Results 15,041-15,060 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Cabinet Committee E (Health) is scheduled to meet on 11 April.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Arrangements are being made for the next meeting of Cabinet Committee F, will be finalised as soon as possible. The role of cabinet Committee F is "to keep the State's systems for the analysis of, preparation for, and response to, threats to national security under review and to provide for high-level coordination between relevant Departments and agencies on related matters". The Committee...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Reports (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I recently launched the North East Inner City 2017 Progress Report when I visited the area with Minister Donohoe on Monday, 26 February. The Report sets out the work of the Programme Implementation Board since it was established last June and outlines the progress made under the four priority areas of crime and drugs; education, training and employment opportunities; services for families...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committee Meetings (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Cabinet Committee B last met on 16 November and is scheduled to meet again next Monday, 26 March. The Committee covers the areas of Social Policy and Public Service Reform including education, children, social inclusion, Irish, arts and culture, and continued improvements and reform of public services. This Committee seeks to coordinate the work across Government on planning and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I visited the United States from 11-17 March for this year’s St Patrick’s Day programme. My visit included engagements in Austin Texas, Durant Oklahoma, Washington D.C. and New York. The objective of my visit was to advance Ireland’s interests and deepen the bilateral relationship between Ireland and the US. In Austin, I paid a courtesy call on Governor Abbott,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 75, 88 to 101, inclusive, 103, 104, 106, 112, 115, 120, 125 to 127, inclusive, 129, 135, 136 and 149 together. Budget The campaign for Project Ireland 2040 has an indicative budget of €1.5 million. The cost of the launch in Sligo was €45,000, this figure is inclusive of photography costs as this service was provided in-house. Media...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising Data (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 76, 84 to 87, inclusive, 109 and 110 together. Advertorials There were no advertorials commissioned by my Department in 2016 and 2017. The costs relating to advertorial content commissioned by the SCU in my Department so far in 2018 are listed in the following table: Media Outlet Campaign Costs incurred to date Date published Irish Independent Healthy...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Strategic Communications Unit in my Department had no correspondence with Mr Ryan and had no involvement in compiling the briefing note referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 122, 145 and 146 together. A number of cross-Government priority communications campaigns have been agreed by Government following consultation with the responsible Minister and Secretary General. However, the work of the SCU is now under review. The review is planned to be concluded by Easter.The results of the review will inform the work plan,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Communications (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I spoke with Prime Minister May by phone on the evening of 26 February. We discussed Brexit and in particular, the draft Withdrawal Agreement. I re-iterated our preference that a solution on the border be found within the overall future relationship between the EU and the UK. At the same time I pointed out the necessity from the EU side to have the detail of the backstop option spelled out...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The programme of work for the Strategic Communications Unit is part of the Civil Service Renewal Programme, which is overseen by the Civil Service Management Board (CSMB). A subgroup of the CSMB has been established to deal with this initiative. This subgroup has met twice. An effective system of internal financial control is maintained and operated in my Department. Formal reporting...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The work of the Strategic Communications Unit is currently under review. Details of expenditure up to the end of February 2018 are contained in the following table: Details 2017 2018 (to 28 February) Total Travel & Subsistence €3,423.21 €299.34 €3,722.55 Advertising and Incidental Expenses €35,186.33 €124,385.38 €159,571.71...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Strategic Communications Unit (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 137 to 142, inclusive, 147 and 151 together. Six tenders for specialist advice have been awarded by my Department as follows: Service Company Date Tender advertised Date Tender closed Number of bids Length of contract Provision of research and insight Behaviour and Attitudes 19/09/2017 04/10/2017 6 Initial 6 months with 1 x 12 months extension...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising Data (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The information sought is not readily available and would require the analysis of records dating back to the foundation of the State. Work on this scale would incur unreasonable cost to my Department The current Financial Management System used by my Department became operational in 2002 and the information provided here comes from the records readily available. The costs outlined in the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Banking (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My Department does not have any deposit accounts. The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) – the only body under the aegis of my Department – has one deposit account. It does not incur negative interest rates.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table. The figures included represent actual expenditure incurred, and processed through my Department’s financial management system to the end of February 2018. Additional invoices for various projects are currently being processed or are yet to be received. 2017 February Company Description Amount FCR Media Ltd...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I met with Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday in Berlin. We discussed preparations for this week’s European Council, including Brexit, trade, EMU, the Western Balkans, and the tax challenges of digitalisation. Our exchanges also covered bilateral relations. I took the opportunity to thank the Chancellor for her ongoing support and solidarity in relation to our unique concerns...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Communications (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have never met the Strategic Communications Unit (SCU).The last time I met the Director of the SCU was at the Project Ireland 2040 event in Cork and Waterford on 9th March 2018.I received a briefing on the broad communications strategy for Project Ireland 2040 at a meeting in December 2017.This meeting was also attended by the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure, the Secretaries...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff Data (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The majority of civil service positions in my Department above the clerical officer grade are either filled using panels set up by the Public Appointments Service or through secondment arrangements with other civil and public sector bodies. Exceptions to this would be Special Adviser positions (to which Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act, 1997 applies) and posts filled by...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (21 Mar 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Following the advice issued by the National Emergency Coordination Group on the status red weather warning issued by Met Éireann on 28 February 2018, an email was issued to staff in my Department from the Head of Corporate Affairs to advise them that they should not attend work on Thursday 29 February or Friday 1 March 2018. This advice also applied to staff in the National Economic and...