Results 14,761-14,780 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: It is absolutely appropriate for the Minister for Health to be involved in such a campaign. The Government and the Oireachtas are proposing to change the Constitution. I do not know how many referendums we have had on constitutional amendments but it has always been the normal course of events for Ministers to campaign in favour of the change they propose. It is the logical thing to do.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: That matter is before the courts.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I thought the report was published some time ago as I recall reading it, although perhaps that was a draft and the report was only formally published today. The deliberations and outcome of the Citizens' Assembly consideration of climate change very much informed Project Ireland 2040, the largest single element of which is the €22 billion to be invested by the State and semi-State...
- Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: Those are examples of decisions the Government has made in this regard.
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I am confused by the Deputy's proposal. A minute ago he said rents were unaffordable; then he called for a rent freeze. If they are unaffordable-----
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I do not see how a rent freeze would work. We have brought forward rent certainty and rent controls which ensure nobody in most of the country - 60% of people are now covered by rent pressure zones - will faces a rent increase of more than 4% in any given year. I have demonstrated how that is having an effect, with the average increase in the last quarter being just over 1.1%. It is not...
- Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: To reply to the first question, the clerk to the committee is ringing around to make arrangements for this afternoon. On the Magdalen redress scheme, the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Ombudsman and I met two weeks ago to resolve the matter. The Government fully accepts the four recommendations made by the Ombudsman. We will implement them without further delay. To date, some...
- Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: It will be a matter for the Independent Alliance to decide.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: The decision on the appointment of a Minister of State is a matter for the Cabinet but who is to be nominated to hold the position is a matter for the Independent Alliance.
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I think it can be ordered so that questions are taken.
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment rang me, I missed the phone call and I rang him back. We could not get each other because we were at different events yesterday evening.
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: He told me what I have told the Deputy.
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: He told me what I outlined. I wrote it down and I just read it into the record of the Dáil.
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: It took a while to get to the question.
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: Rents in Ireland are high, particularly in Dublin, and they have increased considerably over the past couple of years. They fell quite a lot during the recession and have increased very much over the past couple of years. Nonetheless, while it may come as a surprise to the Deputy, people are paying them. There are few vacant rental properties because people will not pay these rents; the...
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: I am not sure what Deputy Boyd Barrett is proposing. He seems to be proposing legislation whereby the Government would intervene and slash rents. We all know why that would not be a practical solution. That would not provide an additional property for any person in the State. If anything, the Government coming in to slash rents would create other problems. There would not be additional...
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: The answer to the sole question the Deputy asked is "Yes". The Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, is willing to come before the House this afternoon to make a personal statement. I understand that has been agreed for 3 p.m. The Minister will be willing to take questions on foot of that. He informs me the date was 4 January 2017, not November 2016. The information, as I said earlier, was...
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: Has the Deputy ever registered when somebody lobbied her?
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: Could the Deputy say that again?
- Leaders' Questions (18 Apr 2018)
Leo Varadkar: Almost anyone in Ireland can have access to a Minister. It is not that difficult to have access to politicians or Ministers in Ireland, whether it is through a constituency clinic or simply by requesting a meeting or telephone call. With regard to the lobbying Act, as the Deputy well knows as a serving politician, the obligation is on the person carrying out the lobbying - the lobbyist - to...