Results 1,241-1,260 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: All four of the companies the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and I met have announced reductions in their prices. Since then, some other companies have announced competitive prices as well. However, the message from us to them was very clear. We do not think their prices are coming down enough. We want to see further reductions in the next billing cycle in the new year. They pointed out to us...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It remains our position that once the scheme is introduced it will be retrospective - first, because that is fair and, second, we do not want to discourage people from carrying out works now that they would not carry out were it not retrospective. The last time I checked, although it was some time ago, I was informed that there would be some funding this year for emergency fire safety works,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, in her role as Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy, leads on this issue, but it is a cross-government effort. We are taking action both in terms of increasing services around addiction, which is really important. Drug use has changed and people are addicted to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I will have to ask the Minister, Deputy Martin, to come back with a more detailed reply on the funding, but we did approve the TG4 annual report today. It is a body that is producing very good quality programming. About 82% of people watched the channel at some stage over the course of the year, which is a very high number. We have the new children's channel as well, which I think is a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am not familiar with the details, but I can hear that it is causing a lot of inconvenience for people in Drogheda. I will certainly make some inquiries with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and see if there is something that can be done. I am not sure whether a toll pass would be workable, but I will certainly make sure he is aware of the suggestion.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We will not be supporting it. There were two no-fault eviction bans in recent history. Both happened while I was in government. The last one did not work. Homelessness increased and the number of people in emergency accommodation increased for almost every month that it was in situ. It just deferred homelessness and made a bad situation worse later. That is not a solution. The solution...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I understand there are a number of places across the country where it has not been possible to provide school transport. What I am told is it mostly relates to difficulty getting drivers but that might not be in the case in the areas the Deputy mentioned. If he passes on the details, however, I will make sure the Minister, Deputy Foley, responds to him directly.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I understand there has been a significant increase in demand for driving tests since 2019, pre-pandemic. That is a reflection of the fact, perhaps, that there is an increased population in the country and more people at work. I appreciate how important it is to have a car in many parts of the country. The Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, has provided a report to us on this. Additional...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate the translation. I picked up almost all of it but not everything. I have not seen the report but I will check with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and ask him to get back to the Deputy directly.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The commitment the Government made was to reduce the cost of childcare for families by 50%. We have gone halfway there this year. We will decide on budget day how much further we can go for 2024. We will go as far as we possibly can but, as Deputy Bacik rightly pointed out, when it comes to childcare and early years education, there are many demands and needs for additional resources to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: When it comes to housing, delivery figures tend to be lower at the start of the year and increase throughout the course of the year. We are helping people to buy their first homes in many ways. There is the help to buy scheme, which must be factored in, the first home scheme, which is very popular, and vacancy grants for turning derelict properties into use. There are also local authority...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate that prices at the pump have gone up in the past couple of weeks to in or around €1.70 or €1.80 a litre, and higher in some places. Everyone is very aware of that. Due to the price of petrol, diesel and electricity going up by so much, the Government reduced excise on petrol and diesel and VAT on electricity and gas. Of course, we will have to make a decision on...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies. The Chief Whip informs me that the issue of the childcare protests was not put to the Business Committee as a matter for debate in this House. That would be the best mechanism by which to find time for it. The sections 39 and 56 strike action is planned for 17 October. I believe there is plenty of time between now and then to avoid it happening. Of course the Government...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Lowry for raising this very important issue and I know all of us from our own constituency work will have met many parents of very many children who have special educational needs. Investing in special education is the right thing to do to give those children the best possible start in life and that is the objective which all of us in this Chamber share. It is an area...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The summer programme has expanded significantly in the past three years and almost €40 million is provided now for it, which is double the funding from when this Government took up office in 2020. The summer programme for 2023 was available to all schools that wished to run it. There was 50% increase in the number of special schools that participated in the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy did not pass on any detail or information or at least did not pass it to me. Perhaps he did pass it to other people. If he had that kind of information weeks and months ago, and perhaps he did not, he should have passed it on.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: My understanding is that parliamentary questions were submitted in the Deputy's name in July. The Department of Health was not aware of this at the time and passed on the queries to the HSE. That was how the issue came to light. The allegations were passed on by the Deputy by means of the parliamentary questions. That information was passed on to the HSE. It made inquiries and that was...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: At the outset, once again I want to take the opportunity to acknowledge that this is a cause of great anxiety for a lot of parents, families and vulnerable children attending these services. A comprehensive patient safety review and assurance process has been commissioned into the paediatric orthopaedic surgery service, and there is a Medical Council complaint that is currently being...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As I mentioned earlier, a good offer was made and this offer was accepted by people in the community sector when a ballot was held.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate there may be differences but it is important to point out that this offer was accepted in a similar sector. It is a 5% pay increase applying from November, that is, a 5% pay increase being paid within a matter of weeks and before Christmas; an additional 3% backdated to April, which would result in a lump sum payment in this calendar year; and a commitment to engage, as we did...