Results 12,841-12,860 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is not mentioned in the programme for Government either but I will ask the Minister to provide the Deputy with a written answer.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy has made my day.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That is the first time I have heard her welcome anything ever, so I am really pleased-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----she has welcomed the announcement made yesterday to provide funding for Dundalk and Drogheda.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It was done in different tiers. Some projects have an allocated amount against them, with the biggest single one being for Waterford of €6 million. There are projects in Ballina, Castlebar, Kilkenny and Dundalk. A number do not have an allocation against them yet and it is intended that will be allocated next year.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for his question. I will mention that to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. We obviously want to ensure that people are paid what they are owed as quickly as possible and that farmers receive their payments well before Christmas.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an answer to the Deputy in writing.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is committed to the national maternity hospital relocation project which involves the development of a new maternity hospital on the campus of St. Vincent's University Hospital at Elm Park. The new hospital will be funded by public money and is included in Project Ireland 2040. The development will represent a flagship project as part of the national maternity strategy and...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy knows, average pay for nurses in Ireland, including overtime and allowances, is more than €50,000 a year, which salary is well deserved. They earn every euro of that. The Deputy will know that we have passed legislation in the House to repeal the financial emergency measures and are phasing out all of those public pay cuts over time in a way that is affordable for...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Under that legislation, any basic pay reductions will be fully reversed by the end of the year for those earning under €40,000 and by 2020 for those earning under €80,000. Increments are being paid every year and there will be two pay increases next year as well as an increase for new entrants. It is not punitive for people to contribute to their pensions. People should...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I encourage-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If I am permitted to, I will.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We all acknowledge the enormous charitable work of the Capuchin Day Centre and how it assists people. Government assists people as well. As stated earlier, there a been a significant increase in the number of people at work and this has helped to reduce poverty in general and also child poverty. We have increased welfare payments. Further increases targeted at people on low incomes and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for a comprehensive and detailed question. I have read up on these areas but I am no expert. I remember reading in detail about why we opted for model A rather than model B, but it might be best to ask the Minister for Finance to explain that or to give a more detailed answer because I do not remember the exact reasons, although it made sense when I read the memo at the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I assure the Deputy we always listen to the views and opinions of NGOs on taxation policy, tax transparency, international development aid or any issue, but it is a mistake to make the NGOs' opinions one's own opinions, which people do sometimes. An NGO will say something, for example, and it becomes a politician's opinion or policy, but the public deserve better than that. While we need to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have sat down with the Minister, Deputy Harris, about this issue. As the Deputy can imagine, he is very aware of it. We have had contact with the manufacturer about it in the past couple of months. It will be a difficult one to resolve but the ideas the Deputy put forward, either the Government funding a clinical trial or a cost-sharing or risk-sharing arrangement with the company, could...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We all appreciate the reasons the Government took exceptional actions and put in place exceptional measures for the 221 women and their families who were affected by the CervicalCheck audit scandal. Those measures included, for example, the provision of medical cards regardless of income, counselling and a refund of out-of-pocket medical expenses. While pembrolizumab is not specifically...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: On speech and language, I do have the figures. There are about 8,000 children waiting on initial assessment but most of those are waiting less than 16 weeks. There are 14,000 waiting on further therapy and again most of those are waiting between zero and 16 weeks, and 16 weeks or four months is the target waiting time. When we see those big figures it is important in terms of accuracy to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The same thing would apply if they were going privately. That does not make it acceptable that there are any children waiting more than four months. As is often the case, the Deputy presents the easy answer, the easy solution which probably does not work - more staff, more resources, more money. That is what we have been doing for three or four years. There is a record budget next year...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy pointed to the Tánaiste's area and I see that here too. I see huge variations in the amount of time children who need these services are waiting from one region to the next.