Results 17,341-17,360 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Order of Business (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: As far as I understand it, the committee voted democratically to decide that the Bill should not progress. Whether it comes back to this House is a procedural question and perhaps one best addressed to the Whips or the Business Committee. Cannabis is available in Ireland as a medicine under certain circumstances and can be applied for under licence from the Minister for Health, but of course-----
- Order of Business (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----what is required is that a doctor qualified to do so determines that it is a medicine which is necessary in those cases. The IMO it is a trade union and, of course, I always listen to the views of trade unions. It is not a scientific body.
- Order of Business (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: When it comes to taking the advice of scientific bodies, one takes a wide range of advice and not just one scientist. One would listen, for example, to the Royal College of Physicians and the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
- Order of Business (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am fully aware that a number of patients have been on a compassionate access scheme for Respreeza which is operated by CSL Behring. Following recent media reports, it appears that the company could be considering terminating the scheme. However, no formal notification has been received by the HSE from the manufacturer of its intention...
- Order of Business (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: It is our wish as a Government to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities this year. It is still our intention to do so. We have run into some difficulties, in particular with the enabling legislation and the deprivation of liberty. The Deputy will know that Ireland takes a different approach from that taken by other countries. Other countries sign a convention,...
- Order of Business (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I will have to come back to the Deputy on both counts. Certainly, in regard to the regulation of crisis pregnancy counselling services, we very much support the approach outlined in the Deputy's Bill. Women who face a crisis pregnancy need to get accurate and impartial advice. It is of great concern to me and the Government that some people may be providing misleading or inaccurate advice...
- Order of Business (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Yes.
- Order of Business (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The bed capacity review is under way. Obviously it is not just about the number of beds, it is about the type of beds. There is a big difference between an ICU bed and a day-case bed, for example, or a paediatric bed. It is at an advanced stage and will be completed in advance of the capital review. It will be completed before the end of the year. We want to have it before the capital...
- Order of Business (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: They are proceeding to design, yes.
- Appointment of Ministers of State (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I wish formally to announce the following change to the titles and functions of a Minister of State: the Government has appointed Deputy Seán Kyne to be Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment with special responsibility for community, natural resources and digital development with effect...
- Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I agree with Deputy Grealish. It is important that Ireland has a planning process that allows people to give their views on any planning application but it is also important that decisions are made speedily. It is frustrating to see so many of these important decisions being held up in the courts by means of judicial review. That does not only affect private sector projects such as this as...
- Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: It will be twice in two years.
- Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: We have also agreed wage increases for example, and only last week there was agreement from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. Bear in mind the Deputy is the man who said Fine Gael could not negotiate a pay deal and that we did not understand the unions. Last week we saw agreement for the negotiated pay deal with ICTU, which will see pay increases in 2018, 2019 and 2020 for all public...
- Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: In the last couple of weeks we have begun the process of bringing in affordable child care for all families.
- Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The subsidy is worth approximately €1,000 per year for families who pay for child care.
- Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: For those who pay tax and the universal social charge, USC, we will reduce their tax and USC so they can have more money in their pockets. For those who do not earn enough to pay USC or income tax, we will improve their lives by improving social insurance benefits and costs such as child care.
- Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: In continuing the sporting theme, we should also acknowledge the phenomenal success of the Cork camogie team on its victory a few weeks ago. All Members look forward to seeing the Dublin ladies Gaelic football team achieve a footballing double for the blue city this weekend. Ireland is often referred to as the data capital of Europe. There are currently 27 data centres in the country and...
- Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I should first state clearly that the budget has not yet been written or agreed to. It is still under negotiation, particularly among Ministers. The phoney debate, if there is to be one, is the one the Deputy wants to have, which is that budgetary policy is solely a trade-off between tax reductions and spending increases and, of course, the phoney debate that assumes that spending...
- Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----and because of the growth in employment and salaries in the past year or so, we can do three things in the budget and we intend to do them. The first is to balance the books. For the first time in ten years, we will produce a budget which will balance the books. That may not be a politically popular thing to do, but it is the most important thing to do because when an economy is...
- Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)
Leo Varadkar: It is always a sign that one is on weak ground when one has to misrepresent somebody's position to make an argument. I merely pointed to the nonsense of the Deputy's point about having tax reductions for people who do not pay tax or who at least do not pay income tax or USC.