Results 17,021-17,040 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Leaders' Questions (11 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Regardless of Fianna Fáil's demands that we should make such preparations, we will not do that.

Leaders' Questions (11 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The amount of additional funding for disability services next year, as announced in yesterday's budget, is €65 million. Approximately €50 million of this will be used to improve and expand existing services and cover additional pay costs etc. The other €15 million will be used for new developments. That is just in the Department of Health. Additional funding is being...

Leaders' Questions (11 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I read the report last week, or possibly on Monday, and I certainly did not suppress it. The report is from 2015 and was carried out before the referendum even happened. Much has changed since then, not least the commitment from the Government of the United Kingdom that there will no physical infrastructure on the Border, and the negotiating guidelines that we have agreed from the European...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Ministerial Functions (10 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: At my request, on 5 July, the Government made an Order delegating my statutory functions in relation to the Central Statistics Office under the Statistics Act 1993, the Civil Service Regulation Acts 1956 to 2005 and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 to the Government Chief Whip, Deputy McHugh. On 14 June 2016, at the request of my predecessor, the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Community Development Projects (10 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The 2016 funding allocated to the North East Inner City to help the Community implement a number of interim measures is detailed in the published Mulvey Report which is available on merrionstreet.ie. As previously outlined further measures for 2017 were agreed by the Programme Implementation Board at a cost of €2.5 million which are set out in more detail below - these contain a...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Websites (10 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There has been no change to the practice of publishing speeches to the Department's websites, which are up to date. There are currently no plans for changes to the Department's website.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (10 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As I reported on October 3rd, I have raised the Dublin/Monaghan Bombings and other legacy cases with Prime Minister May and have stressed the importance of making progress on legacy issues and the overall arrangements for dealing with the past. The Government will continue to engage with the British Government in relation to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, and pursue all possible avenues...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (10 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Ongoing political engagement with our EU and international partners is crucial, especially as negotiations on Brexit proceed. I continue to use every opportunity to ensure that other Member States and the EU institutions fully understand our particular concerns arising from Brexit, to enable the best possible outcome for this country. Of course, other Ministers - particularly Minister...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Civil Service Code of Conduct (10 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As part of my Department's induction process, all employees receive - and sign up to - the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour. Part 2, Section 5 of that Code deals with the issue of civil servants and politics.

Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (5 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of An iar-Thaoiseach and former Member of this House, Liam Cosgrave. As Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael, I extend my deepest sympathy to his family and friends. Liam Cosgrave was someone who devoted his life to public service. Today a grateful country thanks and honours him for always putting our nation first. Mar Thaoiseach agus mar ceannaire...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Irish Prisoners Abroad (4 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I join with others in recognising the role of the Ceann Comhairle and the all-party delegation to Egypt which, I agree, was helpful in demonstrating to the Egyptian authorities that this was an all-party and non-party campaign in support of him. He received strong support from different parties and also from across Irish society. Now that Ibrahim Halawa has been acquitted, the Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Irish Prisoners Abroad (4 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: To answer Deputy Adams's question as to whether any officials visited Ibrahim since his acquittal, I do not know that for certain. I assume they have because they have visited on regularly and I imagine they would have to have been there to give him his passport. I will check that out and make sure that is the case. I assure Deputy Micheál Martin that we will not step back from...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ministerial Responsibilities (4 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is a number of questions and I did not get a chance to write them all down. I always appreciate Deputy Adams' advice on the North. My point on Orkambi is that it is available in this jurisdiction but not in Northern Ireland and by forming an Executive and by participating in government in Northern Ireland rather than just campaigning for it, Sinn Féin can actually have a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ministerial Responsibilities (4 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Given that the company that manufactures it is taking the Government to court it does not make it easy to resolve that issue. I do not know everything about allowances paid to Ministers of State attending Cabinet because some of it happened before I was Taoiseach and the matter has largely been dealt with by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The position is that only two...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Irish Prisoners Abroad (4 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I spoke with Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi by telephone on Monday 28 August. The call was instigated at my request to discuss the case of an Irish citizen, Ibrahim Halawa. I emphasised the importance that the Irish Government places on this consular case and received assurances from the president that he would intervene, if necessary, following the announcement of a verdict, to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (4 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Government notes the announcement made by Commissioner Vestager this morning. It is a decision with which we disagree. We believe it is wholly unnecessary and very much unwarranted at this time. We profoundly disagree with the European Commission's interpretation of state aid rules. It is our view that tax is a matter of national competence. It is a matter for this Parliament, not...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Ministerial Responsibilities (4 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 9 together. On 14 June 2017 the Government appointed Deputy Joe Mcl-lugh as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at my Department and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht with special responsibility for Gaeilge, the Gaeltacht and the islands and Deputy Paul Kehoe as Minister of State at my Department and the Department of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (4 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 7, inclusive, together. Ongoing political engagement with our EU and international partners is crucial, especially as negotiations on Brexit proceed. I will continue to use every opportunity to ensure that other member states and EU institutions fully understand our particular concerns arising from Brexit in order to enable the best possible outcome...

Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: If I recall correctly, that commitment is in the programme for Government, not the confidence and supply agreement. We are only about 20% of the way through the commitments of our programme for Government, which runs for five years. I do not believe the review has started yet but we will certainly do it. I had the experience of spending a few hours travelling with the air ambulance service...

Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Oct 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Unfortunately, we shall never reach nirvana. Nirvana is a concept to aspire to but it is always good to have a concept to aspire to.