The truth is we need more of them given the number of children whose parents are not able to look after them anymore, which has increased quite a lot in recent years. I had a chance to meet some foster carers over the summer break and hear from them their lived experience. I agree that we need a better deal for them. The...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I understand that a lot of people, whether it is the remaining 22 residents or their family members, are very concerned about the situation. I certainly would be if it was my mother or grandmother. This nursing home has to be closed. HIQA does not cancel a registration lightly. I absolutely guarantee that. The fact that they have given such short notice should...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I have written to the Commissioner. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Charlie McConalogue, and I have invited him to come to Ireland to discuss this matter with us and to visit an Irish farm to see how well managed our beef and dairy sector is. He has agreed to come but I do not have a date as yet for this to happen. I look forward to that engagement. Of course,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I agree with the Deputy's sentiments but I do not believe that these two things are in conflict or should be in conflict. We learned today that Türkiye has withdrawn its bid. This means we anticipate that next week - in fact on budget day - UEFA will formally announce that the UK and Ireland will host the 2028 tournament. This is going to be great for football. It is going to be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: This is a Government that is tough on crime. It is a Government that is building stronger and safer communities. How are we doing it? We are doing it in four ways. We are increasing Garda resources. The Garda budget is €2 billion for this year, which is the highest ever, and it will be higher again for next year. Contrary to what the Deputy said, we recruited between 700 and 800...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I agree with the Deputy about garda safety. It is really important that everyone, not just our gardái, feels safe at work. That extends to members of all our uniformed services, teachers, nurses and people working in our health service, who often face the risk of violence. It is particularly the case when it comes to our gardaí. That is why the Minister, Deputy McEntee, has led...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The fact the Minister has made this a priority shows how serious she is about the serious crime of domestic and gender-based violence.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Collins for raising the very concerning issue of the Aperee Living nursing home in Belgooly, County Cork. I am aware of the matter. HIQA has engaged in a series of inspections of Aperee Living nursing homes, six of which are detailed in the publication of Thursday, 7 September. Across these facilities, the chief inspector is concerned about the registered provider's ability...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is absolutely correct about one thing, which is that employers are struggling to recruit and retain staff. It is the case in the public sector and in the private sector, in big companies and small companies and in well-paid jobs and poorly-paid jobs. The main reason for this is full employment. The unemployment rate in Ireland stands at or around 4%, and most of the people...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will have an opportunity to ask a question and I promise not to interrupt him when he is asking it. Turning to the HSE specifically, my Department chairs the State lands and property subgroup, which monitors the progress being made on this issue and the actions being taken by the HSE and other agencies and Departments to transfer State lands to the Land Development Authority,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The approach we are taking to vacancy is one of carrot and stick. On one hand, we have, for example, grants that people can avail up to bring old buildings back into use. There are already 4,000 applications in for that scheme already. We also set up a fund of €150 million in order that local authorities can purchase vacant properties and bring those back into use. This is now...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is this Government that brought in statutory sick pay.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is this Government that brought in parental leave. We have a much better record when it comes to employment and workers' rights than the Labour Party ever does on any objective analysis.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Do the analysis.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for her question. I am very much aware of the student protest that is taking place today. In Ireland in 2023, there are more people attending third-level and higher education than ever was the case in the past. People attending higher education and further education come from more diverse and more non-traditional backgrounds than ever was the case in the past. Students...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledged there is a problem. In fact, I said so in my earlier contribution. I said that student accommodation can be hard to find and can be expensive, and I set out exactly the actions that we have taken already to deal with that. Of course, we will take more in the budget and beyond. Why did Deputy McDonald seek to misrepresent what I said? Why did she seek to put words in my...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----that there is a mass one-way exodus of Irish citizens, Irish nationals and young people from our country. The truth is different. For centuries, Irish people had to leave in huge numbers and did not come home. It is different now. Yes, 80,000 Irish citizens and Irish nationals, many of them young people, left in the past three years, but 90,000 came back. Why will Deputy McDonald...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Proposed Legislation (4 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: No legislation has been brought forward by the Department of the Taoiseach in the period specified.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies again for their questions. Deputy McAuliffe mentioned the very positive impact of the free school books scheme in primary schools and how it has relieved the pressure on parents trying to get their kids out for going back to school. I would add to that the hot school meals programme, which I think is very valuable, as well as the increase in the back to school clothing and...