Leo Varadkar

The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar is in Brussels today (Thursday) for a special meeting of the European Council at which leaders will discuss Ukraine, ...

On economic issues, the Taoiseach will emphasise that the EU needs to improve its overall competitiveness to retain and grow our prosperity. "The EU is rooted in freedom, democracy, the rule of law and a desire for peace. "Ukraine will be the principle topic of discussion at this special Council.

The Taoiseach admitted the Government needs to improve its communication with communities ahead of the arrival of refugees.

The Taoiseach was speaking to reporters in Brussels this morning ahead of a summit with EU leaders where migration will be discussed. In many ways we’re the end of the line as a European country, nonetheless we have shared issues and we need to deal with it together,” Mr Varadkar added. However, he admitted the Government needs to improve its communication with communities ahead of the arrival of refugees.

Mr Varadkar made the comments in Brussels ahead of a meeting of EU leaders with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, after he addressed the European ...

We need to be fair with refugees because refugees are welcome in Ireland and people who need our protection should get it. Lots of people who come into Europe gain refugee status and the right to remain – but others don’t and have to be returned. “And all European countries are finding it very hard to make returns happen. “We also need to be firm with people who come to Ireland with a false story or false pretences, we need to be firm with them and say that we are going to make a quick decision on your application and we will return you to your country of origin and people expect that. “But there’s one thing that I’ll be particularly saying: Ultimately, the best thing we can do to make sure that we deal with the issue of irregular migration is to make sure things improve in the countries of origin. They shouldn’t decide who comes through the borders.

Kyiv leader is in Brussels to appeal for urgent assistance to repel Russian invasion.

I don’t think we should dilute those tests, but if Ukraine satisfies the criteria for membership, well, then we should advance their application.” But what we can help with is in other ways: financially, humanitarianly, supporting their candidature for the European Union, and also through the European Peace Facility funding – non-lethal weapons essentially such as body armour.” If part of Ukraine is occupied by a foreign power, it is no reason to exclude the country from membership, Mr Varadkar continued, citing the example of Cyprus where the north of the island is under Turkish control.

Taoiseach pays tribute to Mr Ahern's contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process but says his rejoining Fianna Fáil is an internal party matter.

Mr Lenihan said that Mr Ahern would be an asset to Fianna Fáil in the coming years. “I think there needs to be a distinction made between what we might call opinion as it is expressed online and in media and what the ordinary public think. And if you look at the totality of Bertie Ahern’s career, let’s not forget that he was one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement, and that’s something that we’re going to recognise in a few months’ time, and I don’t think anyone can diminish the role that he played. Asked about previous comments, in which he questioned the veracity of Mr Ahern’s evidence to the Mahon tribunal, which was investigating his finances, Mr Varadkar said: “You know, I think that was at a particular point in time. Mr Ahern applied and was readmitted to Fianna Fáil on Wednesday, a decade after he left in the wake of the [Mahon tribunal findings](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/main-points-and-recommendations-1.705339). The former taoiseach could help revitalise a party that was “clearly at sea at the moment.

Leo Varadkar will meet Mr Zelenskyy later today alongside leaders from Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, and Portugal.

She added that Russia’s lies are poisonous and their propaganda will also be targeted. He described his meeting in Paris on Wednesday night with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as “very powerful”. He said his trip to London where he met British prime minister Rishi Sunak achieved results and moved towards solutions regarding long-range missiles. Again, he said he did not want to announce anything publicly. I've heard it from a number of European leaders... "Europe will be with us until our victory.

IRELAND needs to be “firm” with people who arrive in the country with a false story or under false pretences and return them to their country of origin, ...

Thank you for all that you do every day for patients and for their families.” “We also need to be firm with people who come to Ireland with a false story or false pretence. “I think when it comes to migration we need to be fair, firm and hard. “The work that you do is essential and the work that you do is appreciated. “And we also need to be hard on human traffickers because we should decide who enters our country, not criminal gangs and this is an issue that all of Europe is grappling with and we need to come up with solutions to deal with it together in many ways we’re the end of the line as a European country, nonetheless we have a shared issue and we need to deal with it together.” IRELAND needs to be “firm” with people who arrive in the country with a false story or under false pretences and return them to their country of origin, Taoiseach

Leo Varadkar has vowed to tackle racism after a number of protests have taken place recently against immigrants and refugees.

If we have an unemployment crisis, it'll be 'the foreigners are taking our jobs'. "So if we have a housing crisis, it'll be 'the foreigners are taking our homes'. That's the way they think," Varadkar told TDs.

Mr Varadkar had requested an examination of how Ireland treats Ukrainians in comparison to other EU countries.

But that's not going to be possible in all cases. “You know, I suppose what we've done, and it's reasonable to do it as a comparative analysis as to how you Ukrainians are treated in different EU countries, but it's not always comparable, he told the. He said the State wants to encourage Ukrainians to become self-sufficient but this would not be possible in all cases.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Coalition has no plans at present to cut financial support to Ukrainian refugees living in Ireland.

But Mr Varadkar also added: “We need to be firm as well, though with people who come to the country with a story that doesn't stack up. He also said he told him that more than 10,000 Ukrainians are working in Ireland. A lot of Ukrainians who are in Ireland, barely speak English.

Leo Varadkar has vowed to tackle racism after a number of protests have taken place recently against immigrants and refugees.

If we have an unemployment crisis, it'll be 'the foreigners are taking our jobs'. "So if we have a housing crisis, it'll be 'the foreigners are taking our homes'. That's the way they think," Varadkar told TDs.

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has said Ireland should be “fair and firm and hard” on migration.Mr Varadkar made the comments in Brussels ahead of a meeti.

We need to be fair with refugees because “And all European countries are finding it very hard to make returns happen. “We also need to be firm with people who come to Ireland with a false story or false pretences, we need to be firm with them and say that we are going to make a quick decision on your application and we will return you to your country of origin and people expect that.” Lots of people who come into Europe gain “People don’t have a right to say who lives in their area, but they do have a right to know what’s happening in their area.” They shouldn’t decide who comes through the borders.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has described protests outside hospitals where foreign nationals are members of staff as a 'new low' and urged TDs not to ...

If we have an unemployment crisis, it'll be "the foreigners are taking our jobs". 'So if we have a housing crisis, it'll be "the foreigners are taking our homes". That's the way they think,' Mr Varadkar told TDs.

Protesters holding an 'Ireland for all' solidarity march next week in Dublin have condemned recent comments made by the Taoiseach on migration policy.

“The focus needs to be on our current policy and making it work for everyone. “I feel somewhat ashamed of that word ‘hard’, in fact, I feel very ashamed to be a part of a country where that is said by one of our leaders. “It’s a very unfortunate comment, it is not the right moment to make policy on the hoof.”