Results 181-200 of 16,691 for speaker:Leo Varadkar in 'Dáil debates'

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

Leo Varadkar: I will have to come back to her on that. To my recollection, a number of increases were agreed on foot of the resolution of the dispute in the summer and then increases agreed in the public service pay agreement, which has not yet been ratified by the unions. I will come back to the Deputy with more detail when I can.

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

Leo Varadkar: I will certainly look into it and see what can be done. Over the past number of years we have tried to improve the financial position of carers. We have increased the carer support grant which is not means tested. We relaxed the means test for the carer's allowance, increased it and extended free GP care to anyone in receipt of the carer's allowance. We will strive to continue on that...

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

Leo Varadkar: My understanding is that the allocations are made every year based on the profile of the children in the school. For example, in any given year children with particular needs may leave the school and move on to another one or more kids with special needs may come in. It is based on the profile of the children in the school, not on the school itself. I understand that what Deputy Ó...

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

Leo Varadkar: I can guarantee that. It might not necessarily be their school of first preference but I can guarantee that everyone in Kildare and also in my own constituency of Dublin West, where this also occurs, will receive a secondary school place. That is an absolute commitment and an absolute guarantee. Figures are used from the census and also from child benefit data. When it comes to secondary...

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

Leo Varadkar: If it is the case that children are not able to find a place, we will make certain that they get one but we cannot always guarantee that it will be their place of first choice, particularly if the school is not in their catchment area.

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

Leo Varadkar: I understand that a proposal was issued to staff representatives last year to establish a new grade of adult educator, with a standardised payscale aligned to Youthreach. A key issue that has been raised relates to incremental progression. The Ministers, Deputies Harris and Foley, who have regulatory responsibility for the ETB sector, have submitted an updated proposal to the Minister,...

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

Leo Varadkar: I hope to travel to the US next months for the St. Patrick's Day events and I will, of course, use the opportunity, both in public and in private, to share the views of the Irish people, and my own views, on what is happening in Israel and Palestine. I hope by then there is already a ceasefire. Let us pray there is but either way, I will be sharing our views with our friends and colleagues...

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

Leo Varadkar: As is often the case, industrial relations disputes can be quite complicated. I have a four-page note that I could read out for the Deputy but I am not going to do that because time is limited but of course, the employer and the Government will engage with the representatives of the adult tutors with a view to coming to a resolution. If that cannot be done then, of course, there are options...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as a cuid ceisteanna. Caithfidh sos cogaidh a bheith ann anois. Tá an iomarca daoine básaithe agus gortaithe sa Phalaistín. This morning, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and I wrote formally to the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, expressing once again our deep concern at the deteriorating...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I really hope we do not make this conflict or these terrible events that are happening in the Middle East to be in any way about us. It is not about us or the differences between the different parties here or between the Government and the Opposition. It is about the civilian population in Israel and the civilian population in the Palestinian territories. I disagree with the Deputy on two...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: At the outset, I thank Deputy Naughten for raising this important issue and I know rare diseases are a cause the Deputy has championed for many years. I know the effect that rare diseases can have on many patients living with them and, at times, it can be difficult to assess the appropriate medicines, technologies and diagnostic tools. We made commitments in the programme for Government to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that some of the posts that were approved in 2023 were affected by the temporary pause on new recruitment. A new workforce plan for 2024 is being developed by the HSE and it will be able to increase its total staffing levels by between 2,000 and 3,000 over the course of this year. This will include genetic counsellors and the development of the genomic resource associate role...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: It is not. There are a number of options. One option is direct Exchequer funding but that funding might otherwise go to education, health or pensions, for example, and it would potentially give future governments undue influence over RTÉ if RTÉ was funded directly from the Exchequer. We know there is somebody in this House who might be head of the next Government and who is suing...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: -----and it will require a system to set it up. In the meantime, the TV licence remains the law. People should obey the law, pay charges they are liable to pay and pay their taxes. That is a very simple thing. I do not believe in tax amnesties and never did. I do not think the policy the Deputy is pursuing is the right one. It is a return to left populism and is a mistake.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot give a date today but we should make a decision on this in the coming weeks, and certainly in the coming months. I agree that at a time when misinformation and disinformation are rife and are undermining democracy here and around the world, it is important to fund public service media and broadcasting. That cannot just be about RTÉ for reasons I think we will all agree on....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: The current position is the TV licence is the law. I encourage people to pay it, as I do and always have. It is not just about RTÉ; it is about Irish-language broadcasting, public service media, children's programming and the broadcasting fund, which supports many broadcasters and creators in the private sector who have their own small businesses. We need to bear that in mind when...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy and wish her and everyone in the House a happy St. Valentine's Day. It is very clear that we have significant problems in RTÉ. We see a culture of poor governance when decisions were not made or not made properly. We see a culture of arrogance from some of the senior people who were in charge of that organisation. We also see a wider culture of entitlement, a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies for their questions and contributions. I think we can all agree with Deputy Boyd Barrett that the quality of school buildings varies hugely. I have the privilege from time to time of opening new schools. I am really impressed with the quality of building and facilities but that reminds me how much we need to do to bring the older ones up to standard. Some of our schools...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 to 25, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on children and education oversees the implementation of commitments in the programme for Government in the area of children and education, including further and higher education, with a specific focus on child poverty and well-being. The Cabinet committee provides for a greater focus on improving the lives...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens' Assembly (13 Feb 2024)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, I understand what he is saying about complex and chaotic cases. I have come across them myself but as every case is different, it is difficult to comment without knowing the circumstances. I know the Deputy appreciates that. A number of Deputies raised the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use which was...