Results 15,421-15,440 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: There is now a process in place for doctors who are prescribing this medicine off licence. The HSE has advised me that the turnaround time for initial applications is three working days and it is five days for appeals. As of last Friday 1,500 post-shingle patients have been approved for it and the patch is being provided for them in the normal manner. Another 4,784 patients were registered...

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The background to this decision is that the lidocaine patches are licensed for localised post-shingle pain in adults. As I said earlier, this is the only licensed use in Ireland. When the plasters were first introduced the budget impact was low because it was prescribed only where appropriate and in line with specific indications for which it is licensed. It is, however, a cause of...

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy O'Reilly. I did not have a chance to watch the RTÉ "Prime Time" programme but I have read about Alison McCormack's case online over the last couple of days. I deeply regret the way in which she was treated by our health service, by St. James's Hospital and by members of my own profession. I offer her my sympathies. I thank her for her bravery in coming forward and in...

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am not in a position to speak on behalf of St. James's Hospital. It has its own legal personality and its own board. I understand that they issued a statement in the matter last night. I sincerely hope that the second patient has been informed that a misdiagnosis occurred in her case. I believe that if this has not been done it should be done. I am absolutely firm on that. I do not...

Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I have heard the harrowing stories on the radio and many people have contacted me personally about this issue. As a result of the concerns expressed, and the personal stories of people in terrible pain, I endeavoured to look into it and discussed it in detail with the Minister for Health last week. It is important that we fully understand and are honest about the background to this issue....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Proposed Legislation (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: As a serious point, that is all covered by the Civil Service code of conduct. The Deputy can be assured that there will be no party political work and no involvement in any electoral matters or referendums which would bring us into conflict with the McKenna judgment. As to legislation on NESC, the heads of a Bill will be brought forward but it is not a legislative priority for Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I know he is the favourite candidate of the Fianna Fáil Party. I do not know what the view is of Labour or Sinn Féin-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----but I do agree that whoever it is should be independent of Government, genuinely committed to Seanad reform and capable of bringing it through, so I agree with Deputy Martin's sentiments. It is true that I have reservations about the Manning report - I have not made a secret of that - regarding the cost and also the practicability of implementing it. If implemented, it would require...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is not another committee to examine the recommendations again.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: It is a working group to implement the many recommendations, not to reconsider them. I want to be very clear about that.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I am saying exactly what I am saying. I am fairly clear and blunt in the contributions I make in this House. I have reservations about it. I have doubts. I told the Deputy what they are, but I know it is a commitment in the programme for Government. Therefore, I am bound by it, and we are gong to go ahead with it.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: That is what is going to happen.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: The group is being set up not to look at it again, but to implement it, and that is what will happen. If other people do not have reservations, that is fine, but I want to put mine on the record now. I assume that if others do not have reservations, they are happy that no problems will arise in implementation. In terms of broadband, when we talk about broadband it is important to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: My apologies, 2016.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I almost forgot about those five long years. My apologies.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: When the Fine Gael, Independent Alliance and Independents Government came into office in May 2016, just over 50% of homes, businesses and farms had high-speed broadband. We are now up to approximately 75% and we will be at 80% by the end of the year. Notwithstanding the delays in the national broadband plan-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Seanad Reform (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----going from 50% to 80% is not bad progress and is much more progress than is being made with Seanad reform, draining the Shannon and those other matters. As Deputy McDonald pointed out, the Seanad can be used to allow those of us in the Oireachtas to hear more diverse voices, including those of the diaspora, and I am delighted that my forebear appointed Senator Lawless to represent...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Proposed Legislation (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 9, inclusive, together. My Department has responsibility for the National Economic and Social Council, NESC. The NESC’s statutory basis is as a body under the framework of the National Economic and Social Development Office Act 2006. That framework is no longer necessary and the Government has agreed that it should be dissolved and the NESC...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff Data (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: I deal with questions like this almost every week. I have said many times that I believe communication is important. It is important that people know what the Government is actually doing on their behalf and how taxpayers' money is being spent. I often hear that the Government does not get its message across. It is important that the Government gets its message across and I intend to make...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff Data (20 Feb 2018)

Leo Varadkar: -----and will adhere to Civil Service values as delineated by the Civil Service renewal plan and therefore it cannot carry out any party-political work. I can assure Deputies that will be the case. In terms of the dental hospital, as was the case with this national development plan, NDP, and previous NDPs, it includes Exchequer capital spend and also capital spend by semi-State bodies and...