Results 12,061-12,080 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Priorities (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The Department of the Taoiseach's statement of strategy for the period from 2017 to 2020, inclusive, reflects the priorities in 2019 and the period ahead. The main role of the Department is to assist the Taoiseach and the Government in developing a sustainable economy and successful society, pursue Ireland’s interests...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Priorities (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I inform the House that today the Cabinet dealt with Brexit as a line item, as it almost always does. The reason we do not have regular meetings of the sub-committee on Brexit any more is that the issue impacts on pretty much every Department.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I have answered several questions about the nurses strike already today and I am sure I will answer more in the coming days. The Minister for Health will be here to answer questions in the afternoon. He will also go before the health committee tomorrow. There will be ample opportunities to make speeches and statements on the strike, but it will not be resolved here. It can only be...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: -----or the Labour Court.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: It is with the HSE's national estates division in respect of legals. A planning application was submitted on 20 December 2018. Subject to it being successful, work will proceed as planned.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: The first issue the Deputy raised was the children's hospital. The terms of reference for the review by PricewaterhouseCoopers, PwC, into the escalation in costs are currently being revised.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: The review will deal with the accountability of relevant key parties, functions and roles and the prohibition on making any findings against individuals will be removed. It will establish the sequence of events in the cost increases experienced by the project, establish what was known, when and by whom, and cover the bodies, including the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board,...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: This is the question and the answer. In March 2018, remedial work facilitated the opening of one theatre in MPUH, which advised that it is working towards restoring the full elective orthopaedic service as quickly as possible. A tender process was recently undertaken regarding the provision of two modular theatres for orthopaedics on the MPUH site. A successful vendor was selected for the...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: There are a number of things to mention. An awful lot of people are waiting a very long time for orthopaedic operations and procedures, and, often, to see a specialist in the first place. It is important to acknowledge that the number of people waiting more than 12 weeks for operations and procedures, which is the Sláintecare target, is now at a four or five-year low. This includes...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: -----but there is a long way to go yet in that regard. On the MPUH issue, the Deputy will be aware that, very sadly and unfortunately, the Galway hospice planning application for Merlin Park was refused. As such, Merlin Park as a solution for new hospital developments must be considered in the light of planning problems at the site where planning permission for the hospice has just been...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: It is important to clarify, once again, that the Minister for Health was first made aware of rising costs and escalating costs at the children's hospital project back in August.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: He did the appropriate thing, which was to ask for all the facts and figures before going to Government with the issue.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I have given the House an insight into the process.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: It took several weeks - ten weeks, 12 weeks, three months or whatever it was - for that figure to be-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: I am happy to reply further.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: As I stated earlier, the Minister for Health was informed of rising costs and escalating costs at the project back in August. He did the appropriate thing-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: -----which was to look for facts and figures, to have it scrutinised and to drill down into it to see if the figures stacked up-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: -----and to see if he could bring them down as much as possible and informed me and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform of this in November-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: -----and the same scrutiny was then applied. In terms of corporate governance, corporate governance has changed quite a lot since 2010. Corporate governance and corporate rules do not override Government circulars. If somebody is on a board, his or her fiduciary and legal responsibilities are to that board and the correct line of accountability is-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Feb 2019)
Leo Varadkar: -----from the chairman of that board to the line Minister, not individual board members acting on their own part.