Results 12,721-12,740 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I support Ireland's participation in permanent structured co-operation, PESCO. That was endorsed by a very large majority in this House. That means Ireland participating in greater co-operation around security and defence with our European partners where we believe it makes sense to do so. For example, that could be in areas such as peacekeeping. Ireland participates in an EU mission in...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 5, inclusive, together. I travelled to Helsinki last month where I had bilateral meetings with the President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, and the Prime Minister of Finland, Juha Sipilä on 7 November. Finland and Ireland are like-minded on many issues and both bilateral meetings were very warm and constructive. In my meeting with Prime...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I established an implementation group on Seanad reform to consider the Manning report and to develop specific proposals to legislate for Seanad reform. The implementation group comprises Members of the Oireachtas with the assistance of outside experts, as appropriate. Since its initial meeting on 9 May, the group has met on 11 occasions and is expected to make a report in the coming weeks.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As I mentioned, the group has now had 11 meetings and it is meeting under the very able chairmanship of Senator Michael McDowell, a former Attorney General and Tánaiste who is known to many of us in this House very well. It is, of course, an all-party committee. As it has not issued a report yet, I cannot really comment on it. Obviously, once the report is issued, I look forward to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have some reservations, which I have expressed in the House before. I would like to know what the cost of the election would be. The Constitution requires that Seanad elections be carried out by postal vote and only by postal vote, so a postal vote involving millions of electors, potentially hundreds of thousands of them outside of the State, could be very expensive, but I do not know...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I do not know. I think they are general reservations, quite frankly.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I would like to know what would be the cost of a major postal vote election such as that proposed. I would also like to understand why people think that retaining these panels is the optimal way of electing a second Chamber rather than a national list, regional list or many other different options that could be considered. In terms of the university seats, that referendum was passed a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Successive Governments and Oireachtais have decided not to make any change, but I imagine that will all be rolled into whatever reform Bill emerges out of this particular process.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My sense of the university seats is that, if they did not already exist, one would never establish them. However, if we look back historically, the contribution of the university Senators has been enormously positive. I would like to see them retained in some way, perhaps with a third constituency for the newer institutions that are not included. We could just merge them all into one, but...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Bill will be before the House in the next session.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will have to double-check with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, but I think that before they can be commenced, the legislation on assisted human reproduction has to be passed, which could be some time away. However, I will double-check and ensure the Deputy receives a written reply.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Tá brón orm nach bhfuil an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna ann ach tá sé imithe sa Seanad. I will, however, pass on the Deputy’s query and ask the Minister to provide the Deputy with a written reply.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It was not a Government decision. The medicines management programme is run by a professor of medicine. Accordingly, there are medical professionals helping to make these decisions. It is important, if a medicine is prescribed by doctors off-licence, that there be some controls as to how it is done.

EU Regulations: Referral to Joint Committee (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I move:That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the...

Excess Vote 2016 (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I move the following Excess Vote: Vote 35 — Army PensionsThat a sum not exceeding €1,000 be granted to make good an excess on the grant for Army Pensions for the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2016.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 100 together, not Questions Nos. 1 to 100, inclusive.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Government has decided there will be plebiscites in May for Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. We confirmed that decision at Cabinet today. As to when the mayors will be in place, that will depend on many factors. We have to get the legislation for the plebiscites through the Dáil and Seanad and that could be tight. With the co-operation of everyone in this House, however, we...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, wants to consult the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health on those proposals. There are issues as to how widely people are made eligible for the scheme. The wider the eligibility, the less support we are able to give people.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am happy to check on Deputy Gallagher's query and I will respond to him when I have some information. I have no information at the moment as to whether there are any plans to close the Stranorlar office but I will check on that matter and send a reply in writing.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Dec 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There have been delays, unfortunately, in assessing some smear tests. It will be recalled that back in May or June, the Government decided to allow any woman who was concerned about the accuracy of her smear test to have a repeat smear test free of charge. About 50,000 women took up that opportunity. That has, however, led to delays in examining those smears because of capacity constraints...