Results 16,521-16,540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Cabinet committee E met on 12 September and is scheduled to meet again on 23 November. Committee E covers issues related to the health service. As well as considering current issues and challenges faced by the health service, such as measures to improve access to scheduled and unscheduled care over the months ahead, the Cabinet committee will oversee the development of the Government's...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: 12 September.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Additional funding for elder care, people with disabilities, respite and decongregation will be provided in 2018. Any particular local issue would be best raised with the Minister for Health or the Minister of State with responsibility for disability services by parliamentary question.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Yes.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The contract negotiations are commercially sensitive and confidential and I am not a party to them. The Minister, Deputy Naughten, has informed me that he anticipates the contract will be signed next year.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I agree with Deputy O'Rourke that broadband is not a luxury but, rather, is essential. It is the intention of the Government that Ireland will be the first country in the world in which every home and business has fibre broadband. Notwithstanding the delays in getting the contract signed, the private sector, in partnership with Government and local authorities, is providing more and more...

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is intended to publish that legislation this session and bring it through the Houses next year. The main elements of the scheme have already been introduced, as the Deputy is aware, including the child care subsidy for all children aged between six months and three years.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: No provision has been made in either the Finance Bill or appropriation Bill because there will not be any fines next year. Any fines to be levied will be imposed from 2020 onwards.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There has been significant investment in greenways in recent years, not least the Great Western Greenway in Mayo and the Deise Greenway between Dungarvan and Waterford city. I have yet to be on the latter but I am told it is fabulous and worth a visit. There is also the greenway on the Royal Canal which goes across several counties. I do not know to hand the progress with the ones in Kerry...

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is no programme for Government commitment on this particular matter. I will ask the Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food to provide the Deputy with a more detailed reply.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I share the Deputy's acknowledgement of the fabulous work done by the Irish Red Cross Society in Cork and across the country. Heads of the Bill are being prepared but we do not have a date for it as of yet.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised that work is under way on the Bill but we do not have a date for publication yet. I do recall that some aspects of the patient safety package are in the Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill which we hope will come through both Houses this week. That includes periodic payment orders, so that if somebody has been damaged as a result of being harmed in the course of health care,...

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There has been a significant fall in unemployment in the south east and a significant increase in employment. There is of course much more to job creation than IDA jobs although I was pleased to be in Waterford not too long ago to announce the creation of extra jobs in the Bausch & Lomb facility there. I think probably a more detailed answer could be provided by the Tánaiste if...

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I know there were significant delays in GLAS payments being made earlier this year, in fact, so certainly I will pass on the Deputy's concerns to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and will ask that he ensure that the payments are made as soon as possible.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have not seen the report to which the Deputy refers but the programme for Government commits us to implementing the Action PLan for Rural Development, which we are doing.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will be aware that employment is up and unemployment is down in every county. The number of premises that have access to high-speed broadband has risen from half, when the Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance came to office-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----to two thirds now. It will be three quarters by the end of the year. Considerable investment is going into rural Ireland through programmes such as the town and village scheme, re-establishing the local improvement scheme to improve laneways and rural roads and many other initiatives.

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate the Deputy's passion on this and his comments. He did not ask a question. As he is speaking about a report that was published in the last hour, I am afraid I can add no more. This is Leaders' Questions, by the way.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I may be incorrect in this reply and I apologise in advance if I am. I think the national rare diseases plan was published two or three years ago. One of its recommendations was the establishment of a national rare diseases office. I recall that because I remember opening it as Minister for Health a number of years ago. Perhaps I am incorrect in that regard.

Questions on Promised Legislation (15 Nov 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The programme for Government commitment is to implement A Vision for Change and to improve mental health services in Ireland. That is a commitment we will honour. As the Deputy knows, the budget for mental health in 2018 will be €912 million. That will help to bring us further towards implementing A Vision for Change. That is an increase from €853 million this year,...