Results 16,061-16,080 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: They are not remote but parts are very rural. The legislation is before the House and it is for the House to accept, amend or refuse it. I do not agree that the Bill has not been rural-proofed. The facts indicate that the vast majority of those who die on our roads are not killed in Dublin or Cork city centres or in our towns and cities. People who die on the roads in Ireland tend to die...
- Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I accept there is also an issue in regard to rural isolation and the lack of good transport in rural areas and Deputy Heydon is working on that. However, it is not solely about people getting home from the pub at night but, rather, better rural transport for people doing many things other than drinking.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I may be mistaken but I am relatively sure that only this week the Cabinet gave approval to the Minister, Deputy Zappone, to publish the report. We are in her hands as to when it will be published. The ordering and timing of a debate in the House is a matter for the Business Committee.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: It was not intended as praise.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I am delighted the Deputy outlasted Mugabe. I congratulate him on that.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Bill is on Committee Stage.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: These are questions on promised legislation. I have answered the question.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2017 is on Committee Stage.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: It is my intention that we would have a referendum in May 2018. As I unfortunately do not have a majority in this House, and as the guillotine no longer exists, I cannot promise that it will happen. We do not control the House. It will be in the House's hands. Obviously a number of things need to be done. A referendum Bill must be passed; legislation, or at least heads of legislation,...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I join Deputy Grealish in acknowledging the value of CE schemes. As Deputies, we are all familiar with them in our constituencies. As a former Minister for Social Protection, I am very familiar with them. I am also aware of the fact that the CE system was established by my party many decades ago. That is something of which we are very proud. Having established CE-----
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I do not believe Deputy Howlin is correct.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I will double check. We were certainly in government at the time in any event. It started off as a different scheme, called social employment, and then became community employment. CE has huge value. It has a duel value in that it provides employment and training opportunities for people, and also provides important community services as well. The number of people on CE schemes stands...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----the Labour Court finding was made not-----
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: It is very hard to answer questions in this House sometimes.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: As the Labour Court finding applies to the employer, and the State is not the employer, the Labour Court finding does not apply to the State. One thing that the Government and the House must always do is look out for taxpayers and respect them. If we were to take on the pension liabilities of people who are not public servants and who work for voluntary or private bodies, the impact on and...
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The same would apply to many fields of endeavour, many businesses and lots of work. There are many examples of where the Government sets the rules and regulations and designs the contract. However, that does not mean that the Government is then required to cover the pension liabilities of the people who work for the relevant body-----
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----or company.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: It is always open to individuals to make provision for their pensions-----
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----by paying into a pension fund or a personal retirement savings account, PRSA, and that, of course, is what public servants do. If one is a teacher or a civil servant and one works for the public service, one makes contributions to the public pension fund.
- Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Deputies may be aware that this issue is currently being examined by the community sector high level forum, which is chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The Departments of Employment Affairs and Social Protection; Health; Education and Skills; and Housing, Planning and Local Government are represented in this group, as are Pobal, SIPTU and IMPACT. The forum last met...