Results 1,801-1,820 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: These things are always part of an industrial relations process and there is a mechanism by which matters such as this can be resolved. The unions talk to the Government on the one hand and then to the WRC and the Labour Court thereafter if needed. That is the way it works. An intervention from me would not change that.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The overall budget for home care this year is more than €700 million and our target is to provide just under 4 million home support hours this year, which is so important for keeping people in their homes and enabling them to be discharged from hospital in a timely manner, so it is money well spent, in my view. The existing tender for home support services was...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. It is not my practice to agree to meetings on the floor of the House, and I would encourage anyone who wants a meeting to apply for one or write in and ask for one in the normal way. It would not be fair on others to agree to meetings just because they were raised in the Chamber. I do not think that would be fair to others who do not have someone to raise meetings in...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this. I know how important the issue of school transport is, not least at this time of year. As it is a live tender, I am not across the detail of it, so I would prefer not to comment on it, but I will let the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, know the Deputy raised it in the Dáil today and perhaps she will be able to engage with him directly.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I saw that figure too. An average family buying a house now has an income of about €90,000. The Deputy asked if I knew what the average income for somebody working in Ireland is now. It is €50,000 for an individual so an average income for two people working full-time would be €100,000. Those are the numbers. We are now seeing over 400 first-time...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is the State's problem and the State has a role to play in resolving it. I agree with the Deputy on that. I am advised that Spanish Point is regarded as unsewered and relies on private individual systems, such as septic tanks, as there is no public wastewater treatment plant or public sewerage present. Last year, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, announced the commencement of a new...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. As the Deputy will be aware, we will have a free schoolbooks scheme for all primary schools starting in September. That idea was first proposed by Barnardos. I remember meeting the charity about it several years ago. It was piloted by then Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh. Now the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, will make a reality of it. The...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I understand Meta will announce significant job losses affecting its operations in Ireland later this afternoon. It is important the company be allowed to make that announcement and engage with its staff, so I will not say too much about that here today. That would be unfair and inappropriate. Obviously, my thoughts are with the staff who are affected and their families. I assure them...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: An independent review has been done and published. I am not sure I would describe it as an independent medical review. There are inputs from non-medical people in that as well. That is just a point of fact. The matter is being considered by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health. I understand the committee plans to conclude its deliberations quite quickly and will come back to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, we have increased the social housing income limit by €5,000 in recent months and we now have cost rental, which is an option for people who are above the social housing income limits. We will keep the limits under constant review. We have to take account of rising prices, rising wages and rising housing costs. We will keep them under review, but I would...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. He and I can quote statistics back and forth until the cows come home but if we look at the facts and compare Ireland with other European countries, other countries in the western or developed world, this is a pretty safe country. Just look at the murder rate per capita. It is one of the lowest in the western world. That is because of the hard work of our gardaí...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: That is in no way to dismiss the reality of crime or the experience of victims. In terms of recruitment, as I mentioned, funding has been provided to recruit 1,000 new gardaí this year. More than 90 entered Templemore in November. Mor than 130 entered in the following intake. Another 154 will be in the next intake. We are confident that even when taking account of the challenges...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am delighted to have the chance, once again, to clarify things or to repeat what I have said before. I have never said we cannot use some of the surplus to increase spending on infrastructure. In fact, I have said the opposite. We can use some of the surplus to increase spending on public infrastructure and that is exactly what we intend to do. I did not catch the interview but I think...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----well then things will change fundamentally. We will go into recession and then we will have to face austerity again. I hope that does not happen. With regard to the issue the Deputy raised on parents accessing-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am sorry; I did not quite hear that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I am trying to answer Deputy Bacik's question regarding the issue of reimbursement of assessments of needs. That is something we will examine. In fact, we have started examining it already as a possibility. I have no ideological objection whatsoever when it comes to paying private practitioners. We do it in general practice, pharmacy and dentistry. We do it for private hospitals through...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We also need to work at the reimbursement model. Would it be a case of somebody just sending the bill to the Government? I do not think that would work. We would need some sort of prior approval system like we have for things like the cross-Border directive.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: We are looking at this already, by the way. I hope the Deputy can pick that up from my response. We will be able to make a decision on it within a few months.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputies assessment about choices and trade-offs is fundamentally wrong. If we pursue the right economic policies, the right policies on trade and the right foreign policies, we grow the cake and there can be more for everyone. If we pursue the wrong policies, then the cake shrinks and there is less for everyone. That is a different approach and different philosophy we have. However,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 May 2023)

Leo Varadkar: With regard to the issue-----