Results 1-20 of 40,254 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for the opportunity to share some thoughts and reflections on the legislation before us. I welcome the Bill, which, of course, I will support. I want to take the opportunity to recognise the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and her officials for bringing it to this point, and also previous Ministers such as Senator Regina Doherty and previous officials...

Éirí as Oifig an Taoisigh - Resignation of Taoiseach (9 Apr 2024)

Leo Varadkar: A Cheann Comhairle, tá orm a chur in iúl duit gur éirigh mé as oifig mar Thaoiseach inné trína chur sin in iúl don Uachtarán de bhun an Bhunreachta. Yesterday, I resigned from the office of Taoiseach by placing my resignation in the hands of the President, pursuant to the Constitution. I have had the privilege to serve for the past 20 years as a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: As regards the humanitarian situation in Gaza and funding for UNRWA, we call on all states to restore their funding for UNRWA pending the outcome of the investigation about possible collaboration. The EU has done that and has restored funding and we want other countries to do the same. As regards my talks in Washington, yes, we talked about the US putting more pressure on Israel to allow...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: As regards former President Robinson, she did not contact me in advance of the meeting with President Biden, certainly not directly. There was no letter, call or missed message. She may have done so indirectly, but that would have been very late in the day. As regards recognition-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: We discussed the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I believe I did, if that is what the Deputy is asking-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: -----but it is kind of a moot point when somebody says to you the opposite.

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I will participate in the March meeting of the European Council in Brussels tomorrow and Friday. The agenda will cover Ukraine, security and defence, the Middle East, enlargement, migration, agriculture and the European semester. There will be a discussion on specific foreign policy issues, including the death of Alexei Navalny and the situation in Belarus. Leaders will take stock of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Offices (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. On IPAS and Mount Street, officials visited the tents on 16 March. Contrary to some reports, Crooksling has toilets, hot showers, personal toiletries, food, a bus service to Dublin and 24-hour security on site. Safetynet is providing health screening, which commenced on 18 March. There is a building where meals are served and men can charge...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Offices (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: That is not a matter for me now anyway. Leak investigations rarely lead anywhere unless they are willing to carry out searches of places and so on and I do not think the Deputy is calling for that. Perhaps he is. He knows where the search would start and I do not think he is calling for that and I do not think people who believe in a free press would call for it. To be very clear, I am...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions No. 13 to 18, inclusive, together. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and I wrote a joint letter to the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, on 14 February expressing our deep concern at the deteriorating situation in Israel and Gaza, and particularly its impact on women and children. With the risk of an even greater humanitarian...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Programme for Government (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. Deputies raised the issue of assessment of needs. I know we have a very big problem with waiting times for that. We all know it from our constituency clinics. The real struggle is finding enough clinically and appropriately qualified staff to carry out the assessments and provide all of the therapies. There are some big recruitment campaigns under way. Money...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Offices (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 12, inclusive, together. The parliamentary liaison unit in the Department of the Taoiseach assists the Government in its relationship with the Oireachtas. It works with the Office of the Government Chief Whip on issues that arise at the Business Committee and the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform, including Dáil reform proposals...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Programme for Government (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together. When we published the programme for Government in June 2020, we said: This is a Programme to recover our economy, rebuild our society, renew our communities, and respond to the challenges we face both nationally and internationally. This will be a Government of enterprise, creating new jobs, preparing for the jobs of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Programme for Government (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Laggards.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for their questions. On valuations as I mentioned earlier, when there is a revaluation, some people see their rates go up and others see them going down. Overall, there is no increase in revenue. People are encouraged to make appeals to the Valuation Tribunal but I will check with the Minister about the delays there and if something can be done in the interim. I do...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The last European Council meeting failed to reach any conclusions. I am attending it tomorrow and on Friday. It is definitely my objective to get to the point of having conclusions where the European Union as a whole unequivocally calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and the supply of adequate food, medicine and electricity to the Palestinian people living in Gaza, and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister, Deputy Coveney, his Department and its agencies are seized with this matter. There has been engagement with the company but I do not have an up-to-date brief on it. I do not want to give information that might turn out to be incorrect. I'll make sure that my office sends the Deputy a written reply.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Griffin for his kind remarks. I will certainly let the Minister know about the issue he raised about the valuations. As we all know, there are winners and losers and it works out overall exactly the same. However, sometimes people face very big increases. There is a system by which that can be disputed and appealed to the Valuation Tribunal. I would encourage anyone...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate the prices at the pump are rising and that impacts commuters, motorists and many people in business, including hauliers. As Deputies will remember, we reduced these excise rates on a temporary basis at a time when prices were over €2 a litre and thankfully they are still well below that. It would not be possible for the Government to reopen the budget now. There would...