Results 1-20 of 39,147 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (28 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. A Sheanadóirí, táim an-sásta labhairt libh inniu agus an t-eolas is déanaí a thabhairt daoibh ar roinnt obair an Rialtais. Déanfaidh mé mionsonrú freisin ar ár gcuid oibre chun tosaíocht a thabhairt do bhochtaineacht agus folláine leanaí. This Government is now more than three years in...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (28 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Senators for their contributions. I will try to respond to as many issues as I can in the order they were raised. Senator Chambers said that while our country is by any objective measure a very successful one - at least, when the UN calculates its international ratings, it usually puts us in the top ten countries in the world, in terms of not just economics...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (28 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: As the Senator pointed out, there is no commitment in the programme for Government to advancing Seanad reform-----

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (28 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: -----but that does not mean-----

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (28 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I think any reform should be a good and meaningful one. I am not sure whether, if the public were actually aware of the all-party proposals and the different reports that were made, they would actually be supportive of the reform that was proposed. I am being honest about that. If we are going to reform the Seanad, it should be a reform for the better, and the difficulty with what was...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (28 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: It is fair to say that it would certainly be a much more diminished role for local authority members than they currently have. Like I said, we have a Supreme Court judgment now that Government has to respond to. The deadline is set. It is not practical to change how we elect the Seanad for the next Seanad election. That is only 15 months away at most. However, it is a necessity that it...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (28 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Okay. Will I just keep going?

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (28 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: On CAMHS, I agree with Senator Doherty and her comments on the need for a radical overhaul, and root-and-branch reform. It is not working. We all know that from our experiences with our constituents. I am not actually sure what that root-and-branch reform would look like in detail, and that is what we have to figure out. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Anne...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (28 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: She gave a lot of information and hope to a lot of people. I will not insult anyone's intelligence by telling them that it is complex legislation, because we all know that. We just need to progress it now and I hope we get that done in this Dáil session. Senator Fitzpatrick touched on the cost-rental model. I am a big fan of that, too. Senator Craughwell spoke about the Defence...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (28 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Finally, on the issue of trade in narcotics, which Senator Burke raised, the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, is in Brussels today. She is at a meeting between EU and Latin American ministers to discuss exactly that issue. I have covered the nitrates derogation already. Senator Clonan made an appeal for us to ratify the optional protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: There can be more than one. Good ideas are followed.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I agree with Deputy O'Sullivan. Good school transport systems certainly have a role in reducing emissions if they reduce the length and number of journeys by car. Ideally, we will have electric buses and hydrogen buses. We are very much moving to that model at the moment. I had the pleasure of visiting Wrightbus in Ballymena, which is making electric and hydrogen buses as we speak and is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Just Transition (27 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for the important issues they raised. Deputy Cowen raised the issue of peatland restoration and rewetting, the drawdown of funds and good agricultural and environmental condition, GAEC. I do not have the information to hand but I think he is correct in that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will want to clarify the matter in the coming weeks. I will...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: Climate change is the single greatest threat facing humanity today. We must be the generation that turns the tide on climate change and biodiversity loss. The Government’s climate action plan 2023 requires public sector bodies to put in place a climate action roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 and to increase the improvement in energy efficiency to 50% by 2030....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Just Transition (27 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together. The National Economic and Social Council, NESC, advises me on policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Ireland. The NESC report found the agriculture and land use sector can increasingly be part of the solution on climate change and biodiversity loss. It emphasised an approach that is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I attended the third summit of the EU and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, CELAC, in Brussels on 17 and 18 July. It is co-chaired by European Council President, Charles Michel, and the President of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves. It was also the first meeting at leaders’ level between the regions in eight years. At the summit, leaders discussed...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (27 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for their questions. Regarding Deputy Haughey's questions first, it is the case that Irish delegation rooms were used for talks involving the key players trying to secure agreement on the language, particularly relating to Ukraine, although that was done entirely for logistical reasons. It just so happened we had a room free and we were near the other delegation rooms....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (27 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I do not think it is correct to say that the Government expected the offer would be refused, because a very similar offer was accepted by the community and voluntary sector when it was put to a ballot. There was an 80% vote in favour. On this occasion, a decision was taken by the unions not to put the offer to a ballot of their members. It is unfortunate that did not happen. I believe...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (27 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot speak for Lough Neagh. That is in Northern Ireland. As the Deputy points out, perhaps others can answer those questions. Regarding water quality, we have a big investment programme in improving our water quality, led by Irish Water. Many things contribute to pollution in our waterways. It is not all about farmers. It is not right to speak to them as if they are entirely to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (27 Sep 2023)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Ryan for raising the issue. It is difficult for me to answer it without knowing the details. I know that hospitals and GP surgeries have access to dressings. Maybe there is a particular dressing in this case. It is difficult for me to answer without knowing all the facts, but if the Deputy wants to correspond with me or the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, on it, we will try to...