Results 13,301-13,320 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Electoral Reform (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 7, inclusive, together. The Government established an interdepartmental group to consider the security of the election process and disinformation. The first report of the group was published on 17 July 2018 and looked at issues concerning the security of the electoral process, taking into account risks that apply across the whole spectrum. The...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I cannot give the Deputy a definitive timeline, but the final tender came in on 18 September. It is being evaluated by the Department's procurement team. There is an evaluation committee and a procurement board. Should they be in a position to make a recommendation to Government, we would be able to make a decision on that. I do not want to give definite timelines at this...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am very sorry to hear that the credit union in Drimoleague is closing. With the greatest respect to the Deputy, while the Government is responsible for many things, the opening and closing of credit unions is not one of them.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My understanding is that pre-legislative scrutiny is usually handled by officials rather than by Ministers. Of course the Minister, Deputy Ross, comes into the House regularly to answer oral questions and respond to Topical Issue matters.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am not in a position to answer specific questions about University Hospital Kerry. I imagine the manager of the hospital can do that for the Deputy. If not, I am sure we can get an answer for him from the HSE. I do not do that here.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. I share their concern about the health of their constituents. I am reassured by Deputy Mattie McGrath's assertion that four people have applied for the post. That is encouraging and perhaps indicates that the improvements in the rural practice allowance have made a difference. I do not know what the story is with the contract, but I...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That is a matter for the Business Committee.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Mr. Peter Smith is the independent process auditor; therefore, he is not internal. We should have the terms of reference in the next couple of days and anticipate that he should be able to report to the Government within three to four weeks. The final tender for the national broadband plan was received on 18 September and is being evaluated by the Department's procurement team. I ask...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The tender has been lodged with the Department and is being considered. I ask people who care about rural Ireland and want the 500,000 homes to receive high speed broadband to be careful, circumspect and accurate in their language in commenting on the issue.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I understand there will be a debate on the report in the House tomorrow. It would be helpful if the Business Committee could also provide time for it next week because I know that Members will want to give their views on it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am sure the Minister, Deputy Bruton, will be happy to answer questions, but I think it is only reasonable to give him at least a week or so to get on top of his new brief before he does.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The legislation is on the priority list so it should be published this session.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The heads of the Bill are in preparation but the Bill will not be published in this session. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, has not yet formally received his seal of office. People might give him a few weeks to get his feet under the desk and to figure things out before bringing him in for questions. I appreciate how the theatre of politics works, but calling people in to answer a whole...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I take the Deputy's comments onboard and will consider them. I am not sure if there was a question, but I will take into account what she has said. The Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice and Equality have met the families and those lines of communication will be kept open.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We should all bear in mind our responsibilities in that regard, if we are genuinely concerned about and interested in protecting women's health. There is a risk in the rise in litigation and how it can impact on health services and quality. I again want to point to the facts for the Deputy because they do matter. Deputy Bríd Smith is making an assumption that the 221 false negatives...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the important issue of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, one of which took place in her constituency. I again take the opportunity to extend my condolences to the survivors and the families of those affected, many of whom are still grieving and still do not have the answers to the questions they ask. Unfortunately, I am not in a position either to answer them....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am not in a position to discuss contracts that are under negotiation or contracts that are not signed. The backdrop to what is happening, however, is that there are laboratories now which no longer want to be involved in providing tests to Irish patients in the Irish health service because of the situation we have had in Ireland, because of litigation and other matters. It should be a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: A decision on whether there will be a special summit in November has not yet been taken. A date is pencilled into our diaries in case it is necessary, but the decision that we made in Salzburg was that we would only have a special summit in November if decisive progress was made in October. I cannot say at the moment that decisive progress has been made, but that is something that will play...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I join Deputy Bríd Smith in welcoming the establishment of 221 Plus, the new support group for the women and families affected by CervicalCheck. As Members will know, that is being supported and funded by the Department of Health. The decision on outsourcing was made by a previous Government more than ten years ago, so I have no political axe to grind in defending it or any interest in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I can confirm that there will be no withdrawal agreement without a legally operable and legally binding backstop which assures us that there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. That has been the Government's position since the referendum. That is our position. We have not departed from it and we do not intend to do so. We should not forget that the commitment...