Results 17,821-17,840 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have no difficulty answering them.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Issues (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together. The Department of the Taoiseach has implemented significant restructuring to ensure that Brexit is being treated as a crucial cross-cutting whole-of-Government issue. The amalgamated international, EU and Northern Ireland division was created under a second secretary who also acts as the Government's sherpa for EU business, including...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On a point of order, if I may-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On two points of order I agree with Deputy Martin. First, this procedure needs to be referred to the Business Committee. This is not a way to do questions and answers.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Second, I would be happy to answer the remainder of the questions but I am not going to pick three to answer and one to leave out. I do not think it is fair. If the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will give me extra time, I will answer them.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department's strategy statement sets out the key objectives for my Department for the period 2016 to 2019. The strategy statement is aligned to the Government's key priorities and policies and sets out the following six strategic priorities: providing excellent support services for the Taoiseach and Government; ensuring that Ireland has a sustainable economy; helping to ensure that...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On the NTPF, I do not know how many patients have been treated so far. There is €15 million allocated this year for the NTPF. I raised the matter with the Minister, Deputy Harris, on foot of my conversations with Deputy Martin. I understand that part of the fundamental problem was that the NTPF had effectively ceased to exist. Although it was still there in name and had a board and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Absolutely. I am sure that can be done. I am going to have some new Cabinet sub-committees. I think there were too many, quite frankly. I am going to reconfigure them into a smaller number of Cabinet sub-committees which, of course, I will chair. They need to be more focused. We will have a new ten-year plan on infrastructure, which we hope to be able to publish in October or...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is far too slow. We have a problem with drafting capacity, not just in education. Legislation is far too slow. On the Cassells report, in this current political configuration we are trying to achieve consensus around funding for third level that can pass through the Dáil. It is going to be difficult to achieve this but if we can, we are willing.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is no chance I will be able to respond to all of that in three minutes.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will do the best I can. The first question was about the political approach taken. Of course, it is happening at multiple levels. Bilateral contacts between the Irish and UK Government are ongoing. I had a meeting with Theresa May on Monday and will meet her again tomorrow or the day after in Brussels where we will attend the European Council. We are working hard. The Minister...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Yes, it is, but abstentionism did not achieve it. It did not achieve it for the Twenty-six Counties and I do not see how it would achieve it for the Six Counties.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In the absence of that one thing, we are working with and trying to-----

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is one group with which we are working and hoping to reactivate. I cannot remember its exact name, but it is a British-Irish friendship group. It involves MPs at Westminster from all parties with a particular interest in Ireland. I understand it is led by Conor McGinn, MP. We are trying to make use of that body, a little like the Irish National Caucus in Washington, for obvious...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Knowing the Deputy for as long as I do, I would never put her down as a romantic.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I suppose everyone should be relieved that I spoke about "Love Actually" and not "Notting Hill" because that would have been a very different scene at the door of No. 10 had it transpired.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am going through the questions as they were asked one by one. I do not control the questions asked by Members of the Opposition. I was asked about populism. Of course, there are forms of populism that amount to populism of the left and there is also populism of the right. Populism of the left is what we tend to call transitional demand. Proponents make claims that they know cannot...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It is the time-honoured approach used by the Soviets, Bolsheviks and Trotskyites.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Official Engagements (21 Jun 2017)

Leo Varadkar: They promise the masses – to use the term favoured by the Deputy – something that cannot be achieved in order to secure power. Then they turn around and tell them that it cannot be done and that they are going to the gulag.