Results 15,221-15,240 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will be realistic. In the absence of clear ruling, I will speak to the topic of the questions.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I did not discuss party politics with the President of Italy. His role is similar to that of President Higgins and it would not be appropriate for him to speak about party politics in this country. As a result, I did not engage him on that. I am very happy to engage with Members of the House on issues. I am here for two or three hours twice a week but I do not think the way we do it is...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I would like to discuss it at some stage.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will stick to the point but I would just mention that neither Deputy Micheál Martin nor Deputy Burton stuck to the point when I-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I will stick to the point in any event. In the meeting with President Mattarella, we did not discuss nationalism and the Spitzenkandidat process. However, we did discuss Brexit. President Mattarella's view was very supportive. His view was that if there was a hard border, there should no withdrawal agreement.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Communications (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 9, inclusive, together. The strategic communications unit does not hold twice weekly meetings with all Departments. The programme of work of the unit is part of the Civil Service renewal programme, which is overseen by the Civil Service Management Board. An assistant secretary delivery team has been established to lead the implementation of the unit's...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: For the information of Deputy Burton there is at least one public building in the State named after a woman involved in the Rising, 100 years ago. There may be others but there is certainly at least one, Elizabeth O'Farrell House, a new building for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. That was a decision I took as Minister for Social Protection.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I took the decision to ensure that public building was named after a woman. I was honoured to have Sabina Higgins, the wife of the President, come along to open the building for us. The Minister for Health has indicated that there will be a process used to consult the public on what the new name for the children's hospital should be. I would prefer that it not be named after a politician,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----socialist or non-socialist.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Burton was indulged by going off topic and I think it is only fair that I should be.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I know but I would hope and trust that the Chair would be consistent in his adjudication.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Leas-Cheann Comhairle's adjudication is that we are to stick to the topic in these questions and the topic is the visit to the President of Italy.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. I met the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella, during his State visit on Wednesday, 14 February. The President was accompanied by a delegation that included the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Angelino Alfano. We had a very friendly and constructive exchange which covered bilateral relations, Brexit, migration and,...

Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am his predecessor.

Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy is belittling the Holocaust.

Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The legislation is due for publication in this parliamentary session.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is the money companies hold on deposit to pay their staff. It is necessary to have a banking system to ensure that people can get loans, mortgages to buy homes, credit to keep their businesses going or credit to set up a business. We also must ensure that people get decent interest rates. There is a huge distinction between banks such as Anglo Irish Bank, which was bailed out by a...

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The difference when it comes to the last two banks is that we will recover that money.

Leaders' Questions (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: We have already recovered the money from Bank of Ireland and I believe we will recover it from AIB in time too.

Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The Defence Forces are available to be deployed at the request of local authorities. Local authorities, the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, and many other bodies have snow ploughs and salt is stockpiled. Nobody can say whether that will be enough because we do not know the amount of snow that will fall, how long it will last or what blizzard conditions there will be. However, the equipment...