Results 14,341-14,360 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: First, I strongly and warmly welcome the statement by the four parties in Northern Ireland - the Alliance Party, the SDLP, Sinn Féin and the Green Party - expressing their view that they want Northern Ireland to stay within the structures of the Single Market and the customs union, and presumably to remain part of the European Economic Area. I am conscious of the fact that, when we add...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Estimates Process (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 5, inclusive, together. At the end of April, a further Revised Estimate for my Department was voted through the House. This further Revised Estimate reduced my Department's 2018 net budget allocation by €2.5 million, from €35.89 million to €33.39 million. My Department's original Revised Estimate showed a net reduction of 2% on...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: October remains the target date. Deputy Howlin asked some very valid questions about the science of the new test. I am reluctant to answer those questions. It can be dangerous to know something about something, because one may answer-----.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am reluctant to answer for those reasons. However, I know that, since 2015, HPV testing has already been introduced in circumstances where a low-grade or high-grade abnormality is identified. The plan now is to move to primary screening whereby the test is done for HPV first and cytology later. At least that is my understanding, but I would be afraid to answer that question in too much...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Each of those will have its own board.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That will all be graphed and mapped out in the Sláintecare implementation plan, which, I anticipate, will be published certainly before the summer recess.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I would need another seven or eight minutes to answer all the questions.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have not read that story.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I answered that in Monday's newspapers.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Northern Ireland (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy would expect, there is close co-operation between my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which has primary responsibility for matters relating to Northern Ireland, North-South co-operation and British-Irish relations. Officials from the two Departments work very closely together across the range of issues relating to Northern Ireland and British-Irish...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: What Deputy Micheál Martin said is quite correct. Were it not for Vicky Phelan's strength and bravery in refusing to agree to a confidentiality clause, we would not know what we now know. Once again, I wish to put on the record that the State Claims Agency and the State did not request that. In fact, they counselled against that being done. I would have met Dr. Stephanie O'Keeffe...

Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I understand a policy paper was submitted to the Minister, Deputy Ross, in March. I will ask him to provide a further update to the Deputy by correspondence.

Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is absolutely right; it is terrible and outrageous. In order to change it we need to repeal the eight amendment on Friday.

Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: This is the advice of the current Attorney General, it is the advice of the former Attorney General and it is supported by two former Attorneys General-----

Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----Michael McDowell and John Rogers. I will explain to the Deputy why that is the case. I am sure he has read what the eight amendment states. Article 40.3.3ostates that the right to life of the unborn is equal to the right to life of the pregnant women. Therefore, the right to life of a foetus-unborn child of one, two, three, four or six days gestation is equal to that of any woman in...

Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Therefore, if you kill your mother or sister, the penalty has to be the same as it is if she had an abortion. That is what the eight amendment says and it even goes further. It says that the State must vindicate that right. That is why the penalty for having an abortion in Ireland has to be equivalent to the penalty of homicide because that is what the eight amendment means.

Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister of State, Deputy Daly, will respond to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My office contacted Vicky Phelan to offer a meeting with her. Ms Phelan has agreed to meet me at a date that is convenient for her. She is in regular contact, however, with the Minister, Deputy Harris. Our priority and focus remains on getting to the truth of what happened through the Scally inquiry, ensuring that women who have been affected are contacted and engaged, rebuilding...

Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to provide the Deputies with the reply on that although I recall raising this issue myself when I was in the Department of Health because people often move from one hospital to another every six months. It can be very inconvenient for people to have to be vetted by the Garda every six months. One of the explanations given to me at the time...

Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot count the number of times that politicians have said that the solution to our problems is the creation of another agency. I refer the Deputy to Project Ireland 2040 which sets out a really ambitious plan to invest in public transport in particular in the city, not just MetroLink, which is metro north and metro south combined-----