Results 11,381-11,400 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Government Information Service (3 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The Government Information Service (GIS) in my Department, in line with the mandate to streamline whole-of-Government communications, issue advice and guidelines to Government Departments as requested. As the Regional Enterprise Plan is a cross Government programme, communications on it, including this video, were re-tweeted from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation's...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (2 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The remit of Cabinet Committee C covers EU and international issues, including Brexit, and assists my participation as a member of the European Council. It last met on Thursday 21 June 2018, in advance of the European Council on 28/29 June 2018.The next meeting has not yet been scheduled. Given the significance of Brexit for the country we have discussed it regularly at full Cabinet rather...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I attended a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Thursday 21 and Friday 22 March 2019. In advance of the first working session on Thursday, I participated, for the second time, in a meeting of the Nordic-Baltic Group, along with Prime Minister Rutte of the Netherlands. We discussed Brexit and the agenda for the European Council. This informal group includes Finland, Sweden,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Communications (2 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 65 together. MerrionStreet, operated from Government Information Service in my Department, has social media accounts across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. These channels are used daily to communicate news from across Government on a broad range of subjects depending on developments on any particular day. The channels provide text, photographic...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Communications (2 Apr 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Five tenders for external specialist advice were issued in Autumn 2017, and a further two tenders issued in 2018. Procurement for five of these contracts was overseen by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). In line with public procurement, one tender, in respect of identity, was managed by my Department as the estimated cost for services was under the €25,000 threshold. The GIS...

Post-European Council Meetings: Statements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: This is another conspiracy theory.

Post-European Council Meetings: Statements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is another conspiracy theory.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not want to dwell on the particular issue of the British Labour Party, but a lot of people, particularly Jewish people, have real and genuine concerns about anti-Semitism in that party.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not think those concerns should be dismissed. They were sufficient to cause Jewish MPs to resign from that party, or at least it was among the reasons people like Luciana Berger and others gave. There are sufficient concerns for the Board of Guardians and the Council of Guardians that represent Jewish people in Britain. Deputy Howlin is right that the support of Labour Party MPs, or...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It may not be of the same scale, but it is still a double standard that is being practised.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: To respond to Deputy Micheál Martin's questions, he sought a particular date and information on the level of preparedness, as he also did yesterday. I asked my officials to check it out and we will provide the data for him, if they are available. I do not know if they are, but if they are, we will provide them for him. In fairness, I cannot do so if they do not. With the greatest...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is what I am surmising.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is, but it is what-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: On the talks and discussions with the European Commission on no-deal planning or what we would do to avoid a hard border and protect the Single Market and the customs union in the event that there is no deal, as I said at the weekend, they have been rough and preliminary. They are really only going to start when we end up in a no-deal scenario. There are no documents that I have seen. The...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As I explained before, the conspiracy theory is-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The conspiracy theory is that there are certain discussions ongoing-----

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: No.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: No instructions have been given because the discussions which the Deputies believe are happening are not happening.

Post-European Council Meetings: Statements (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I attended a series of meetings of the European Council in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, 21 and 22 March. Our discussions on Brexit took place on the Thursday, first with Prime Minister May and, subsequently, in Article 50 format without her. On the Friday we met the Prime Ministers of Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The regular meeting of the European Council then took place to...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed): Public Consultation Process (27 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: A Cheann Comhairle, you will forgive me for once again being confused by the inconsistency and division on the Opposition benches, with some Members calling for more public consultations and others saying there are far too many of them. However, it is always good to have diversity on any benches. I do not agree with Deputy Burton's comments-----