Leo Varadkar

2023 - 1 - 1

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Belfast Live"

Leo Varadkar will have 'more to say' on whether he thinks Sinn Fein ... (Belfast Live)

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has refused to say whether he believes Sinn Féin has links to criminality until the Gerry Hutch trial in the Special Criminal Court ...

Dowdall was heard on tape accusing Ms McDonald of using the Hutch family for “votes and money”. [ here. “When it is concluded, it is fair to say I will have more to say on the matter and the issues that have [been] raised,” he said. “That says to people in business big and small that there will be fundamental change in our economic policy if we had a Sinn Féin-led government and it will be a change for the worse. It was later put to Mr Varadkar that if Sinn Féin did win the next election in the Republic, it would be due to the Government’s failure to deliver on housing. However, he vowed that he will have “more to say about that matter” once the trial on the Regency Hotel shooting has wrapped up.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar commits to a full inquiry in 2023 into State's ... (The Irish Times)

Investigation will not ascribe blame but help prepare for future pandemics, he said.

He said the new consultant contract, if accepted, would allow for the phasing out of private practice in public hospitals, a change that was “long overdue”. It’s at the heart of the reforms and Sláintecare, it’s long overdue.” If our committee would be capable of doing it would [ultimately] depend on how broad its terms would be,” he said. That certainly seems to tally with remarks made by Micheál Martin on the issue when he was taoiseach.” Mr Varadkar said: “I am conscious the pandemic is not over and people are still in hospital today with Covid-19. “It’s going to be about getting to the truths, understanding what happened.

Taoiseach expects inquiry this year into handling of Covid-19 (Irish Examiner)

Varadkar says process not 'about pointing fingers or ascribing blame' but improving preparedness for any future pandemics.

The Taoiseach also said that he wants to see private practice in public hospitals ended. If you think about it, you know, we have the fee-charging schools. "If you think about it, we would never consider having private schools within our schools. The concept of an inquiry into various aspects of the pandemic has been floated for some time, but concrete steps have been slow in coming. Imagine if in our public schools, we had a fee-payer class, and those kids got a smaller class and the teacher got paid more to see them. "In fact, you know, there's a good chance that in our lifetime, you will experience another very serious pandemic, and we need to be prepared for that, and that will be the purpose of the thinking behind the inquiry.

Taoiseach 'expects' COVID inquiry to begin this year (Newstalk)

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he “expects” an inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic will begin this year.

“It’s not going to be about pointing fingers or ascribing blame. “But certainly, the expectation is that we would have that inquiry up and running during the course of 2023. “Because we can’t assume that this is going to be the last major pandemic in our lifetime.

'Good chance' of another 'very serious' pandemic in our lifetime ... (Independent.ie)

There is a “good chance” another “very serious” pandemic could take place during our lifetime, according to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

It’s at the heart of the reforms and Sláintecare, it’s long overdue. “That is a big change. “It provides for a significant increase in pay for consultants. “We think it’s a very good contract,” he said. “I have to bear that in mind too. “It’s going to be about getting to the truths, understanding what happened.

'Covid-19 inquiry should not be about pointing fingers' – Taoiseach (Belfast Telegraph)

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he hopes to have an inquiry into the handling of the pandemic up and running this year. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he wants an ...

“It’s going to be about getting to the truths, understanding what happened. It's going to be about getting to the truths, understanding what happened. “And yes, if people want to have private insurance, that’s their choice. It’s at the heart of the reforms and Slaintecare, it’s long overdue. “I have to bear that in mind too. “We think it’s a very good contract,” he said.