Results 13,701-13,720 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We are now up to 75% and it will be 80% by the end of the year.

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: At least 400,000 premises have been connected to high-speed broadband in the past two years. I appreciate that if someone is among the 20% or so who do not have it-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----that is no good to them. This is where we need further Government intervention and it is our expectation that the contract to provide broadband to the last 500,000 or so premises will be signed this autumn.

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure about the wheels on the wheelchair but I looked into the matter regarding crutches when I worked in the health service and what I was told - and this is the information I have - is the cost of examining the crutch and making sure it is safe for use by an additional person is greater than the cost of manufacture and there would be potential liability should a crutch be reused and...

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I was in Macroom last Friday and I was delighted to have a chance to visit the town again and to visit the Deputy in his office. It was good to see him serving his constituents as assiduously as he does every Friday. Our biggest commitment to Macroom is making progress on the Macroom-Ballyvourney bypass which will go to construction next year or, at the very latest, the first part of 2020....

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy McLoughlin for raising this important issue. I know he has taken an interest in it over the years. We have a contract with Altnagelvin hospital in Derry to provide cath lab services and primary percutaneous coronary intervention, PCI, for people in Donegal. I appreciate that Sligo is a long way from Derry. The provision of a cath lab in Sligo University Hospital is being...

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I was not aware of that. I will check it out. The line serves Pace, Dunboyne and Hansfield stations in my constituency. I have not been made aware of it but I will definitely look into it.

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: In answer to Deputy Catherine Murphy's question first, we are working on the regulations and the clinical guidelines. The intention is to make abortion services available to Irish women from January next year. We are working on the regulations, guidelines, funding models and all the things that must be put in place in order that the services can be provided from January. It is our...

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: All things going to plan, assuming the court challenges are unsuccessful, the legislation will be before the Dáil in September and it will be open to Deputies to propose amendments to legislation at that point.

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There are many ways by which people can debate matters. The most obvious way to debate a matter is for the Deputy or his party to put a motion to the Dáil or Seanad.

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That is entirely in the Deputy's control. On the particular legislation he mentioned, I can only give him the answer I have given previously. Both the Minister, Deputy Naughten, and I have explained why we do not think a money message is appropriate on this occasion.

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I think with almost 20 electricity retail providers, I doubt there is a cartel. If the Deputy believes there is, I would encourage him immediately to make a complaint to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. The programme for Government commitment on the review of prices and the regulation of prices is being fulfilled by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.

Leaders' Questions (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I again thank Deputy Healy for raising this important issue. I assure him that we will examine the matter that he suggests. Project Ireland 2040 provides over €10 billion for investment in our health infrastructure, including, buildings, equipment and ICT. As part of this spend, an additional 2,500 inpatient beds will be provided. As part of this expansion and the provision of...

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is correct that those commitments are in the programme for Government that Fine Gael negotiated with the Independent Alliance but they are not in the confidence and supply agreement. They will be examined in the context of the forthcoming budget. If we can find the money to do it, we certainly will. That is our intention.

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: On the legislative matter, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, has informed me that the review is complete. I have not seen it yet but the Minister intends to bring it to Cabinet this month. We will publish it subject to approval from the Cabinet. On the matter of health services for transgender citizens, I spoke to the Minister for Health,...

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is my preference that we would have already started discussions on renewal of the agreement. It is not in the country's interests for us to be trying to negotiate an extension to the confidence and supply agreement in October or November when we are dealing with the Brexit negotiations and so many other matters. It is a matter I will discuss with the Leader of the Opposition in due...

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of the dispute but not the details of the claim. Should it not be possible to resolve the issue between the local authority's management and the representatives of the firefighters I suggest that State intervention may be required. That intervention should be by the Workplace Relations Commission. We established the latter as a State body precisely because it has the expertise...

Questions on Promised Legislation (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If the family makes a request to the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for consular services, he will do all he can to provide assistance via the embassy in Abu Dhabi. Having dealt with a number of similar issues, including on behalf of a constituent, I know that the United Arab Emirates is rigid in the manner in which it enforces the law and it does require that...

Leaders' Questions (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I agree with the Deputy on the first point about Garda visibility. That is what people want. In my community in Blanchardstown and Castleknock people like to see gardaí out on the beat, in cars and on bicycles. The Deputy is right about that. We are increasing Garda numbers and we have 600 more gardaí now than two years ago. More are being recruited all the time and that will...

Leaders' Questions (11 Jul 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge Deputy Healy's ongoing interest in and commitment to health services in the south east. He has raised overcrowding in the hospital in Clonmel on many occasions, and we are making good progress on that, as well as on the mental health services. The move in mental health over the past couple of decades, in line with A Vision for Change which every party has signed up to, is to...