Results 11,781-11,800 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot give the Deputy a date but recognise that this is a real issue and a point well made. It is very important that people who have a disability are able to use public transport, which is not always the case. I will certainly advise the Minister, Deputy Ross, that the issue was raised in the Camber today and perhaps he will be able to give the Deputy a timeline for those improvements...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Much as I would like to be involved, I am not really involved in deciding which advertisements should be shown on television and which should not.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I have received Deputy Mattie McGrath's correspondence which I have passed on to the Road Safety Authority. I have asked that it reply to him directly.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is. The Deputy should read the legislation.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The last time Fianna Fáil was in government nearly 1,000 post offices were closed across the country.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The situation is the same as it was then. Governments do not decide which post offices should be closed. It is not a Government decision, but there are post offices that are not viable.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: They do not have enough business or footfall to be sustainable. There is a system in place to allow decisions on closures to be reviewed if the post offices are viable.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: On the issue of haulage, what we trying to achieve in securing ratification of the withdrawal agreement is a transition period to the end of 2020 during which nothing will change at ports. However, in a no-deal scenario lorries going from Ireland to an EU port will enter just as they do now, but those that will use the landbridge and travel through the United Kingdom may face difficulty. I...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Is the Deputy asking me to open factories?

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It is a matter for the factories, but we are available to assist in any way we can.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: That is a matter for the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne. There was an increase in funding for social inclusion and addiction services provided for in budget 2019. The increases are provided for in the budget and the Revised Estimates Volume. The Minister of State will examine the matter and make a determination on how best to spend the money.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I do not agree that it is a misuse of taxpayers' money. The amount spent last year by the public health service on agency staff was €300 million. It is a lot of money, but it represents 4% of payroll in the health service.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Agency staff are often used to cover for staff on sick leave and maternity leave and overtime. Often, it is our own staff who work in agencies who are working overtime. Notwithstanding the fact that there was an increase in staff numbers in the health service last year, with an extra 800 nurses and midwives being recruited, there was a 20% increase in the spend on agency staff. Therefore,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I understand the Netherlands permits the export of cannabis dried herb, but it does not permit the commercial export of oil-based cannabis formulations, which is why we cannot import them. Dutch law does not allow us to do so. However, departmental officials are continuing to work intensively to find a supply of appropriate quality assured cannabis products for Irish patients. They have had...

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Táim buíoch as an deis seo chun ómós a thabhairt do cheann dár mBaill a thug seirbhís den chéad scoth sa Teach seo, le 24 bliana. Ba pholaiteoir iontach é an iar-Theachta Donal Creed a d’oibrigh go dian ar son mhuintir Chorcaigh agus na tíre, mar Theachta Dála, mar Aire Stáit, agus mar cheann de na chéad Feisirí de...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I believe our duty as a Government and as politicians is to make sure that we pass our planet on to our children and grandchildren in a better state than we found it and that means taking action on climate change and protecting the environment. We have taken a lot of action in recent years. For example, there is legislation working its way through the House at present...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Perhaps the Deputy would like that, but it is my view that it is wrong-headed. If we have our own natural gas we should use it and should not be dependant on Russia, countries in the Middle East and Venezuela for our energy needs. Third is the issue of imports and exports. Surely it makes more sense to use our taxpayers' money and our people's money on things like public services rather...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I note the Deputy did not actually address any of my substantive arguments around climate science, around-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I note the Deputy did not answer any of my substantive arguments around climate science, import substitution-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and energy security.