Results 13,481-13,500 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. In recent months I have continued with an intensive programme of engagements with EU leaders. On 8 July, I welcomed the Chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurz, to Dublin. This visit took place as Austria began its six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union and followed my visit to Vienna in February. I am...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The memo was today approved by the Cabinet. I understand it has been published. If it has not, that will be done in the next few hours. It will now go to the joint Oireachtas committee for further consideration.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is free to read the report. It will take a while to read it. I cannot give the Deputy an answer in two seconds.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Heydon for raising this issue. The Bill is very valuable legislation which will permit public servants work beyond the age of 66 should they choose to do so. It will be very valuable in retaining the experience and skills of many public servants in their late 60s who often feel they have to retire long before they are ready to do so. The legislation has passed through the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for again raising the issue. It is not a matter of giving a direction to the Minister. As a House, we decided in legislation that whether drugs were to be reimbursed should not be a political decision and it is not for good reason. Whether a new medicine is to be licensed for use is a decision either for the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, or the European...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have read the report which indicates that the cost of the medicine outweighs the benefits by a ratio of 10:1 or even 20:1. When one measures the cost against efficacy, the ratio is 10:1 or 20:1, which, unfortunately, is not a very good figure. One would expect the cost to benefit ratio to be more like 1:1. but, unfortunately, it is 10:1 or 20:1. However, that does not mean that the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is also possible for the company to come back with a revised price.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister of State, Deputy English, is examining proposals in that regard. As is the case in the Deputy's constituency, there are also apartment buildings with defects in my constituency. The cost of repairing those defects, even when divided among the different homeowners or apartments, is very large for one individual or group of individuals to carry. Before we commit taxpayers'...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The first priority is to have theatres back up and running in Tralee hospital. I will pass on to the HSE his suggestion that patients be transferred to other hospitals, whether in Cork, Croom or Limerick, if there is spare capacity.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Bill is due this term. I think pre-legislative scrutiny has happened.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It happened last week so it will be due this term.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I express my sorrow and offer my condolences to the young woman and her partner who experienced a stillbirth. It is a very sad moment for any family, and those of us who have experience of stillbirth or miscarriage will know and understand that and will also understand, as Deputy Coppinger rightly points out, that there are many causes of stillbirth and it is not right to jump to any...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid the Deputy will have to wait until next Tuesday to know the details of the budget.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It has not been finalised yet.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I understand Science Foundation Ireland decides on how research funding should be allocated and that it does this on a competitive basis. When it does, some universities and research centres receive funding, while others, unfortunately, do not. I do not believe there is any substance to the suggestion that there is political interference, nor should there be. I will, however, ask the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I believe it was an issue with the EU payments system but that it has now been resolved. All social welfare customers should have received their payments by now, or, if not, they should receive them during the course of the day. The Department is monitoring the position, but if any customer is encountering difficulties, he or she is encouraged to contact the community welfare service at his...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am confident that the process has been robust. The Deputy is correct to draw attention to this. It is important we get this right because it is an enormous investment that will run for 25 to 30 years. There is the expression, act in haste and repent at leisure. We need to ensure this process is robust. We are confident it is. It is new and unprecedented. That is what makes it...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The national broadband plan aims to ensure every home, school, business and farm in Ireland, no matter how remote, will have access to high-speed broadband. Our ambition is for Ireland to become one of the first countries in the world to be able to do so. It is probably the most ambitious project for rural Ireland since the rural electrification scheme and will probably involve the biggest...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The rate stood at 52% when the Government of Fine Gael and Independent Members took office. It is now over 70% and will be close to 80% by the end of the year. The increase has been driven very much by the national broadband plan. Commercial investors knew that this was coming and got in ahead of it, put the infrastructure in the ground and provided broadband for homes. However, it will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is not intended that any services will be lost. People living in Cork county will continue to receive the services from their local authority that they receive now. In terms of revenue, there will need to be a compensation package. This must be worked out. It is the case that as a result of areas moving from what is now the county into the city, commercial rates could be lost to the...