Results 16,781-16,800 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Cabinet committee D mainly covers infrastructure but it also covers transport, which is a key part of our infrastructure. It is a Cabinet committee. Cabinet committees do not deal and never have dealt with industrial relations disputes. These disputes are dealt with by the Workplace Relations Commission and then by the Labour Court if a resolution cannot be found. It is correct to say...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: It is true. Tullamore was the last one. Having built none since 1997 or 1998, there are now three under construction - the national rehabilitation hospital in Dún Laoghaire, the new national children's hospital with satellite centres in Blanchardstown and Tallaght and the national forensic mental health hospital. Wings of hospitals were built, as were major hospital developments such...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I am being honest. There certainly were so, for example-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Examples would be the Nutley wing in St. Vincent's University Hospital or the Whitty Building at the Mater Hospital but there have been no whole new hospitals.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: That is part of Cork University Hospital.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I will give the Deputy that one. It is a fine hospital. The point I am making, which is also the truth, is that we now have major new hospitals under construction, which is the big deal, quite frankly. I hope a fourth one will be under construction by this time next year, which would be the new national maternity hospital on the Elm Park St. Vincent's campus. As the Deputy knows,...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: National Risk Assessment (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: On Storm Ophelia, I am advised this morning by ESB Networks that all homes and businesses have now been reconnected to the electricity network. I join with others in acknowledging the phenomenal work of the staff of ESB Networks, the assistance we received ScottishPower and others in Britain and from Électricité de France, EDF, and Réseau de Transport d'Électricité,...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: National Risk Assessment (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I am out of time.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: National Risk Assessment (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I think there was a request for a meeting.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: National Risk Assessment (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I suggest that the relevant people's offices speak to each other and try to organise it.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 6, inclusive, together. Cabinet committee D met on 15 September 2017 and the next meeting of the committee is scheduled for 23 November 2017. The committee’s terms of reference relate to infrastructure and its main focus at present is on housing and the forthcoming ten-year capital plan. Since the meeting on 15September, the Government has...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: National Risk Assessment (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. The 2017 national risk assessment was published on 29 August. This is the fourth national risk assessment produced by the Government. It aims to provide an overview of strategic risks facing the country. It is focused on the identification of risk and is not intended to replicate or displace the detailed risk management strategies...
- Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: It is a matter that would best be answered by way of reply to a parliamentary question to the Department of Health rather than by me as I do not have the up-to-date information.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Deputy makes a valid point on orphan drugs and ultra-rare diseases and I recognise his expertise in this matter. No matter what we do with orphan drugs or ultra-rare diseases, we need some mechanism to establish whether the medicine is effective and what represents a fair price as we need to ensure that patients receive drugs which are effective and which taxpayers can afford.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I do not know specifically what the position is in relation to that report. Perhaps a written question to the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government would receive a detailed response for the Deputy. As to voids being returned to use, funding is available next year to bring 7,900 social houses into use. That includes funding for 600 voids to be returned to habitable condition.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Not really, but I am happy to answer briefly. President Macron and I are very much aligned on this issue. We both support Mercosur because free trade is, on balance, a good thing for the Irish economy, creating jobs and revenue. This deal will potentially be eight times bigger than the deal with Canada and, as such, it is something we should be positive about. We have a particular...
- Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I will ask the Minister for Health to respond to the Deputy in detail.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I do not know the details of the law in this area, but I can assure the Deputy that whatever procedures have been followed for the past ten or 20 years were followed in these cases as well. What happens is that, when a Minister moves from one Department to another, technically his or her special adviser becomes unemployed as a result of the fact-----
- Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Legally, almost all of his or her staff become unemployed because the Minister has been moved to another Department. It is the normal process that those people are not just told to be unemployed. They are treated as people should be treated and moved into the next Department with the Minister. Arrangements are made within a few weeks to normalise that.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Oct 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The short answer is "Yes", but I will give the Deputy the figures, which I have here.