Results 13,041-13,060 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is important to point out that if it is concluded, the agreement will be between the EU and the UK. Ireland is part of the EU but will not separately sign up to the agreement. However, any changes to the agreement will be made through the European Council of which, of course, Ireland is a member, in the form of the Taoiseach. I accept the Deputy's points regarding things being done...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate forbearance on this issue and the understanding as to why I may not be in a position to answer questions in the detail I might like. I have been in touch with Deputy Calleary's party leader this morning on the issue and around that point. A very important and sensitive Cabinet meeting will take place in London today from 2 p.m. and I do not want to say anything here which might...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If the agreement is made it will be an international treaty between the European Union, including Ireland, on the one hand and the United Kingdom on the other. As an international treaty, it would, therefore, continue to apply even if there were a change in government here or in the United Kingdom. That is the nature of such agreements. As to the process and next steps, there are obviously...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: European Council Meetings (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 27 together. I attended a series of European Council meetings in Brussels on Wednesday 17 October, and Thursday, 18 October. On the evening of 17 October, we met in Article 50 format to discuss the Brexit negotiations. The meeting of the European Council proper on the morning of 18 October morning focused on the internal and external aspects of...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (14 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I had the opportunity to meet the leader of the DUP Ms Arlene Foster on October 15 when we discussed many issues including the current political situation in Northern Ireland and Brexit. I emphasised the Government’s full commitment to the Good Friday Agreement, and our continuing determination to secure the effective operation of all of its institutions. We discussed what could be...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: On what is the Deputy stating that I will revert to the House?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have been in the Chamber for the past two hours and ten minutes. I have yet to be briefed on the developments.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There are often things in the media that are reported-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Obviously, I have been here for the last two hours and I have not spoken to my officials or been able to speak to them in that time. I was asked about working mechanisms and it is always sensible to be flexible in that regard and practical about how one decides to operate Government business. As Members have acknowledged and unlike the case with previous Governments, I have focused on...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is imminent. I do not have an exact date, but it is imminent. The second matter is the making of a decision on the bid. We will have to take into account the costs, timelines and practicality in deciding whether to go ahead.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have not seen it. As I said, it has not arrived yet but it is imminent. There are no proposals for a referendum on compensation payments currently. I acknowledge in this context the work done by the Minister of State, Deputy Michael D'Arcy, and his predecessor, the current Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, which has had results. For example,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Under the rules one has to have been refused by a bank or credit institution but one must also be able to afford to pay the loan back. That is a prerequisite of any loan. There have been a lot of complaints, however, including at least six to me from my constituency. It is a new product and 1,000 people have already qualified for it, but it may be the case that it can be improved. That is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I dealt with that but the Deputy was not listening. She was chatting. It is on the record.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: He never mentions them and I just thought I would put that on the record. On the backstop, it is important to remember the joint report in December which set out options A, B, and C. Option A is about avoiding a hard border through the future relationship; option B provides for specific solutions proposed by the UK; and option C is the backstop. We should never forget that this is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It has to be there. It has to be legally operative. It cannot have an expiry date and cannot be cancelled by one side unilaterally. That is the position we have had persistently all the way through. We should always bear in mind the objective, namely, the avoidance of the emergence of a hard border on our island. That is the objective. Whether it is a double backstop, a backstop to a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We often have review clauses in treaties and legislation. I have no doubt that if the Deputy was leading the negotiations, she would have walked away by now over the review clause. We then would have no deal, just as we have no deal in Northern Ireland.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am adopting a different approach, which is willing to consider creative solutions and creative language where necessary.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: When I met Mark Durkan at the presidential inauguration on Sunday night, he reminded me of the fact that the Good Friday Agreement has a review clause. Part of the understanding behind the Agreement was that if one wanted it to be long-standing and enduring, it made sense to build into it review mechanisms.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That was his understanding of it which I thought was wise. There is no review clause yet. It is a proposal that has been put forward and is under consideration.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (13 Nov 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot describe something that does not exist yet. It was put forward by the UK side.