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Tuesday 5 December 2023 Dublin: 4°C

# Leo Varadkar

July
July 2023
Varadkar says giving gardaí guns would only result in escalation of armed crimes
A report by
Christina Finn
The Taoiseach previously said he would be in favour of arming gardaí.
Taoiseach says people being attacked ‘all the time’ on Irish streets
The Taoiseach and minister differ on whether Garda recruitment targets can be met.
Energy supports for families and businesses to form part of Budget 2024
The Taoiseach says energy bills are not falling fast enough.
Varadkar condemns attack on family home of councillor in which rock was thrown through window
A note was wrapped around the rock, which warning the councillor to “stop supporting” refugees “or you’ll have to move out”.
Taoiseach apologises to Ukrainian actor assaulted in Dublin during surprise trip to Kyiv
The Taoiseach also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today.
Varadkar has given his commitment to the people of Ukraine that Ireland will "continue to offer our practical as well as our political backing".
He confirmed Ireland is giving a further €5 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy has thanked the people of Ireland for taking in thousands of Ukrainian refugees since the Russian invasion.
Brother of girl shot dead by British soldier urges MPs to reject contentious Troubles legacy Bill
The UK Government has said its legacy proposals are the best way to deliver for victims of the Troubles.
Dáil breaks for summer hols but political temperature set to be 'a little higher' on its return
The Dáil recess kicked in on Thursday, with politicians not due back until mid-September.
Taoiseach hints a radical overhaul of the TV licence model is coming down the line
Leo Varadkar said he is determined to see an overhaul of the licence fee system in the lifetime of this government.
No plans to cap the number of times people can refuse social housing offer, says Taoiseach
Leo Varadkar said today that people refuse social housing sometimes for ‘good reason, sometimes not’.
Varadkar says his comment about people refusing social housing was 'misrepresented'
The Taoiseach has come under fire for saying that lots of people in emergency accommodation “refuse multiple offers to go on social housing”.
Government criticised for giving housing update during Tubridy hearings
Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó’Broin has said the timing was “a cynical attempt to bury what is pretty bad news”.
Taoiseach stresses 'progress' on housing as he defends lifting of eviction ban
The government has today announced a €150mn fund to tackle long-term property vacancy and dereliction which it says will help expand housing supply.
PSNI investigating placement of a picture of the Taoiseach on loyalist bonfire as a ‘hate crime’
‘What happened in burning the flag of our neighbouring state and burning the poster of Leo Varadkar was wrong’, said the DUP leader today.
Poster of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar burned on loyalist bonfire in Tyrone
The pyre in Moygashel previously garnered attention online after a boat was placed on it.
By yesterday evening, a banner reading “Good Friday Agreement? That ship has sailed” had been added to the side of the boat.
The bonfire was lit around 11pm following a parade and an address by loyalist activist Jamie Bryson.
UUP leader Doug Beattie said it is "not acceptable" and is "childish and promotes hate".
Trust cannot be restored in RTÉ 'without change' being made at the broadcaster, Varadkar says
The Taoiseach also reiterated today that he will continue to pay the annual €160 TV licence.
Taoiseach says he will keep paying his TV license fee and the public should too
TD Paul Murphy is predicting large numbers of angry viewers will refuse to pay the license fee.
RTÉ's drip feed of information doing 'untold damage', says Taoiseach
Media Minister Catherine Martin says the lack of transparency has ‘eroded confidence in Executive board’.
Varadkar says Israeli and Palestinian lives both matter, as TDs dub Govt response 'incredibly weak'
Varadkar said that while condemning Israel’s violence in the West Bank, we shouldn’t forget about the impact of a car ramming incident in Tel Aviv today.
June
June 2023
Possibility some RTÉ payments were on 'wrong side of the law' can't be ruled out - Varadkar
The Taoiseach said that some of the revelations at yesterday’s PAC were “a matter of real concern”.
Taoiseach in Brussels to meet EU leaders and take part in meeting with NATO chief
Speaking to reporters as he arrived in Brussels earlier today, Varadkar addressed the subject of support for Ukraine and how it relates to Irish neutrality.
HSE appoints safeguarding expert following review into ‘serious’ sexual assault at nursing home
In 2020, a healthcare worker at the nursing home was jailed for 11 years for raping a resident known by the pseudonym of ‘Emily’.
Government defends security forum as opposition label it 'rigged' and 'unashamedly one-sided'
Mick Barry said he believes the forum is “rigged” and opposition leaders have been “excluded”.
Government to legislate to disregard historic convictions of gay and bisexual men
The criminalisation of consensual sexual acts between men remained in place until 1993.
Varadkar promises further cut in childcare costs, as minister pushes for another 25% reduction
Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman is pushing for an overall reduction of 50% in childcare fees over two years.
Children's Hospital Board rejects claim operating theatre fault could cost 'tens of millions'
The matter is expected to be raised in the Dáil later today.
11 of the hospital's 22 operating theatres will require works to address a problem identified last year.
A TD suggested the issue could cause delays and cost tens of millions, but the hospital board has refuted those claims.
The matter is the most recent controversy for a project that has repeatedly come to public attention.
Taoiseach tours National Children's Hospital as construction reaches 80% completion
Inflation and Ukraine fallout pose fresh hurdles for children's hospital as structure takes shape
Leo Varadkar: Losing a border poll would 'take the issue off the agenda for a long period'
An Taoioseach said he supports unity and this ‘should not be radical’.
Varadkar says FG could increase vote share in next election, as party sets out to build more homes
At a parliamentary party meeting tonight, Fine Gael set out its aims for Budget 2023.
'Bankers f***ing bankrupted us': Read Christy Dignam's in-depth 2018 interview with The Journal
The Journal sat down for a wide-ranging interview with Dignam five years ago.
Should Varadkar have eye on McEntee vying for his job? 'Absolutely not' says minister
Helen McEntee says she has full confidence in Leo Varadkar.
'A legend ... a great Dub': Party leaders pay tribute to Christy Dignam in the Dáil
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar expressed his sadness at the news of Dignam in the Dáil today.
Honour system that adds 'G.U.' letters after name of awardee would face pushback, says Varadkar
The suffix stands for Gradam an Uachtaráin and would indicate a person has been honoured.
Finance Minister wants 'prudent' Budget as Taoiseach seeks threshold for higher tax rate at €50k
Michael McGrath said his “overarching priorities” for the budget include the protection of living standards.
'Definitely not fair': Varadkar rejects claims that his leadership of Fine Gael is in 'drift'
Minister Simon Harris said criticisms of Varadkar’s leadership were “simply an issue that doesn’t arise”.
Population rise from Census to feed into increase in Government's housing targets
The latest data from the census shows that Ireland’s population has hit close to 5.15 million.
Inquiry into Ireland's Covid-19 response to be set up this year, Varadkar says
The Taoiseach said he wanted to see the right terms of reference so the Irish inquiry does not stray like the UK one is doing.
Families of residents who will be 'kicked out' of Cork nursing home urge Taoiseach to step in
The families claimed that Minister Mary Butler has only written to the most “vocal families” to offer them help finding other accommodation for their loved ones, but has not engaged with others.
Former Fine Gael senator Paul Coghlan has died aged 79
Coghlan was elected as a senator in 1997 and remained in office until his retirement 2020.
What is Fine Gael's 'middle Ireland' and are you in it?
Questions have been raised over whether Fine Gael policy will help the people it says it’s targeting.
Independent review of abortion laws should not be treated as ‘gospel’, says Varadkar
The review recommended several changes to Irish abortion laws, including scrapping the three-day ‘cooling off’ period.
No domestic flight ban on the cards for Ireland as Taoiseach says we're not the same as France
Domestic flights are very important to some of Ireland’s most remote areas, says Varadkar.