Results 13,641-13,660 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy McLoughlin for raising this important issue. As he will be aware, the capital budget for health increased this year and will increase again next year. In excess of €10 billion has been set aside for investment in new buildings, new equipment and ICT in our health service over the next ten years. As is always the case, it is not possible to complete every project this...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am afraid I do not have specific information relating to University Hospital Kerry in front of me but I will certainly ask the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, to provide the information to the Deputies from Kerry, or perhaps it could be raised as a Topical Issue matter. For the information of the House, when it comes to operations and procedures, it is one of the areas where we are...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Perhaps if Deputy Eamon Ryan's party had more than two Members, there would be more disagreements within his party group. I can assure him that when one has 70 public representatives, or whatever the number is now, there will always be a degree of disagreement among members, and as somebody who does not lead with an iron fist, I allow for it. Sometimes one has to allow for people to have...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Dublin is different. Dublin is complicated by the fact that we have four local authorities-----

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----and the proposal to have a fifth mayor - a sort of mayor of mayors, super mayor or chair of the mayors - is not one I believe would bring about better governance in the city of Dublin.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: What we propose to do is something different, which is a citizens' assembly to ask the citizens of Dublin how best they would like to see the local government in Dublin reformed. I personally like the Paris and London model, which is a single authority with a small number of full-time assembly members, a powerful executive mayor and, below that, many local councils like boroughs that people...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----but maybe I am wrong. Let us ask the people of Dublin, not just the politicians.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I understand from the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, that people may apply to him for a licence under the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 to 2016 and the regulations and orders made thereunder. Guidance on who may apply for a licence under the Misuse of Drugs Acts, as well as instructions on how to apply, can be found on the website of the Department of Health. To date, ministerial...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: For the record, as the Head of Government and the Minister who published the Bill, I want to see it enacted too, but I do not think we can play out the Business Committee here. I will speak to the Whip about it afterwards, and if there is a way to get it back on the schedule this week, we will do that.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As Deputy Martin is aware, the courts have made their decision, the referendum has now taken effect and the Constitution has been changed. I checked with the Minister for Health and I think we can have the Bill before the House in the first week in October. I will double-check but we are on target to meet our timeline of having the legislation through both Houses before the end of the year...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The programme for Government says that we support the Palestinian state - and we do - and that we intend to recognise the state of Palestine as part of a two-state solution. An agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to bring that about has not yet happened. We are working on the diary at the moment, and if I have the opportunity to meet President Abbas myself, I will do...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Absolutely. As I said earlier, with regard to the occupation of vacant properties, the city and county councils have the powers to use a compulsory purchase order, CPO, on properties. Many councils are doing that and if they are not using a CPO on a particular property, then I assume the council has a reason. Many of the properties being occupied are in the Dublin City Council area. This...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Deputies have their reasons-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If Deputies were as concerned-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If Deputies were as concerned-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If Deputies are as concerned about these issues as they make out, and if they really want emergency measures, then they must tell their own councillors not to vote against any social housing under any circumstances.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Protests will not build houses-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----but the Government will. The private sector will also build houses.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Ultimately, that will be the solution to the problem. As I said earlier, protests are part of a healthy democracy and welcome. However, they should be peaceful and occur in accordance with the law. I hope the Deputy will use the opportunity presented by his supplementary question to echo that sentiment-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Sep 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----that protests should be peaceful, that there should be no violence and that protests should take place in accordance with the law. There are no Government proposals to restrict people in taking photographs or making videos. That would be a restriction of free speech and not something I would support.