Results 16,041-16,060 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Communications (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I understand from the Minister for Health that there is an emerging view that the proposed name "Phoenix Children's Health" should not be the name of the new hospital. I am open-minded on the issue. I do not intend to make the decision personally but I am not keen on it being a political figure of any variety or colour. That would not be a good way forward. I have heard some people...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Communications (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Doctors can be political figures too, as Deputy Adams may know.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Communications (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I may even be one myself. To venture an opinion, I would go for one of the following two options. It should either be called what it is, namely, the national children's hospital. Most of these hospitals around the world have simple names like that. Alternatively, if we are going to choose a unique name, I would like it to be as Gaeilge. It is an opportunity in Bliain na Gaeilge to choose...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Communications (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: No memorandum was taken to Cabinet yesterday. I am not involved in signing off newspaper advertisements or where they are located on a page. I have many things to be concerned about in this job. Approving advertisements and deciding where they get located on pages is not part of my remit or even particularly of my interest.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Communications (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I did not see it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Communications (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I do not even know what the Deputy is talking about. If he wants to pass it on to me, I will take a look at it and let him know whether I think it is acceptable. I am the Head of Government and I am not signing off on advertisements or where they are located in newspapers.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 17, inclusive, together. I can, at this stage, outline my plans for a number of visits abroad, relating both to EU and non-EU business. As the House is aware, I will travel to Brussels for a meeting of the European Council on Thursday and Friday. Further European Council meetings are scheduled for March and June 2018. I plan to travel to Lebanon...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): EU Meetings (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----that does not apply to all things; it applies to regulations that may give rise to a border. I refer to the all-island economy and North-South co-operation. It is not all things and we do not have regulatory alignment on all things with Northern Ireland at present. There is a specific paragraph on rights reaffirming the commitment to ensure there is no diminution of the safeguards,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Communications (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 14 together. Good, clear and consistent communication is a virtue of good government. Citizens have a right to know what Government is doing and why. The strategic communications unit was established earlier this year to bring that consistency, clarity and professionalism to all Government communications. It means communication is treated as...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): EU Meetings (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will do my best. I could not write them down as quickly as they were asked so I expect I will miss many of them. I will do my best. On the joint report which was agreed last week, many people will put their own interpretations on it - that is the nature of politics - and will do so for their own reasons. All I can offer is elucidation and the best thing to do is to point to what is...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): EU Meetings (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 12, inclusive, together. I will attend a series of European Council meetings in a range of formats in Brussels tomorrow and Friday. I will of course report back to the House as usual after the European Council. The draft agenda for the main meeting consists of security and defence issues, including permanent structured co-operation, PESCO, and social,...

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: To answer the second of the Deputy's questions, of course we will do everything we can for the Border counties and to avoid any new barriers to trade or movement between Northern Ireland and Ireland. It is, of course, the United Kingdom's decision to leave the customs union and Single Market, albeit one we regret.

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Government decided this month to ratify the convention with reservations. It is intended that a memo come before Cabinet in January, and then parliamentary ratification will require a vote of the Dáil and Seanad in February. There are some complicating factors, but that is the indicated timeline.

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I agree.

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot give the Deputy confirmation of that at present. As I mentioned earlier, the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, will provide the details of the 12 new respite centres as soon as he can. Regarding something I said earlier, I have received a message from the Minister, Deputy Zappone, to say that the report, the press release and the questions and answers regarding the Tuam report...

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That is a matter for the Business Committee.

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will have heard me say before, unemployment has fallen and the number of jobs has increased in every county in Ireland; 80% of the new jobs created in the past year or so were created outside the Dublin area. Obviously, people make decisions for many different reasons. I appreciate it is a very long way to travel from Roscommon to Dublin, but there are people in other rural...

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on any individual case. I do not have the full information on the case to which he refers, and even if I did, I could breach confidentiality in commenting on it. Nonetheless, I understand the distress that would be caused to anyone making a long journey for an appointment only to find out the next day that it has been cancelled. Staffing...

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There are many nice towns in the great county of Kildare------

Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)

Leo Varadkar: ------but there are also large rural parts, as Deputy Danny Healy-Rae knows.