Tag Archives: Leo Varadkar

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Fianna Fáil leader Michael Martin (right)and Fine Gael leader, and acting Taoiseach, Enda Kenny

Pat Leahy, in the Irish Times this morning, reports:

Meetings to discuss a possible new government will continue today as Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil intensify their efforts to woo Independent TDs in advance of Wednesday’s vote for taoiseach.

Fianna Fáil will hold an all-day meeting with the group of five rural Independents. Tomorrow it will meet the six members of the Independent Alliance.

Front bench Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan dismissed reports that the party’s mood towards coalition with Fine Gael was softening.

And party sources said the Leitrim Fianna Fáil organisation last week voted 50 votes to none against coalition with Fine Gael in an example of grassroots feeling, which is strongly against any such deal.

Meanwhile, earlier…

And yesterday…

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Leo Varadkar tweeted:

My posters cleaned, counted, stored and ready to be deployed.

FF denies mood softening towards FG coalition (Pat Leahy, Irish Times)

Related: Does anyone still take them seriously? (Gene Kerrigan, Sunday Independent)

Rollingnews

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Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton and Minister for Health Leo Varadkar at an Action Plan For Jobs event in Government Buildings this morning

Further to the Michael Lowry/Fine Gael brouhaha…

This morning Minister for Health Leo Varadkar said:

“I really wouldn’t like to see a Government that’s dependent on any Independent. Because if we’re back to that, we’re back to the kind of parish pump deals that existed in the past. Fine Gael has never actually engaged in them, only Fianna Fáil has historically and, of course, the last time Michael Lowry was involved in such a deal it was with Fianna Fáil. And there are a number of Independent TDs who have issues with the law including Mr Lowry, but others too. And I’d hate to see a Government dependent on somebody not having to be in court or, potentially, being in prison.”

Previously: ‘I Hope That’s That’s Clear’

Related: Fine Gael TDs issue warning on Michael Lowry pact (Irish Examiner)

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

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Minister for Health Leo Varadkar

A sugar tax in today’s budget?

Fat chance.

A Food Critic writes:

When a right-wing Minister for Health calls for a sugar tax to combat childhood obesity, he deserves applause. How wise it was for Leo Varadkar to announce his support for such a tax last week. After all, a quarter of Irish three-year-olds are now overweight or obese. We are talking about the greatest public health crisis in the history of the state.

The only problem is that Leo Varadkar doesn’t want a sugar tax. He regards such taxes with contempt. The Minister revealed his true colours in the Sunday Independent on August 23rd, when he boasted that his favourite thing about Ireland is “our unique culinary delights like red lemonade and Tayto crisps.”

When a politician boasts about his love of sugared water in the middle of an obesity crisis, it seems a bit irresponsible. When he is also a qualified doctor it seems bizarre. But when that same politician is also the nation’s Minister for Health, our kids don’t stand a chance.

If a sugar tax is introduced in today’s budget, the government should be heartily congratulated. If a sugar tax is not introduced, will the Minister for Health apologise for pretending to give a sh*t about Irish kids?

FIGHT!

(Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie)

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Members of Survivors Of Symphysiotomy outside the Department of the Taoiseach last year and Health Minister Leo Varadkar

“Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has refused to intervene in the Government scheme for survivors of symphysiotomy following claims that it is adversarial and demeaning.”

“Mr Varadkar said the assessor in the scheme, former High Court judge Ms Justice Maureen Harding Clark, was appointed to act as an independent adviser. “That is why I will not attempt to go over her head or overrule her,” he said.”

“The scheme “is the least adversarial system that could be established”, he said. To date, 235 offers had been made and 222 accepted from 577 applicants.”

Leo Varadkar refuses to intervene in symphysiotomy payment scheme (Irish Times)

Previously: ‘Prove It, Prove It, Prove It’

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Scenes from Dublin Castle, RDS Ballsbridge and Citywest.

Final declaration:

YES: 1,201,607 (62.1%)

NO: 734,300 (37.9%)

Referendum result in detail here

From top: Dublin Castle aeriel view; Leo Vardkar and Simon Coveney at Dublin Castle; Snogging; the castle grounds; Miss Panti; Dublin Castle this morning; the courtyard earlier; slefies in the crowd; Andrew Hyland Director of Communications Yes Equality campaign and Linda Cullen; Moninne Griffith (left) and partner Clodagh Robinson; Partners Michael Barron (left) and Jaime Nanci; Belle Horgan (7 months); ballot counting staff; David Norris all at The RDS Ballsbridge (top) and (above) Leo Varadkar tallies in Citywest.

Pics: Aine Kerr; Katie Hannon and Ciara Ni Bhroin and Emily Dugan and Leah Farrell/Photocall Ireland

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Health Minister Leo Varadkar speaking in the Dáil in February

Catherine Reilly, in the Medical Independent, writes:

“Serious breaches of patient confidentiality have emerged in the process through which terminations of pregnancy are notified to the Minister for Health under abortion legislation, the Medical Independent (MI) has learned.”

“Some notification forms were not completed in compliance with the legislation, “with missing or incorrect information being supplied, and including serious breaches of patient confidentiality,” the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan informed the HSE Director General Mr Tony O’Brien in September 2014.”

“Under the legally-required notifications process, only Parts B (Information Relating to the Medical Procedure) and C (Information Relating to the Person Keeping Record) should be sent to the Minister for Health. Part A (Patient Details), which provides for the full name of the patient, their usual place of residence and date of birth, must be retained by the hospital.

“MI asked the Department of Health and the HSE in how many instances Part A (Patient Details) was sent to the Minister and how many of these instances involved disclosure of the woman’s name. Neither would comment on these questions.”

Serious privacy breaches uncovered following pregnancy terminations (Catherine Reilly, Medical Independent)

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Today.

Gaiety Theatre, Dublin.

The launch of Fine Gael’s Yes campaign for next month’s Marriage Referendum.

From top: (l-r) Enda Kenny, Jerry Buttimer, Frances Fitzgerald and the top of James Reilly’s head; (l-r) Enda, Leo, Simon Coveney and Frances; Jerry, Enda, Simon and Leo, and Leo Varadkar.

‘Yes Is And Must Be The Answer’ (Irish Times)

Earlier: Never Mind The Balaclavas

(Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

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Fine Gael TD and Health Minister Leo Varadkar at the party’s national conference in Castlebar, Co. Mayo yesterday

Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland