Results 101-120 of 40,263 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: International Protection (28 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Over the last two years, unprecedented numbers of people have sought protection in Europe and in Ireland due to Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and other conflicts. It is important to be as responsive as possible to genuine local concerns. The best way to address this is to ensure that the structures and supports which have been put in place as part of the humanitarian response...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Information and Communications Technology (27 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The Office of the Attorney General has identified a need to significantly improve accessibility of the eISB to meet current international standards. In that context, the tool to which the Deputy refers has been removed as part of an overall redesign of the website, currently under way, to bring it up to the highest international standards of accessibility and which is expected to be...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Data Centres (27 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: In common with other Government Departments, the Department of the Taoiseach has in place comprehensive arrangements to support Data security. Data is stored predominantly on Government Networks. The Department of the Taoiseach receives regular advice on these matters from the relevant authorities, including the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and the National Cyber...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Transport Policy (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 12 go 14, go huile, le chéile. The economic division of my Department assists me and the Government in developing and implementing policy across relevant areas, including economic growth and job creation, infrastructure and housing and climate action and social dialogue. The work especially focuses on the deliver of commitments in the programme...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Transport Policy (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I have no objection if the Deputy wants to take three minutes.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Transport Policy (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Once again, I thank the Deputies for their questions. Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue of ride sharing. Perhaps I can give some assurance to taxi drivers in that regard. It is something we have all used when we were abroad. Generally speaking, it is a good service. I have used Uber, Bolt and Lyft. With one exception, I found the service provided to be good. However, I have concerns...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: That is the point. The Deputy is not critical of Venezuela or Cuba. There are double standards all over the place.

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy should do a bit of research and count the number of times he has raised Palestine as opposed to Ukraine, and the number of times he has raised human rights abuses in Cuba and Venezuela as opposed to China.

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: He is pretty good at double standards. The situation in Ukraine is different from that in Palestine. The attack on Ukraine was totally unprovoked. Ukraine is a democracy, not a dictatorship or a theocracy. It is also a European country, in our neighbourhood, and a country that had applied to join the European Union. Indeed, one of the reasons Russia attacked Ukraine was that it wanted...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Investigations (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: In advance of the Government considering the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes in January 2021, certain information that related to matters therein was disclosed in a newspaper article. In that context, the then Taoiseach requested that an investigation be carried out. The investigation was conducted by a senior official in my Department and it...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Investigations (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I emphasise to the Deputy that, as would be usual, the investigation was carried out by the Department. I was not involved in conducting it, directing it or influencing it, nor was the then Taoiseach. It is important to make clear, although it should be self-evident, that any process such as this should be allowed to be conducted without any interference or otherwise in the process. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. I will respond first to Deputy Haughey. This Parliament has already passed a motion in favour of the recognition of Palestine as a state. The Government wants to fulfil that in a way that is meaningful. We could do it unilaterally tomorrow but it would be effectively a press release that would be dismissed by Israel and nobody would follow it....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cross-Border Co-operation (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. I would like to echo Deputy Smith's comments on the A5. I am really keen that in building the A5, we do not forget about the Donegal TEN-T and the M2 because it is all one project in many ways, or at least it is all the one road, albeit that its name changes when it crosses the Border. Regarding the Ulster final in Clones, I have never been...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 10, inclusive, together. On 1 February, I attended a special European Council meeting in Brussels. The main item on the agenda was the mid-term review of the EU budget for the period 2021 to 2027, including agreement on a €50 billion assistance package for Ukraine. We had discussed the proposed package at our meeting in December. While it had...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I do not honestly believe there is "political resistance" to this, certainly not from the Tánaiste. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, Deputy Ó Cathasaigh and Senator Cummins have all been on to me about this important matter. The business case has been received and it is being examined. I believe Department officials may have met with the airport last week because they had...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: It is the case that there are almost 1,000 asylum seekers who have sought accommodation by the State and have not received it. We are just no longer in a position to provide State accommodation to every asylum seeker that comes into the country. We need to make sure people know that. If they are leaving another safe country where they have accommodation, they should know that it is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. In response to Deputy Dillon's question on RTÉ, I acknowledge his work and that of Deputy Griffin on the committee. It is fair to say that Deputy Dillon is as clinical in the committee room as he was on the pitch. Yes, I believe there should be a cap. There usually is in these schemes. It is usually a maximum of one year's salary, two...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: For?

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Okay. I am sorry, I thought the Deputy had raised something else. It is not the amount they are paid but the numbers waiting for their training. I will follow that up with the Minister, Deputy Harris. Obviously, we are keen to get as many apprentices through as possible because they are pretty desperately needed, particularly in construction. With regard to Deputy Harkin's question,...

Consideration of Estimates by Committee: Motion (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I move: That, pursuant to Standing Order 215A, the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach may complete its consideration of the Estimates for Public Services for the year ending 31st December, 2024, standing referred to it pursuant to Standing Order 215(2), later than the sixtieth day and not later than the one hundredth day, being the 22nd day of March,...