Results 32,461-32,480 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Product Labelling (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Differences arise between the treatment of food goods and non-food goods. Under EE rules, country of origin rules are generally only introduced for foodstuffs where there is evidence of a link between the country of origin and the quality of the product. Where the vast majority of products are concerned, the country of origin has no impact on the quality of those products as quality is...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Remote Working (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: As our country continues to navigate Covid-19, remote working has become more important than ever before. This is reflected in the Programme for Government, which contains commitments aimed at facilitating remote work across Ireland in recognition that remote work can provide benefits in terms of regional development, climate action and work-life balance. In July, my Department launched a...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Departmental Schemes (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Chambers of Commerce cooperate with various local and regional stakeholders, including the Local Enterprise Offices, with a view to developing and sustaining enterprises and business. As business representative organisations, they are funded by their membership through subscriptions and the running of various business events. In that context, my Department supports individual...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that businesses are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities and I am committed to ensuring that the Government will offer as much assistance and support as possible. My Department has worked to ensure that appropriate supports are in place for businesses that require finance as they develop their response to their exposure to impacts arising from COVID-19....

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19, only essential retail outlets will remain open. S.I. No. 448 of 2020 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 8) Regulations 2020 clearly sets out the temporary restrictions under Level 5. A list of essential retail outlets at Level 5 can be found at . This includes "Any other retail outlet that operates an...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: As part of Budget 2021, the New Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), is now operational through Revenue and offers a targeted, timely and temporary sector-specific support to businesses forced to close or trade at significantly reduced levels due to COVID of up to €5,000 per week. My colleague the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe T.D. is best placed to provide further detail...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19 is a cross-government approach to managing and living with the pandemic over the next 6 – 9 months. The Government decided that, from midnight on Wednesday 21st October, the entire country would be placed on Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID with a small number of exceptions. This...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Employment Rights (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of electronic communications to the success of many businesses and organisations. The use of mobile technology has enabled many workers to remain connected and in employment, and those who can work from home have been encouraged to do so. However, a long-acknowledged, potential downside to the use of mobile and other electronic...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Programme for Government (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Work is well advanced on developing our National Economic Plan which will set out our priorities and policy objectives for sustainable recovery post COVID-19. A key pillar of the plan will be to build resilience across our enterprises and sectors. This work is also an important opportunity to progress Programme for Government commitments including the establishment of sectoral task forces to...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Local Enterprise Offices (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: As committed to in the Programme for Government, the SME Growth Taskforce has been working towards recommendations to design a National SME Growth Plan that will map out an ambitious long-term strategic blueprint for SMEs and entrepreneurs. The Task Force is also examining the recommendations of the 2019 OECD Report on entrepreneurship and SME policy in Ireland including the strategic...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19 is a cross-government approach to managing and living with the pandemic over the next 6 – 9 months. The Government decided that, from midnight on Wednesday 21st October, the entire country would be placed on Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID with a small number of exceptions. This...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Following the advice of NPHET, the Government made the decision to move the entire country to Level 5 of the Framework for Living with COVID-19 for a period of six weeks. While essential retail and services including schools, early learning and childcare will remain open, all non-essential services must close. A comprehensive list of essential services can be found at . Businesses should...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19 is a cross-government approach to managing and living with the pandemic over the next 6 – 9 months. The Government decided that, from midnight on Wednesday 21st October, the entire country would be placed on Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID with a small number of exceptions. This...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Fines Data (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: My Department and the agencies under its remit have not paid any fines to the European Commission in respect of infringements of EU law since 1 January 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Departmental Contracts (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is attached in tabular form below. All contract values are inclusive of VAT. The 2020 details relate to the period to the end of October 2020. Date of Contract Company Awarded Contract Details of Contract Value of Contract € 2019 Oracle EMEA (i) Oracle...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Local Enterprise Offices in each County are the ‘first-stop-shop’ for advice and guidance on financial and other assistance on starting or growing a business. They offer direct grant aid to microenterprises (10 employees or fewer) in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors for business expansion or which have the potential to develop their export...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Brexit Data (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 and 234 together. My Department undertook an independent trade analysis study that was published in 2018 entitled "Strategic Implications for Ireland arising from changing EU-UK trading relations". This study examined the implications of Brexit for the Irish economy and trade, quantifying the impact of possible new barriers to trade which might emerge...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: During these difficult weeks for businesses, my Department is working with the Local Enterprise Offices on a local media campaign to support the ‘Shop Local’ initiatives that are already very active across the country. The purpose of this campaign will be to encourage communities to support businesses in their area by shopping locally and safely. It is also important to note...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Company Registration (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Companies, which meet specific criteria, may, under the terms of Chapter 15 Part 6 Companies Act 2014, avail of an exemption from the requirement to have the financial statements which are appended to its annual return audited. A company must qualify as a small company (or micro company). As such, it is statutory provision and I would have no discretion in the matter. It should be noted...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Data Protection (3 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: There were six Personal Data Breaches recorded for my Department in 2019. In addition, there were 24 Personal Data Breaches recorded for the Offices under the aegis of my Department in 2019. A total of nine Personal Data Breaches were reported to the Data Protection Commission in 2019. The decision to report these breaches to the Data Protection Commission was taken by the Data Protection...