Results 1,161-1,180 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. What we are doing, and what the Deputy has recommended that we do, we are doing all over the country, namely, building public housing on public land. We are building public housing on private land and buying private housing to use as public housing. We are doing all of those things. Look at the census figures for the past ten years. The percentage of people who live...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have those figures available to me at the moment, so it is impossible for me to comment on them. I know Deputy Connolly has raised the housing task force for Galway city and county before. When we calculate how much social housing is being provided, we need to recognise that there are many different ways in which social housing can be built and provided. I do not mean...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As I said earlier, rare diseases taken all together are not that rare but some rare diseases are very rare. When we have conditions that are one in a million or one in 5 million, it is not possible for us to treat those patients on our own; we have to co-operate internationally and particularly at European level. We definitely need better patient registers. There are many conditions for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am informed by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, that the Policing Authority has said it does not have a role to play in rosters-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----and I understand it said so as recently as its public meeting last week.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: On the barristers dispute, I do not think the criminal justice system is collapsing. This is a one-day withdrawal of labour. Barristers are protesting and they have every right to protest. We live in a democracy. I can understand the case they are making. Just like public servants and the vast majority of people across the public and private sector, they have seen their pay and fees...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ----- and also as part of the discussions around reforms. When we reversed the fee cuts for GPs there were changes; there was loss of private income.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: That is the kind of debate that needs to happen.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is absolutely right. Rare diseases are not that rare and that is certainly the case if one puts them all together. It includes diseases such as cystic fibrosis, haemophilia and muscular dystrophy. Often it is a delayed or missed diagnosis and the sooner patients can get a diagnosis the better for everyone; not only themselves but the wider health service. As the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: On behalf of the Government, I want to say that we recognise the important and essential role played by barristers in undertaking criminal legal aid work and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, is currently engaged in discussions with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform on the issue of criminal legal aid fees as part of the budgetary process. Of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I want to say once again that the Government supports the Garda and the essential work it does in keeping our communities safe and in keeping us safe. The Garda has a budget of more than €2 billion this year, the highest ever, being invested in pay, equipment and buildings. We anticipate between 700 and 800 new recruits this year in addition to 400 Garda staff. We also understand...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I largely agree with what the Deputy said earlier. We all want this dispute to be resolved. We all want a roster that works for citizens to make sure that gardaí are available when we need them, and also one that reflects the need to recruit and retain gardaí. This means a roster that recognises the need for work-life balance and the caring and family responsibilities. Disputes...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41 together. The Cabinet Committee on Health oversees Programme for Government commitments relating to health and receives detailed reports on identified policy areas. It considers the progress of health reforms including Sláintecare, the reform of disability services and the development of mental health services. The Cabinet...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Cabinet Committee on the Economy and Investment was re-established in January 2023 and last met on 25 May. The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for 16 November.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I travelled to New York to attend the UN General Assembly’s high-level week from 17 until 22 September. I delivered Ireland’s statement at the UN’s SDG Summit, which highlighted the need to get back on track with reaching the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Leaders also adopted the Summit’s Political Declaration which Ireland co-facilitated with Qatar. I...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63, 64, 65 and 66 together. The Cabinet Committee on Children and Education oversees the implementation of commitments in the Programme for Government commitments in the area of children and education. Including further and higher education, with a specific focus on child poverty and well-being. The Cabinet committee enables a greater focus on improving the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: An Garda Síochána (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 128, 129, 130, 131 and 132 together. A Policing Service for our Futureis the Government’s Plan to implement the Report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. The Plan has four distinct phases as follows: ·Building Blocks ·Launching ·Scaling ·Consolidation Further information on these phases and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Data Protection (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Please see the accompanying table setting out two instances of a data breach identified within the Department during the past decade. In both cases the Department provided an explanation and apology to the two individuals affected with one occurring in 2016 (pre GDPR) and one in 2022. YEAR Department of the Taoiseach No. of Personal Data Breaches 2013 ...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: European Union (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I wrote to the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkievicius, in September regarding the Irish derogation under the Nitrates Directive. In my letter, I joined the invitation extended to him by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to visit Ireland in the near future and to meet with us and representatives of the farming sector. I...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (3 Oct 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I had the opportunity for a short conversation with President Biden at the reception he hosted, together with First Lady, Dr Jill Biden, for Leaders attending United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week in New York. I updated him on developments in relation to Northern Ireland, including recent British legislation on legacy cases, setting out our deep concerns on its implications;...