Results 12,381-12,400 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 6, inclusive, together. Cabinet committee E last met on 22 November 2018. A date for the next meeting has not yet been scheduled. In addition to the meetings of the full Cabinet and Cabinet committees, I often meet with Ministers and their teams on an individual basis to focus on particular issues. In this regard, I regularly meet with the Minister...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As someone who was actually there and knows what I said, I did not give anybody dietary advice or suggest that anyone else do anything. I was specifically asked what I was doing on climate change and I said that I was trying to eat less red meat. I am not giving it up. Indeed, I had a very nice Hereford steak last night.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I said that I was trying to eat less red meat for two reasons, namely health and climate change. My comment was not flippant. It is a fact that red meat increases the risk of cancer and contributes more to climate change.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I can assure Deputies that I have not become a vegan or anything like that.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I am very happy to eat fish landed in Donegal-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and to eat poultry, turkey, pork meat and all of the wonderful products that Irish farmers produce.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Commissions of Investigation (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. Following consultations with the Opposition parties by the then Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, the IBRC commission of investigation was established in June 2015. The commission is entirely independent in its work and Mr. Justice Brian Cregan is its sole member. The commission is required to investigate certain transactions, activities...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Commissions of Investigation (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: Not that I am aware.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: As I understand, we already have quite robust legislation in this area, in that there is a 5 km exclusion zone around airports-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and a drone of more than 1 kg must be registered. We have stronger laws than the UK has. Obviously enforcement is a different issue from laws. I am perhaps not as well briefed-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----as either the Deputy or the Minister, Deputy Ross. I will let the Minister know the Deputy raised it and ask him to speak directly to him.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I must say, I agree.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: We are building this hospital not for one generation but for three, four and five generations. Let us not lose sight of the value of this development.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: There will be an individual room for every child with the possibility of their parents being able to stay in the room with them, five MRI machines and 15 theatres. This has the potential to totally transform the quality of paediatric care in Ireland, and not just for one or two years. This is a project that will last 100 years or more.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The cost as of today is exactly what it was back in December. I do not have the exact figure in front of me but it is about €1.4 billion with additional contingencies above that, particularly around construction inflation. If there has been any change since the week before Christmas, I have not been informed of it. It is what it was then. In terms of whether I would have signed...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: -----and what the pros and cons of those were, and there were many cons in terms of a greenfield site. Regarding capital projects, Deputy Catherine Murphy will know that we added 250 beds to the acute hospital system last year. The service plan provides for another 140 to 150 to be added this year, and that will happen and will not be affected by this. However, we will need to find an...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. For the record, the decision to opt for the St. James's Hospital site was made when I was Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: The decision in respect of tendering was made when I was Minister for Social Protection. Planning permission was secured when I was Minister for Health.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: I was a member of all of those Governments. Therefore, I accept collective responsibility for the decisions in question, as should everyone who was around the Cabinet table at those times.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Jan 2019)

Leo Varadkar: It was decided at an early stage that the best way to pursue the new hospital, and ensure it was built well, was by establishing a national paediatric hospital development board. A dedicated board, with its own chairman and its own accountability structure, was established to make this development happen. The employees had a substantial amount of experience in delivering big projects like...