Results 14,741-14,760 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The former Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, attached a lot of value to it. I attended some of the meetings as a Minister and I decided I would continue with the practice when I became Taoiseach. I have no doubt that previous taoisigh, including Mr. Bertie Ahern, saw value in it also. We generally meet in round-table format, with many Ministers around the table and many representatives from...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: On 31 August last, I held a formal meeting under the structured dialogue process with representatives of the Catholic Church, led by Archbishop Eamon Martin. I was accompanied at the meeting by the then Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation and by the Ministers for Education and Skills; Health; Transport, Tourism and Sport; and Employment Affairs and Social...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The structured dialogue with churches and faith communities is arranged and organised by civil servants. It is something that my forebearer as Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, did also. I decided to continue to do it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Some of it is. I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together. The committee last met on 8 February and was attended by Ministers and senior officials from the Departments of Finance; Public Expenditure and Reform; Foreign Affairs and Trade; Justice and Equality; Health; Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Transport, Tourism and Sport; Housing, Planning and...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Howlin referred to a full security assessment of Russian activities in Ireland. I may be wrong but I am not aware of any such assessment being carried out. The Tánaiste may be aware of it but it is not something I am aware of being carried out. A security assessment was carried out on what diplomat would be expelled. That was the extent of it. We are not, to my knowledge,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I did not say there are no issues. There are always issues with any nation. In terms of establishing a bespoke security agency, which I imagine would be an Irish version of MI5, MI6, Mossad or the CIA, or something along those lines, it is one of the matters that the Commission on the Future of Policing, headed by Kathleen O'Toole, is considering. We are expecting its report in September....

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We would also need to consider the costs as well. There are quite a lot of people who describe themselves as security analysts and intelligence experts who regularly crop up in the newspapers and on the news. I imagine many of them would very much like us to spend a lot of money setting up such a body. No doubt there would be contracts to be awarded and all sorts of other things. I am...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am not entirely sure that we need to have something on the lines of a Central Intelligence Agency-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----or a KGB or Mossad. It is something that is being considered by the commission, and if it recommends it, we will certainly give it detailed consideration, but we would need to weigh up the pros and cons. I do not think it is necessarily or naturally the case that just because other countries have it, we should have it too. In terms of Syria, the Government unequivocally condemns...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: ----and actually action the decisions that have already been made and spend the money that has already been allocated to extend the working hours of the existing permanent cath lab.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As we all acknowledge, there has been an enormous improvement in recent years in care for patients with cystic fibrosis. The report produced by Cystic Fibrosis Ireland lays out very clearly and starkly how much services have improved. The next big step, of course, is the provision of the unit in Beaumont Hospital which will improve services for cystic fibrosis patients in north Dublin, in...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: If it was as simple as providing extra beds, extra staff and extra money, we would have solved the problem by now because we are spending €3 billion more per year this year than we did in 2011, have lots more staff and are adding beds. Let us take doctors, for example. Even though we are still below the European average, we are up to about 10,000 doctors working in the public health...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. Cabinet committee E covers issues relating to the health service, including-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My apologies.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will take the questions in the order in which they were asked. Regarding cardiology services in the south east, there is a second mobile catheterisation laboratory, cath lab, in place at present and that has helped to reduce wait times for people awaiting cardiology procedures in the south east. That will remain in place for the interim. The hospital there has also been funded to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Cabinet Committee Meetings (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. Cabinet committee E covers issues relating to the health service, including health system reforms. Cabinet committee E last met on 11 April. The next meeting has yet to be scheduled. In addition to meetings of the full Cabinet and of the Cabinet committees I meet with Ministers on a bilateral basis as required to focus on...

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: A record number of transplants were performed in Ireland last year. As the Deputy knows, for the first time more than 300 transplants were performed. I want to pay tribute to the extraordinary staff in our hospitals who made that possible and of course, to the people who donated their organs and their families. It is intended that we will have the heads of the Bill this month or next month...

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am grateful for this opportunity to pay tribute to our former colleague, Peter Mathews, who died a little over a year ago. I would also like to offer a very special welcome to Susan and his family members who are here today. Peter was a true gentleman, a colleague and a friend and we miss his company and his counsel. I first got to know Peter a few years before he entered this House as...

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister of State with responsibility for disability is on his way to New York to formally ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. On his return, I will ask him to furnish a reply to the Deputy detailing the actions the Government is taking to reduce the waiting times.

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I do not think the Deputy understands how the Constitution works.