Results 16,261-16,280 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I do not believe it is a case of either-or and HAP works for many people. It allows them to live in private rented accommodation, often - almost always, in fact - in a private housing estate or private apartment block. I know from my experience in my own constituency that many people living with a HAP tenancy or with rent supplement in a private housing estate or a private housing...

Questions on Promised Legislation (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I call on the Minister, Deputy Coveney.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is not for us to adjudicate on allegations, meet different sides and then, without evidence, make judgments. We must ensure allegations, whether by whistleblowers or others, will be taken seriously and investigated appropriately. We should not allow the Oireachtas to become a court.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Brexit stakeholder group is due to meet tomorrow and all parties are invited and welcome to participate in it. I have set up a system under which a very senior official in my Department is available to brief party leaders on the current state of the negotiations. Some party leaders have availed of it, although I am not sure if each of them has. I have committed to meeting party leaders...

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There will be statements in the House prior to the European Council meeting. They are to be made next week or the week after and there will be------

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That is the system we have in place in the House for party leaders and Members to contribute to the European Council before it takes place.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have committed to having a meeting of party leaders when we get to decision point and will honour that commitment, but we are not yet at such a point. The situation changes on a daily basis and it is not practical to have a meeting every day or two on the issue. That would be a major distraction from the job we are doing on behalf of Ireland on Brexit and in dealing with other...

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The important thing is to assure the public that the State will be policed throughout December. The number of gardaí is increasing. We will have 200 more gardaí next month. Since 2014 we have seen the number of gardaí continuously increase. We will also have a recruitment campaign for the Garda Reserve next year. We are seeing an increased number of gardaí. With more...

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is also important that we ensure Garda management is responsible and held to account for the way budgets are managed. If one has a budget of €100 million for overtime, one has to spread it out over a period of 12 months. There is a responsibility to do that. It is very easy to run out of funds for overtime in November if 9% of the budget is spent every month. Some 99% will have...

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Obviously the Deputy is free to criticise my handling of the events of recent days, as is anyone, but the basic approach I will always follow is that people should be given a fair hearing and that we should know all the facts before we rush to judgment. I appreciate fully that has never been the approach of Deputy Adams or his party. In the Sinn Féin view of the world people do not...

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Which file?

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Yes.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I read all the letters the Deputy sends me. I make a point of it.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is a process under way. When people have complaints to make against An Garda Síochána, there is a body called the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. That body is responsible and empowered to carry out these investigations. We should allow it to carry out its investigation, allow for due process and allow GSOC to make its report. When it has made its...

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I share the concerns about any ban on overtime in December. As the Deputy mentioned, December is a very busy period. Traffic is very heavy in the run-up to Christmas. There can be a spike in burglaries during this period because it is so dark and because many people tend to be out of their homes. Burglars also need money in the run-up to Christmas. There is often a...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: National Economic and Social Council (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: A new National Economic and Social Council (NESC) was appointed in May. The Council has changed the way it works with fewer plenary meetings, greater use of working or project groups, and more structured engagements with key policy actors, interests, and commentators. The NESC has played an important role over many decades in developing shared understanding between Government and other...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Strategy Statements (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is committed to delivering sustainable economic development including regional and rural development. Responsibility for Rural Affairs policy rests with the Minister for Community and Rural Development. Realising our Rural Potential, the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development, was launched in January 2017. It provides an overarching structure for the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Brexit Staff (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has an International, EU and Northern Ireland Division headed by a Second Secretary General, who also acts as the Sherpa for EU business, including Brexit issues. The staff resources for the Division vary from time to time but currently amount to approximately 25 wholetime equivalent posts across the full range of policy areas. The work of the Division includes supporting...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: During my visit to Enniskillen on 12 November I took the opportunity to meet with DUP Leader Arlene Foster to discuss the ongoing political situation in Northern Ireland and Brexit. I have not spoken with Ms Foster since then.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Brexit Negotiations (29 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In late 2015, the European Commission proposed a new approach to investment protection based on an international Investment Court System (ICS) to replace the historic Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system which required updating. ICS goes a long way to meet the concerns on transparency, legitimacy and public interests that had arisen under ISDS. The ICS system is composed of a...