Results 17,661-17,680 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Government policy on health is as detailed on a significant number of pages in the programme for Government. In regard to the Sláintecare report-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I am getting to that. There were many questions on this topic and it may take more than 30 seconds to answer all of them. I will start again. The Government policy on health is as outlined in the programme for Government. That is where Government policies are detailed unless an alternative policy is subsequently produced by the Government. The Sláintecare report was discussed at...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I will get to that issue but I can only answer questions if I am allowed to do so. A number of issues need to be teased out, not least the costings, and also other matters. I did not produce a manifesto; I produced a policy ideas paper, on the front of which it is stated that it is a policy ideas paper. It is not a manifesto, it is an ideas paper-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----and says specifically in its introductory section that it does not supersede the programme for Government or the confidence and supply agreement made with Fianna Fáil.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I did not say that I would take personal responsibility for or charge of health; I said that I would take an interest in it and I will do so. Tomorrow I will meet the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and the Secretary General of his Department in order that they might give me a better overview of what is happening in the health service and to consider how I can bring the support of the...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I am aware of estimates in that regard, as is Deputy Howlin because we spoke about the issue when he was Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. I am aware of the potential cost of the case being decided against the State. However, if one was to add up the potential cost of all legal cases being taken against the State, it would be many billions of euros, not just hundreds of millions.
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: Not that I am aware of. In regard to section 39 organisations, I refer Deputy Burton to the answer I gave to Deputy Micheál Martin on this exact issue during today's Leader's Questions. I reiterate that the Government will take a very dim view of any body that tries to reduce services when it has had its budget increased and that will be-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Deputy was suggesting that services might be reduced at a time when budgets have increased and obviously we would need to understand that-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 5, inclusive, together. Having appointed Ministers and Ministers of State to their various portfolios across Government, I will reflect on how my Department can best support the important work ahead. I will continue to meet officials in the Department and decide over the coming weeks what changes might be required. Four Ministers of State hold...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, answered this question yesterday in a very straightforward way. He said that the Department of Education and Skills acquires lands as it sees fit. It has a capital budget which it can use to buy land and build schools and it has to prioritise how it spends that money. On the matter raised earlier by Deputy Gino Kenny, I am always...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Cabinet sub-committee on health, as is the case with all Cabinet sub-committees, has a very wide remit and there is no reason why it could not include in its remit an examination of the cost of medicines. However, one of the reasons some of these medicines cost so much is that they are produced for very rare diseases. There may be only a few dozen or a few hundred patients in the...
- Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I agree with Deputy Neville that it is encouraging to see unemployment falling and the number of people at work increasing in all parts of the country. There are good numbers in respect of Limerick in particular. According to a CSO report that was published recently, there are a number of black spots of very high unemployment in various parts of the country, including some small areas of...
- Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Cabinet committee on health last met on 30 May. A date for the next meeting has not yet been confirmed. I have said that I intend to reconfigure the Cabinet committees into a smaller number. I expect to do this shortly. The committee provides a basis for the political oversight of the development and delivery of key health service reforms in line with the commitments in A Programme for...
- Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I am very glad the Deputy read my speech to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. I am disappointed he did not read it in full because-----
- Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: -----the model I proposed for Dublin was more like the London model, which is a single authority for Dublin City Council with a strong executive mayor, and below that a large number of borough councils similar to London representing areas that people associate with, such as Lucan, Blanchardstown, Malahide, Castleknock or Tallaght. With regard to the legislation I will ask the Minister of...
- Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, will be at the Committee Stage today and based on my-----
- Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: There is a real issue in the House where people do not want to hear the answer to a question, even interrupting in the first sentence of a reply. I can understand being interrupted after three or four sentences, but when one is interrupted half way through the first sentence, it indicates that the Deputy who has asked the question does not want an answer. I shall give an answer. The...
- Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Carey for raising this important issue. I know the impact of commercial rates on many towns and villages is very severe. It is creating huge difficulties for businesses, particularly in main streets. The heads of that Bill were cleared by Cabinet in April and it is currently being drafted. We hope it will be published by the end of this calendar year.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: There is no legislation promised on this matter and it does not feature in the programme for Government. The Attorney General has advised the Government that such a power does not exist.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Jun 2017)
Leo Varadkar: I am advised that there are no amendments proposed to that legislation.