Results 16,241-16,260 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Climate Change Policy (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----no doubt talking to Members about the European Council summit which will happen 40 hours later. I will have to prioritise the summit in Brussels on 14 and 15 December over going to Paris on 12 December. It would not be possible for me to attend the House to speak to Members about that crucial summit if I was to be in Paris for the two days before the summit. I will not be in Paris...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Climate Change Policy (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The things it will do in the areas of public transport and infrastructure will be aimed at modernising the bus fleet. It is not as simple as going electric in one year or moving to natural gas or fuel cells or other fuels. We actually have to build the fuelling plants in lots of places, which raises the question of whether depots should still be where they are. It will include actions to...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Climate Change Policy (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Another thing we will have to consider which will have to be discussed in the context of the confidence and supply arrangement is what we should do with carbon taxes in the years ahead. It is my view that we should increase them in the years ahead, both to discourage the production of CO2, one of the greenhouse gases that causes climate change, and also potentially as a means to raise funds...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Climate Change Policy (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have mentioned public transport. We do not have any oil, despite constantly being told by the far left about all of the oil we have given away. We do not actually have any oil; therefore, we have not given any away. We have some gas but not very much. Notwithstanding the fact that climate change is happening and caused by fossil fuels, for the long foreseeable future we will still need...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Climate Change Policy (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----medical devices.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Climate Change Policy (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: We will continue to need some oil and gas into the future. Does it make sense for us to buy it from the Middle East or South America or should we produce it ourselves?

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Climate Change Policy (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 6, 13 and 14 together. I was invited to participate in the "One Planet" Summit on 12 December in Paris by the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend this summit and I have passed on my...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): EU Meetings (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There was a wide range of questions, a number of which are tangential to the questions that were tabled. However, as always, I will try my best to answer as many questions as possible. I was pleased to represent the Government at Gothenburg for the social summit. As I mentioned in my video piece at the end of the summit with the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Policy Functions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I was getting to it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Policy Functions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Ask it again in the next round.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Policy Functions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That is fine. We will deal with Gothenburg in this group and climate change in the next.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): EU Meetings (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 7 to 12, inclusive, together. I attended the social summit for fair jobs and growth in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 17 November, with the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Affairs, Deputy Doherty, and the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy McEntee. This was organised jointly by Swedish Prime Minister, Stefan...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Policy Functions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The range of questions was diverse but I will do my best to answer as many as I can. Deputy Adams is of course correct in saying that approximately seven homeless people have died in recent weeks. Roughly speaking, between 40 and 50 homeless people die every year. Each one is a tragedy and very sad. People who are homeless die for all sorts of different reasons, whether physical health,...

Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Next year is only five weeks away and it is our objective to have the contract signed as soon as possible and homes connected next year. As the Deputy knows, there are only two bidders left. Inevitably, these things take time. There has to be a tender process and a contract and a further short period during which the unsuccessful bidder can challenge the process. At that point, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Policy Functions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The role of the social policy and public service reform division is to support me, as Taoiseach, and the Government in delivering on the programme for Government objective of public policies and services which support a socially inclusive and fair society. The division supports the work of Cabinet committee B and the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is not really appropriate for me to arrange meetings on the floor of the House.

Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That is news to me and I will certainly check it out. The Deputy will be aware from the budget announcements that the overall transport budget has been increased for next year and for every year up to 2021. I cannot understand why there would be a cut of that nature in roads maintenance. I will have the matter checked out.

Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is no specific legislation on this matter. It is an objective of Government to protect farm incomes and that will be a major feature as we enter into negotiations for the new phase of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2020. Perhaps the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine will be able to answer this query better by means of a parliamentary question or Topical Issue Matters.

Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The running of the Oireachtas is and ought to be a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. The Government has legislative plans to ban zero-hour contracts and ensure people have more security in respect of the hours they work. Sometimes, however, if-and-when contracts may be necessary and can work for the employee, particularly where there is an on-call or agency arrangement....

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I want to say how deeply saddened I am, as I think everyone is, to hear of the deaths in recent days of two people who were homeless. On my behalf and on behalf of the entire House, I express my condolences to the families and friends of those affected. We understand that one homeless man in his late 30s who had been sleeping rough at the Four Courts has passed away; The Irish Timesreports...