Results 17,501-17,520 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It can certainly be circulated today. It will be a very short motion so people will have plenty of time to read and consider it. On the advice and recommendation of the Defence Forces, the Government just this morning approved Defence Forces participation in operation Sophia. It is a UN mandated EU naval operation in the southern central Mediterranean. The decision on participation is...

Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Of course, we want this resolution of the Dáil to go through before the recess.

Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: We are happy to produce the motion today. It will be a very short motion, maybe only one page. People will have time to consider it and have the debate tomorrow. If more time is required for the debate, that is certainly not a difficulty.

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: When there are additional beds, one of the most important things to do is to staff them. We are hiring more staff. Some 700 additional nurses will be hired this year alone, allowing us to open beds that may have been closed temporarily and also to facilitate patients being discharged more quickly, thus allowing beds to be used by more patients and to have faster turnover of beds. The...

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Temporary accommodation can provide capacity quickly at under pressure hospitals. That is being actively considered by the HSE and the Minister at the moment, but it needs to be worked through.

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: A look at this morning's trolley figures, which are provided by the HSE, shows that there were 272 patients on trolleys this morning compared to 373 on the same day last year - a reduction of approximately 100. Obviously, I appreciate that if a person is one of the 270 patients who are on trolleys - or a family member of such a patient - that figure is of no benefit because of the enormous...

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: -----on the basis that there should be no preconditions as to what the outcome should be. However, he is very adamant, and I support him in this, that before any meeting takes place, the occupation of his offices should end. No one should be required to negotiate while his or her workplace is under occupation. Obviously, that is taking up Garda resources and also is creating difficulty for...

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Some €1.5 million has been allocated by the Government to compensate farmers badly affected.

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is an appeal system in place already for applicants who consider that an inspection has not been conducted appropriately. The system involves an appeal to a senior officer within the Department, with the option to appeal further to an independent agriculture appeals office and, ultimately, the Office of the Ombudsman. As per the programme for Government commitment to do so, the...

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly have the case looked into and I will discuss it with the Minister for Health and ask that full consideration is given to it. However, what I will not do in the House - it would not be the right thing to do even if I had the authority to do so - is direct that the Health Service Executive do anything in any individual case. That is not how decisions should be made. It is...

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As I say, from my experience as a medical doctor, providing 24-7 care in the home requiring ventilation at the level of the type of care provided in an ICU is very difficult and can be very challenging to provide, even if funding is available. I will certainly endeavour to have the Minister for Health follow up on the case. I mention again that there has been a significant increase in...

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I assure the Deputy's constituents that I am very much aware of the importance of agriculture and the agrifood industry to the economy in terms of the number of jobs supported, its particular importance to the rural economy and the substantial revenue brought into the country as a result of agricultural exports. The Government is very much behind the industry in every way it can be. ...

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will appreciate that I do not have specific details on individual cases to hand. There are no patient files on my desk, and even if there were, it would be inappropriate to discuss patient information in this House. I know from my previous work as a medical doctor the difficulty and enormous barriers there can be to providing 24-7 nursing care with ventilation at home. It is...

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: What I also said, which the Deputy did not acknowledge today or some weeks ago when he raised it, is that pay restoration is now under way in the Defence Forces. Pay restoration is occurring across the public service. As I mentioned, pay restoration is happening at all levels, but it is happening in particular for those who were recruited since 2013, who are often referred to as recent...

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is high turnover in the Defence Forces but the turnover in defence forces across the world is high. It is not particular to Ireland. However, we acknowledge that there are issues which will have to be examined around retention in particular areas where there are special skills.

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In terms of PDFORRA and RACO, the representative organisations, the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, met them on the climate survey recently and he will meet them again on Thursday. Any disputes that occur between the Defence Forces and representative organisations are dealt with through the existing systems and arbitration.

Leader's Questions (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On behalf of the Government of Fine Gael and Independents, I note our immense respect and regard for the Defence Forces and our pride in the work they do whether as an aid to the civil power, the 2016 commemorations, ongoing commemorations such as Sunday's national day of commemoration and its work in the Mediterranean to combat human trafficking and rescue people from the boats that are...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: State Visits (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I was delighted to welcome Prime Minister Trudeau and his family to Ireland last week. The Prime Minister was especially welcome as my first international visitor and given the close and historical ties between our two countries. Our meeting was an opportunity to discuss our shared and common outlook on issues such as free trade, multilateralism and climate action. We discussed the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Living Wage Expenditure (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The additional annual salary cost of implementing a living wage of €11.70 for employees directly employed by my Department or in bodies under its aegis is approximately €18,600.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Expenditure (11 Jul 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The tables below detail expenditure by my Department on photography, advertising, communications advice/public relations and website development for the years 2013 to 2017 inclusive. There was no expenditure on interview training and preparation in those years. Expenditure for communications advice/public relations was only incurred by the Department in 2013. Relevant expenditure in the...