# Leo Varadkar

Last month

February 2023

# Cost of Living

Upcoming cost-of-living package to contain 'social welfare and pensions' element

Ministers will meet this week to discuss the detail of what measures should be extended.

57.5k

Feb 12th 2023, 5:21 PM

# Leo Varadkar

Taoiseach wants time to process asylum seekers cut down to less than 12 weeks

Leo Varadkar said that the Govt needed to take a “fair and firm and hard” approach to migration.

25.7k

Feb 12th 2023, 2:38 PM

# rising costs

Minister indicates targeted and universal cost-of-living measures on the cards as talks intensify

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he plans to make announcement about new and extended cost-of-living measures in mid-February.

8.4k

Feb 10th 2023, 1:13 PM

# EU summit

Hailed as a hero at EU summit, Zelenskyy urges faster arms supplies

The Ukrainian President is due to hold a series of bilateral meetings this afternoon.

15.7k

Updated

Feb 9th 2023, 10:50 PM

# Migration

No plans to cut off Ukrainian refugee supports, Varadkar says

The Taoiseach told reporters earlier today that the Government needed to take a “fair, firm and hard” approach to migration.

20.9k

Updated

Feb 9th 2023, 6:19 PM

THE MORNING LEAD

EU parliament greets Zelenskyy with cheers as Ukrainian president wraps up European tour

A report by

Tadgh McNally

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is due to attend his first EU summit since he was re-appointed in December.

17.3k

Updated

Feb 9th 2023, 12:48 PM

# Courts

Paul Murphy takes Sipo to High Court over decision not to investigate Varadkar over contract leak

Murphy’s initial application for judicial review was filed yesterday.

10.0k

Feb 9th 2023, 12:28 PM

# Back in the fold

What did the Mahon Tribunal find against Bertie Ahern, and what's happened since then?

The former Taoiseach has rejoined Fianna Fáil – but what led to his resignation in the first place?

15.5k

Feb 9th 2023, 11:19 AM

# Bertie Ahern

Taoiseach softens stance on Bertie Ahern after once comparing his tribunal evidence to John Gilligan

Varadkar had made the comments during a Dáil session in 2008.

14.9k

Feb 9th 2023, 10:08 AM

# anti-racism

Varadkar condemns racism 'of any form' in the Dáil amid anti-refugee protests

The Government plans to unveil an action plan against racism in March.

7.8k

Feb 8th 2023, 3:43 PM

# demostrations

Varadkar on protests against refugees: 'We should know better. It's not the Irish way'

The Taoiseach said refugees genuinely fleeing war and oppression are welcome here.

18.9k

Feb 2nd 2023, 6:41 PM

# drugs policy

Citizens' Assembly on drugs expected to begin before summer

The Taoiseach said that a report by the Oireachtas Justice Committee would help set the terms of reference.

7.6k

Feb 2nd 2023, 6:24 PM

# state redress

'How far back do we go?': Micheál Martin calls for 'debate' on historical wrongs by the State

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said yesterday that the Government “cannot spend the same euro twice”.

9.5k

Feb 2nd 2023, 3:01 PM

# Housing

Govt to make a call on eviction ban 'shortly', says Taoiseach

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he hasn’t thrown in the towel on the housing crisis.

Feb 1st 2023, 2:18 PM

# disability payments

State 'didn't have a leg to stand on' over non-payment of disability allowance, says Varadkar

A secret Cabinet memo revealed that the State could have been liable for up to €700 million in DPMA claims.

18.0k

Feb 1st 2023, 1:41 PM

January

January 2023

# accommodation crisis

Ministers sign off on new €10m International Protection Fund to support community needs

The minister emphasised the need for urgent access to large-scale temporary facilities.

18.6k

Updated

Jan 31st 2023, 9:00 PM

# nursing home charges

Varadkar defends controversial 'legal strategy' for limiting nursing home payouts

Opposition parties have called on the Government to release documents relating to the strategy.

The government has confirmed the legal strategy existed to block refunds to nursing home residents and that the plan was "pursued by successive governments".

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar agreed with the policy, calling it a "sound policy approach" and "legitimate legal strategy".

Wexford TD Verona Murphy told The Journal that some families who have contacted her feel "aggrieved" at the legal strategy, as they made sacrifices in order to pay for the nursing home care.

34.7k

Updated

Jan 31st 2023, 7:00 PM

# Explainer

Nursing home charges: What is the controversy about and how has the Government responded?

A 2011 memo stated that the liability from these incorrect charges could amount to €12 billion.

14.4k

Jan 31st 2023, 4:33 PM

# Fine Gael

Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin confirms he will not stand in next General Election

Griffin confirmed he would not contest the next General Election to Radio Kerry this morning.

18.4k

Jan 31st 2023, 9:59 AM

# Nursing Home

Release of documents on illegal nursing home charges to be discussed by government

A Dáil debate on the nursing home refunds controversy has been delayed by week.

16.1k

Updated

Jan 30th 2023, 5:56 PM

# housing for all

Taoiseach admits Govt missed 2022 social housing targets

Leo Varadkar also reiterated that there would be no “cliff edge” for cost-of-living supports.

10.0k

Jan 25th 2023, 1:50 PM

# ring ring

Varadkar reiterates need to avoid hard border on island of Ireland during phonecall with Sunak

During the conversation, the Taoiseach repeated the need for a solution which avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland.

7.6k

Updated

Jan 23rd 2023, 7:11 PM

# factcheck

FactCheck: Did the state build more social housing in 2022 than ever before, as Taoiseach claimed?

“We’ve never built more social housing than was the case of the past year,” The Taoiseach said.

17.3k

Jan 23rd 2023, 5:06 PM

# tax treatment

NBC top execs warned Martin and Varadkar that Ireland could miss out on big movie productions

Movie executives urged Martin and Varadkar to review movie-making tax treatment, as culture minister makes case for €100m tax cap.

31.2k

Jan 21st 2023, 12:00 PM

# Northern Ireland

Leo Varardkar says he has 'regrets' over NI Protocol as latest Stormont deadline passes

The Taoiseach said he understands why unionists feel that the protocol has “weakened the union”.

8.9k

Jan 20th 2023, 7:44 AM

# Davos

Varadkar says Ireland will be affected by Microsoft job losses

Varadkar is attending the World Economic Forum in Davos this week.

23.2k

Updated

Jan 19th 2023, 1:43 PM

# Davos

Taoiseach says some billionaires are all 'fur coat and no knickers'

Varadkar will be in Davos for three days this week.

52.1k

Updated

Jan 18th 2023, 2:17 PM

# Cost of Living

Rate of inflation drops slightly to 8.2% in the year to December

That’s down from an increase of 8.9% in the 12 months to November 2022.

7.2k

Jan 17th 2023, 5:03 PM

# open all hours

Housing, healthcare, cost-of-living and late-night pub opening on the agenda as Dáil returns

Varadkar looking for a ‘fresh start’ to his tenure as Taoiseach as he tries to shake up Govt priorities.

17.3k

Jan 15th 2023, 7:00 AM

# Northern Ireland

Sinn Féin should reconsider stance on all-party talks with UK Govt, says Donaldson

The decision to exclude McDonald from the talks has been criticised by the Government and Sinn Féin.

19.2k

Updated

Jan 13th 2023, 2:49 PM

# Let's talk

Taoiseach hopes agreement on NI Protocol can be reached to restore power sharing

The Taoiseach is due to meet with leaders of multiple parties later today.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin met with Northern Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris earlier this morning in Hillsborough.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald criticised the UK Government for denying her access to talks yesterday.

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson told the BBC that the UK and EU were not "anywhere close to a deal".

15.0k

Updated

Jan 12th 2023, 5:04 PM

Taoiseach: 'No cliff edge to cost-of-living supports at the end of February'

Discussions will take place in the coming weeks on what further supports will be needed.

22.7k

Jan 11th 2023, 10:35 PM

# Border controls

Taoiseach says Govt will be examining tougher border controls to prevent illegal immigration

The Taoiseach said that there had been a significant increase in the number of International Protection applicants last year.

18.6k

Jan 11th 2023, 9:45 PM

# Ukraine

Modular houses to come on stream as Cabinet briefed on refugee accommodation crisis

Many hotels currently under contract with the Department of Integration will revert to tourist trade in March and April.

22.1k

Updated

Jan 11th 2023, 8:00 PM

# Housing Crisis

Landlord tax breaks 'not off the table' as judgement call to be made before end of March

At a summit with housing stakeholders held yesterday in Government Buildings, a number of proposals are understood to have been put forward to benefit landlords.

15.6k

Jan 11th 2023, 6:10 AM