Results 13,501-13,520 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Michael Collins for raising this issue which is of great interest in Cork, city and county. The Government supports the proposed redrawing of the boundaries for Cork city and county councils. We are ambitious for Cork which is our southern capital and second city. We want the population of Cork to grow by at least 50% by 2040. We want the population of Cork to grow twice as...

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

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy McDonald for the question. This is a very important matter, as everyone in the House will agree. The Government stands by the Good Friday Agreement and will defend its primacy. We see our role, as the Irish Government, as being co-defenders of that agreement. We should not forget all that has been gained from the Good Friday Agreement. It may not be operating as it should...

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

Leo Varadkar: I have known Arlene Foster for many years. She is a woman I like and respect. I had the opportunity to be her counterpart for three and a half years when we were both responsible for tourism on the two different parts of the island and we worked very well together when the Good Friday Agreement was operating. I would say to any political party in Northern Ireland or, indeed, on these...

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

Leo Varadkar: I cannot yet confirm it for the reason I gave the Deputy - I have not yet received the report from the Chief of Staff.

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

Leo Varadkar: The Minister of State has spoken to the Chief of Staff and we are awaiting a report. There can be many reasons a vessel may not be able to sail.

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

Leo Varadkar: However, I can say there are 1,000 personnel in the Naval Service out of an establishment figure of 1,094.

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

Leo Varadkar: Therefore, the Naval Service is at 92% strength. There are many reasons a vessel may not be able to sail.

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

Leo Varadkar: However, I can confirm that the Naval Service has been able to fulfil all of its duties in fisheries protection and interdiction, as well as its other duties, during the period.

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

Leo Varadkar: I cannot confirm that. The Chief of Staff is compiling a report for the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, on that. I can say that the Naval Service, which has about 1,000 personnel, is at about 92% strength at the moment. The Chief of Staff will prepare a report on that for the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe. The Government is a strong supporter of our Defence Forces. We value the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Programme for Government (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Programme for a Partnership Government was agreed in May 2016 during the formation of the Government. This is a five year programme of work being undertaken for the duration of the present Dáil. The Government publishes progress reports on the Programme for Government each year - the second of which was approved by cabinet in May 2018 and is published on my Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Cabinet Committee B last met on the 7th June and is expected to meet again in the coming weeks. The Committee, which covers the areas of Social Policy and Public Service Reform, ensures a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of commitments in the Programme for Partnership Government, and provides the opportunity to shape proposals on issues such as equality, disability and disadvantage which...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: European Council Meetings (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 48 together. I attended the Informal meeting of EU Heads of State and Government in Salzburg on 19 and 20 September. The Summit, which was chaired by the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, was one of a series of such meetings relating to the Future of Europe. On this occasion, our focus was on issues relating to migration, and internal...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The next meeting of Cabinet Committee D is not yet scheduled. As I have previously indicated to the House, the Committee works to ensure a coordinated approach to the delivery and ongoing development of policy across the areas of infrastructure investment and delivery, housing, and climate action. There is significant work underway across Government departments and agencies on each of...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: These activities are funded from my Department's Administration budget. This budget is currently behind profile. As the deputy will be aware, this area experienced large scale changes during the year, whereby the budget was scaled back significantly.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Each Department paid for their own stand at the National Ploughing Championship 2018. Given the fact that the event took place very recently, payments are still being processed and costs will be published once finalised. The number of staff from my Department varied over the course of the event, depending on the level of activity/support required. Over the course of the event, a...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: On my recent visit to New York on 23 September to represent Ireland at the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, I was accompanied by a small delegation from my department, comprising a Special Adviser, an Assistant Secretary General, the Government Press Secretary, an Assistant Private Secretary and a Security Officer.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Strategic Communications Unit has been wound down as of July 2018. The review conducted by the Secretary General of my Department in March 2018 recommended that the budget allocation for 2018 should be reduced by 50% to €2.5m, which reflected existing spending commitments already made and that the overall budget for 2018 for the Department of the Taoiseach should therefore be...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I take it that the research referred to is the Citizen Survey. The Citizen Survey has not yet been run. I have already committed to briefing Opposition parties prior to the running of the survey. It has always been the intention to publish the results of the survey once available.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 124 together. Ongoing political engagement with our EU and international partners, remains crucial, in relation to Brexit and other important EU issues. I meet and speak regularly with my EU counterparts bilaterally, and at formal and informal meetings of the European Council, where I use every opportunity to advance Ireland's interests. I did not...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: EU Meetings (2 Oct 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Summit, which was chaired by the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, was one of a series of such meetings relating to the Future of Europe. On this occasion, our focus was on issues relating to migration and internal security. We had a useful exchange on how best to progress our comprehensive approach to migration, as agreed at the June European Council, in securing our...