Results 1,301-1,320 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am not familiar with the particular service or programme but from what the Deputy has told me, it seems to be very successful and it seems to be a very good one. I am told there is another transition pilot programme for school leavers which involves 20 schools in Dublin and elsewhere looking after children over two years. I will certainly take on board what the Deputy has said today. I...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy has my assurance that I will make some inquiries about it and speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and the other relevant Ministers. As we know, often when something is funded from the Dormant Accounts Fund, it is only funded for a short period of time and then it can get picked up and funded and on a more sustainable basis by another body. As I am not fully across...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: My diary is published. It was a real pleasure to have a chance to visit west Cork again. It is surely one of the most beautiful parts of the country. I was really glad to meet people in different parts of it and talk to them on this occasion. I got to visit Bandon, Clonakilty, Timoleague and also Courtmacsherry. While I did not meet the people the Deputy mentioned, I met a number of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am happy to confirm my and the Government's support for an EU nature law. We have seen an extraordinary loss of biodiversity in Ireland, Europe and around the world in the past few decades. For me, it was brought into sharp focus by one of the David Attenborough documentaries I watched where he pointed out that 97% of all animal life on earth by weight is us and the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I have not actually seen that correspondence yet. I will have to see it and I will then confer with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and other Government colleagues. I will ensure that I do see it and that we will respond to it as soon as possible. I absolutely agree that social dialogue is crucial. Everybody wants climate action and actions to be taken which help to reverse the decline in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I have just checked. First, the Deputy has misquoted me. Second, he has misrepresented me. I have never sought to blame anyone for the housing crisis or for homelessness, not the people who experience it nor the people who try to help them, whether this is the Government, the local authorities, NGOs or anyone else. The Deputy has misquoted and misrepresented me and-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----this is bad politics as far as I am concerned, but let us move on.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I did not actually.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I did not.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Let us move on to the issue at hand. We are experiencing a very deep housing crisis in this State and we have done so now for quite some time. It affects lots of people in lots of different ways, whether it is people who are struggling to pay the rent, people who cannot find their first home to buy or people who have been living at home too long. I know this and I get it. I deal with this...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Those comments were made in response to an individual case given by another Deputy. There are many individual cases and everyone has their story and everyone's story is different. That is the truth of it. It is a simple fact that there are people on the housing list who have refused offers of accommodation and, in some cases, multiple offers of accommodation. Often, this is for good reasons.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: One of the reasons we have choice-based letting now is that people will have more choice regarding the offers they get. This has been a big success and something that was introduced by the last Government.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is a huge leap to say that stating the fact that people refuse offers of accommodation is somehow blaming them for-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Ah stop.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: If it would help, and help to contain the Deputy and his outburst, I am happy to rephrase the term "plenty" to "some".

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Public Inquiries (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: A comprehensive evaluation of how the country managed COVID-19 will provide an opportunity to learn lessons from our experiences in dealing with a pandemic. It will include a review of the whole-of-government response to the pandemic and how we might do better and be in a stronger position if another pandemic or other similar type event were to occur. It will include a consideration of the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Cabinet Committee on the Humanitarian Response to Ukraine last met on Thursday, 6th of July. This Committee, which I chair, works to ensure a coordinated approach to the State’s humanitarian response for people arriving from Ukraine who have sought Temporary Protection here. The Government’s coordinated response to the humanitarian crisis is extensive. Since the start of...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Raidió Teilifís Éireann (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Public Services oversees implementation of Programme for Government commitments in the areas of social policy and public services. The Committee covers a range of topics, including immigration and integration, in the areas of social policy with a particular focus on equality and public service reform. Other topics covered by the Committee...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Cabinet Committee on EU and International Affairs was established by the Government on 18 January. Its role is to oversee implementation of Programme for Government commitments in relation to the European Union and international issues. The Committee generally meets in advance of meetings of the European Council. It last met on 22 June 2023 in advance of the June meeting of the European...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (12 Jul 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The expenditure on external reports in 2022 and to date in 2023 is set out in the table below. The Shared Island unit in the Department of the Taoiseach is progressing a wide-ranging research programme to examine the political, social, economic and cultural considerations of a shared future for all communities and traditions on the island, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. The...