Results 11,481-11,500 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Going on to-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I was asked about a consular case, the case being that of Lisa Marie Smith. That has not been discussed at a Cabinet sub-committee, but it was discussed at Cabinet today and previously. I am conscious that while nobody can condone the choices she has made and the actions she took in aligning herself with ISIS, a terrorist regime that is hell-bent on the destruction of the West and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There have been increases of funding for the third level sector for the past couple of years running. There is funding in Project Ireland 2040 for a building programme. Anyone who visits our third level institutions regularly will see the number of new buildings that have been constructed in our universities and institutes of technology, ITs. I acknowledge that it is not all public money...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: In fairness to employers, they recognise that this is an investment in their future workforce among other things. Provided we continue to have economic growth, we will be able to provide additional funding from central taxation as well. In terms of student contributions, as I have said before in the House, I am very reluctant to see student contributions being raised. I am very reluctant...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am not enthusiastic about or inclined to go down the road of increased student contributions or a student loan system for that reason. On the Scally report, I thank Dr. Scally for the work he did in preparing it in the first instance and the ongoing work he is doing for Government in monitoring its implementation. We want to make sure it gets implemented and that is why we have asked him...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and we are aiming for about 25,000 this year and 30,000 the year after. We are seeing evidence now of house prices stabilising. There is even evidence that they are falling in the Dublin area. That is what the latest results say. It is too early to read too much into that and there are other factors at play. I acknowledge that. There is very strong evidence now of a slowdown in...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not think we had that last year. I think we are trying to move away from the idea.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The data the Minister will make available will be available in the summer economic statement, which should happen in April or May. On the issue of pensions, if I recall correctly, the Fine Gael general election manifesto included a commitment to increase the pension by €5 a year, which is exactly what we have done. I think the Fianna Fáil one tried to outbid us by going for...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We have implemented that commitment by increasing it by €5 a year.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The pension has been increased by almost €1,000 a year since this Government of Fine Gael and Independents took up office. What the Minister is talking about is indexation. I spoke about it myself when I was Minister for Social Protection. It is broadly supported by the charities and the NGO sector. It is done with the purpose of it being a floor, not a cap.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: One would index pensions and social welfare. They could be indexed to inflation or to wages or lots of other things. If they were indexed to inflation, increases would be much less than they have been.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: If they were indexed to wages, they would be greater than they have been. Indexation would never predetermine the outcome. It would just set a floor. The Government could and should do better if it can afford to do so.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 11, inclusive, together. The committee last met on 8 February. The meeting was attended by Ministers and senior officials from the Departments of Finance; Public Expenditure and Reform; Foreign Affairs and Trade; Justice and Equality; Health; Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Transport, Tourism and Sport; Housing, Planning and Local...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Scéimeanna Teanga (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Níl mé ullmhaithe le haghaidh gach ceist; therefore, with the Ceann Comhairle's indulgence, I will reply in both English and Irish. Deputy Micheál Martin asked about an buiséad, an cáinaisnéis don Ghaeilge, faoi Chonradh na Gaeilge, faoi Fhoras na Gaeilge agus faoi Údarás na Gaeltachta. In the last budget which, of course, was for this year there...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Scéimeanna Teanga (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: To do what? To study Irish.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Scéimeanna Teanga (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I understand there were schemes under which teachers received funding or bursaries to take a master's degree in education, for example. I know that the Minister, Deputy Bruton, is examining whether we can restore any of those measures. To respond to Deputy Howlin's comments, what we fundamentally need to do is provide more opportunities to use the language in a more normal environment....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, together. Cabinet committee B last met on 21 February. The date of the next Cabinet committee meeting has not yet been finalised. Cabinet committee B covers social policy and public services, including education, children, the Irish language, arts and culture, and also monitors continued improvements and reform of public services....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Scéimeanna Teanga (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Tairgim Uimh. 1 go 4 a ghlacadh le chéile. Faomhadh scéim teangacha oifigiúil mo Roinne faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 in 2016. Cumhdaíonn sí an tréimhse trí bliana ó 2016 go 2019. Cuimsítear sa scéim reatha, atá ar fáil ar gov.ie, roinnt gealltanas atá in ainm is a chinntiú gur féidir le haon...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have any information on that matter before me. I will undertake to ask the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, to furnish Deputy Collins with a more detailed reply.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy knows, it is an objective of the Government to improve ambulance response times throughout the country. To achieve that, we have increased the budget of the National Ambulance Service every year for four or five years. That has allowed for the purchase of new ambulances, improvements to ambulance bases and technology, pay restoration for staff, and new posts. I understand...