Results 1,961-1,980 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Feighan for raising this important issue. I am afraid I do not have a detailed reply to give him but I will certainly let the Minister, Deputy Foley, know the issue was raised and will ask her to come back to the Deputy directly.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: I hear the Deputy. This issue first crossed my desk when I was a member of Fingal County Council so it has been going on for that long. For a long time, there were disputes as to whether new legislation would help. Let us see if it does. Let us get this legislation done as quickly as we can.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I understand this is a matter that is under review by the Minister for Transport. Like the Deputy, I do not like the idea of a numerical cut-off age. I am sure there are people over 70 who are in good physical and mental health and who can continue to drive buses. There may be insurance issues involved, though. It is something the Minister for Transport is examining...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. We are always examining ways in which we can support carers better. As the Deputy is aware, there have been increases in the carer's allowance. We have relaxed the means test, provided free GP care to all carers, expanded respite services and so on. I cannot make any particular comment on the particular requests being made now. I will have to confer with the line...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. It is certainly a matter of concern to me and to the Government that development checks are not happening in some parts of the country. I believe it is linked to a shortage of public health nurses in some areas, but I will have to ask the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to revert to the Deputy with a more detailed reply, if that is okay.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: It is not a surprise she would align herself with Deputy Murphy in this regard.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: Accountability should not just be for-----
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: -----Ministers or people on the Government benches; it should be for all of us.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: The Deputy demands accountability of others and evades it always when it relates to herself and her party, and that is a fact.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: On the question, interest rates are set by the ECB-----
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: -----as the Deputy will be aware. When it comes to the issue of mortgage interest relief, that can only be considered in the context of the budget. As I have said in the past in the House, we cannot be changing the income tax system every couple of months. It is best done at budget time and we will consider it in the wider context at that time.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. We are and we will. As I mentioned earlier, more than 1,000 additional beds have been added to our acute hospital system since this Government came into office. We have added about 6,000 more doctors, nurses and midwives than was the case three years ago, so we are doing those things. There is an engagement between the Government and the nurses' union on particular...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge it is the case that patient safety is put at risk at times in our health service. It is never possible to eliminate all patient safety risk, but we do try to reduce it to the lowest level possible. We have increased the number of staff in our health service very considerably - there are 6,000 more doctors, nurses and midwives working in our health service...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: Sorry, yes. In regard to the issue on wood chips, I do not have any information on that but I will come back to the Deputy on it, if he lets me check it out.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: In regard to the issue raised by Deputy Paul Murphy, again I want to be clear about what I meant last week. It is the job of Dáil Éireann to hold Ministers to account. Of course Ministers should come in here and make statements and answer questions in regard to their ministerial responsibilities. However, this matter does not relate to the Minister of State, Deputy Collins's,...
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: If Deputies are going to come in here-----
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: -----and account for their actions that are not related to their ministerial functions, why is it that the Deputy did not come in here? He detained two women against their will in Jobstown several years ago.
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: It found him not guilty of a particular offence-----
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: The Deputy was found not guilty of a particular offence-----
- An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)
Leo Varadkar: -----but given that case was even more recent than the Bruff local area division meeting, why is it not appropriate for Deputy Murphy to come in here?