Results 1-20 of 859 for cork speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (5 Mar 2024)

Leo Varadkar: ...industry. I do not know enough about the particular case to comment on it. It is the first I have heard about that case. Deputy O'Sullivan raised the issue of water quality in the north side of Cork city. I am very much aware of the issue. It has been raised with me by Deputy Colm Burke as well, and the Tánaiste is aware of it too. I have not made direct contact with Irish...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Transport Policy (21 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: ...many things, there is a big increase in demand for tests. However, I am now confident waiting times will come down in the next few months. On Deputy O'Connor's question about Midleton and the Cork floods after Storm Babet, I understand the council has calculated that approximately €54 million would be needed to repair the roads and other public infrastructure. So far, a...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: There are a number of really important projects in Cork that we are keen to progress. the Deputy mentioned three of them: the north ring road, the M20 between Cork and Limerick and the Mallow bypass. There are other projects too such as the ones in Castlemartyr and Ringaskiddy. I could name a few more such as the project linking Carrigtohill, Midleton and Youghal. We will do our best to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: ...Foley, are working on that at the moment. I agree with Deputy Boyd Barrett on the benefits of additional field trips by students. Deputy O'Sullivan mentioned a number of school projects in County Cork and specifically brought our attention to ASD provision and the need to do more of that, with which I firmly agree. Both Deputies Moynihan and O'Sullivan mentioned the new special...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Programmes (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: ...and I have no doubt we will raise them again to take into account rising housing costs, as well as inflation and rising incomes. Deputy Barry raised an issue relating to a particular childcare service in Cork city. I do not have information to hand on that but I will make inquiries with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. Deputy McAuliffe referred to the fact that the Cabinet today approved...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Jan 2024)

Leo Varadkar: ...now in place and providing care closer to home. Work is ongoing on the reconfiguration of the HSE organisational structures into six new health regions and the establishment of elective care centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway, as well as surgical hubs in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford in the interim. At a time when the cost-of-living crisis is affecting everyone, we are...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (12 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ..., is back under control and will be in 2024. On Deputy O'Sullivan's question on flooding and the humanitarian assistance scheme, I join him in complimenting the community welfare officers in Cork on their work. It is possible for the Department of Social Protection locally to second staff to help out where needed. The paperwork is kept under review. I appreciate that it can be quite...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...,000, well over 500 per week. In many cases, these were helped by the first home and help-to-buy schemes, which the Opposition wants to abolish. On State lands, building is under way on sites in Cork and Dublin which, between them, will provide over 850 homes and the Land Development Agency, LDA, now has planning permission for over 2,500 additional homes. This is on top of the 1,000...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate that the severe weather has caused significant damage to public infrastructure, not just in Cork but in Waterford and other parts of the country. The process is that the relevant councils cost it, the cost gets double-checked by the Department of Transport and the OPW, and a special allocation is then agreed by the Government. It will be a special allocation on top of existing...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Dec 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for the various issues they raised. Deputy Moynihan mentioned the ongoing issue of boil water notices in Cork North-West. I agree that is not satisfactory. I will alert the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to the issue once again and ask him to engage with Irish Water on it. On Deputy O'Reilly's question about X, formerly known as Twitter, the Minister, Deputy McEntee,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Housing Policy (22 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: .... In the 12 months to September, first-time mortgage approvals exceeded 30,000, helped in many cases by the first home and help to buy schemes. On State lands, building is underway on sites in Cork and Dublin which between them will provide over 850 homes, and the LDA now has planning permission for over 2,500 additional homes. This is on top of the 1,000 affordable homes due under...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...on how the pilots are going. What is clear is that one size will not fit all. What might work in Longford or on the north side of Dublin, for example, will not necessarily work in County Cork. We will have to figure it out as we go along.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (21 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ..., MARA, the launch of the new forestry programme and the introduction of a national fertiliser database. I do not have an update on Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan's question about flood relief in Cork. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, is aware of the issue. I might ask him to come back directly on that. He is interested in exploring interim works that might help but is also...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I very much agree with the Deputy. The recent flooding events in Midleton in Cork and around the country reminded us, if we needed to be, that we need to accelerate climate action but also particularly need to accelerate adaptation. Climate change is a global problem that we can only make a very small contribution to changing, unfortunately. However, adaptation is entirely within our hands...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...the Department of Transport, does their bit when it comes to making sure people are safe on our roads. I will be working with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to increase the roads budget for Cork and every other county. I only spoke to him about it yesterday. Central government is not the only source of funding for local and regional roads. There is also the local property tax,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: That is probably a matter for Cork City Council rather than central government, but I will let the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy O’Donnell, know it was raised and ask them to revert to Deputy Barry with a further reply.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...and that is very much the future. In the meantime, we will need oil and natural gas. We have good oil storage already, about a 30-day supply if needed. As the Deputy knows, some of that is in Cork. When it comes to natural gas, we have essentially two sources. One is the Corrib gasfield off Mayo, which will run out, and the other comprises the interconnectors between Ireland and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Burke for raising the Cork elective hospital again. It is an issue he has been campaigning on for quite some time. The Government has identified St. Stephen's Hospital as the preferred site for the new elective hospital for Cork. It is now in planning phase and developing detailed project briefs, a procurement strategy and pre-tender business case for all the elective...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...and we also need to consider offsetting. As the Deputy knows, Government Departments do that as a matter of course. The Government also has a policy of favouring the regional airports such as Cork, Shannon and Ireland West airports and others. When it comes to Dublin, as the Deputy knows, we take money off Dublin Airport in the form of dividends and other charges. When it comes to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Nov 2023)

Leo Varadkar: ...need to carry out and then we will examine it. As I said when I was there, accompanied by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael McGrath, and others, there will be an additional allocation for Cork County Council. It will not have to pay for these works and repairs from its existing budget but we will need a submission from it as to what works need to be carried out and how much they...