Results 31,581-31,600 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I will ask the Minister for Health to provide him with an accurate update about the progress of the projects to expand capacity in University Hospital Limerick in correspondence.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I guess that report is now lying on the desk of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I am sure he will want to bring it to Government and make it public as soon as is feasible. I will get my office to check in with his after this.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The role of the banking sector, credit unions and other non-bank lenders in our economy and society is to provide credit in the form of mortgages to people who want to buy a home, credit to businesses, and loans to people who need them. However, they also need to be prudent. Banks and lenders need to know the money will be repaid or at least in almost all cases the money is repaid. Banks...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of the mudslide that occurred in Leitrim and the flooding that occurred in Wexford a few weeks ago. My sympathies go out to the communities and the people who were affected. I want them to know that Government is here to help them through the various schemes we offer, particularly through the Red Cross. Flood works are now a matter for the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. I...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy has raised a very relevant question. Many people's financial circumstances are dramatically different now from what they were last year. People who previously would not have qualified for medical cards now will. People who do not qualify for SUSI grants now probably should. Obviously budgets are limited, notwithstanding the extent of borrowing that is happening. However, it is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of the issue. I am not aware of the specific report although I did see the news from the UK yesterday. It is my view that Irish women who had an operation involving this mesh and experienced very severe pain and life-changing difficulties as a result should certainly be treated no less favourably in Ireland than they are being treated across the water in Britain. I am sure the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy O’Reilly for this important and timely question. I congratulate her on her appointment as Sinn Féin spokesperson for enterprise trade and employment. I look forward to tangling with her for the next two and a half years. In June, the High Court found that SI 251/2019 was made outside of the powers of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015. It was also...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The last Government and the one before it increased the minimum wage four times, having reversed the earlier cut in the minimum wage. Notwithstanding the earlier comments of the Deputy's party leader, we increased the minimum wage to one of the highest levels in the European Union and to a much higher level than that in Northern Ireland, where the Deputy's party is in power. Legislation to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: What we need is for the Supreme Court to hear this case quickly because there is little point in us bringing in legislation that is equally unfirm and could be struck down. We will be seeking an early hearing by the Supreme Court so that this issue can be clarified. In the meantime, the terms and conditions of those on existing contracts cannot be reduced unilaterally. There is an issue,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: As I mentioned earlier, this case is going to be appealed to both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, with a view to going straight to the Supreme Court in order that we can have an adjudication as soon as possible. The difficulty we have is that because this section of the legislation has been struck down as unconstitutional, it is questionable as to whether this House can bring in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: What we are doing to demonstrate that we have the backs of electrical contractors and workers on this issue is appealing the High Court decision. We do not have to appeal it but we are choosing to appeal it because we think it is the right thing to do. We will look at the legislation produced. I have not seen the Bill yet, but we will examine it. Deputy Ó Ríordáin has been...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: There is a big difference between intent and sincerity on the one hand and virtue signalling and critical messaging on the other. One is good and the other is phony. We will look at the legislation Deputy Nash has produced. We did look at the Bill he produced before Christmas, which was unconstitutional. We will give the Bill serious consideration and see if it is defective or not. What...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Company Closures (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising once again the important matter of insolvency and how it impacts on the rights of workers, creditors and others at this time. The procedures for liquidations are set out in the Part 11 of the Companies Act 2014. In general terms, a company is permitted to initiate a winding-up where it has complied with the requirements of the Companies Act 2014. A company...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Company Closures (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I have met some of the Debenhams workers already about this matter although I have not met them through their trade union. I am certainly happy to consider any meeting request. It is important to say that the Debenhams staff who were laid off should get their redundancy and they will. Even if it has to come out of the Social Insurance Fund they should get it. I know that they have not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Company Closures (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am not sure whether that stock belongs to Debehams, to concessionaires or a bit of both but that is neither here nor there. It is important to say that a company cannot just declare itself insolvent. A company has to initiate a liquidation while insolvent and it cannot do so by voluntary liquidation, it must apply to the High Court. It may be that these matters have yet to be heard in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Extensive modelling and analysis were undertaken for the three Economic Considerations for Reinstating Economic Activity papers developed by my Department at phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. These three papers, which are available on my Department's website gov.ie, were developed in conjunction with the Department of Finance and the Department of Public...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The truth is, as the Deputy will acknowledge, that any analysis and projection as to how Covid will impact on our economy is a good educated guess. Nobody really knows how long this pandemic will go on for, how many waves there may or may not be or what they will look like. It is everyone's best guess as to what the impact will be but it is better to have some analysis...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I might be wrong but I think it was all done in-house and drew on existing papers and other papers from the European Central Bank, Copenhagen Economics and Oxford University. We had the report from Copenhagen Economics on Brexit and the Oxford work on Covid. I think it was done in-house with the assistance of external reports but not with external consultancy. If I am wrong about that I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Devlin for raising this important question. As Tánaiste and Minister with responsibility for enterprise, trade and employment, I am committed to playing my part to get businesses reopened and to provide grant aid, advice and access to finance as we work to get businesses open and people back to work. A crucial part of this work will involve getting our SMEs back to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (14 Jul 2020)

Leo Varadkar: As for moving to phase 4 and allowing pubs and, I think, nightclubs, casinos and a few other entertainment businesses to reopen, it is likely a decision on this will be made by the Cabinet tomorrow evening, following advice from NPHET. I cannot yet say whether the decision will be in the affirmative or the negative, but it will be made most likely tomorrow evening at our Cabinet meeting....