Results 32,561-32,580 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Brexit Preparations (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am fully aware of the significant exposure of our exporting Food & Drinks sector in general. Enterprise Ireland is working intensively with companies in this sector to enable them respond to the challenges they may face come 1st January 2021. Since 2016, the effectiveness of these measures by Enterprise Ireland and in cooperation with Bord Bia, has reduced UK exports from 35% to...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I understand this is a difficult time for many businesses and that some firms are concerned about how they are going to continue to pay the rent due for their business premises. Throughout this crisis, the Government has been encouraging commercial tenants and landlords to engage with each other and have asked landlords to show forbearance where they can. Ultimately, it is in the best...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Section 10 (4) of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 enables me as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to request the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to carry out a study or analysis of: - any issue relating to consumer protection and welfare, - any practice or method of competition affecting the supply and distribution of goods or the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Job Creation (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: County Clare continues to be a strong performer in terms of attracting both indigenous and foreign direct investment (FDI). There are now 67 IDA client companies in County Clare employing over 7,100 people with over 220 net new jobs added by foreign direct investment (FDI) firms in 2019. Clare is home to a number of particularly prominent multinationals...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (10 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. The Programme for Government recognises that remote work can provide multiple benefits in areas such as balanced regional development, climate action and...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Local Enterprise Offices (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: 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. Even while under Level 5 COVID-19 restrictions, where people cannot...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: IDA Ireland (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: County Carlow has witnessed a year on year increase in employment by IDA client companies in the past five years with over 480 net new jobs added since 2015. There are now over 1,200 people employed across five IDA client companies in the County. I am determined, together with IDA Ireland, to increase these numbers further as best we can. The IDA has a strong focus on regional...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Brexit Preparations (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: My Department and its agencies have put a wide range of enterprise measures in place to assist businesses in identifying key risk areas and practical preparatory actions to be taken with regard to Brexit. The Local Enterprise Offices in County Cork offer grants to businesses responding to Brexit challenges including the approval of 7 Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters grant of...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that publicans are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities and I am committed to ensuring that the Government offers as much assistance and support as possible. As part of the Restart Grant and Restart Grant Plus schemes, several top-up payments were approved by Government to deal with additional financial pressures caused by necessary Covid-19 restrictions....

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Departmental Strategies (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is currently in the process of developing a new Statement of Strategy for the period 2020 - 2023. This new Strategy will set out the key goals and objectives that the Department will work to achieve in the coming years. It will take account of the many Programme for Government commitments that fall within the Department's remit and will reflect the changes in responsibility that...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (10 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. Budget 2021 provides a significant package of tax and expenditure measures to build the resilience of the economy and to help vulnerable but viable businesses across all sectors. The measures in...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Since the introduction of level 5 restrictions on the 21 October 2020 the Health and Safety Authority has carried out 13 inspections of meat processing plants, with 146 inspections since the 18thof May 2020. Of the 146 inspections, 116 were unannounced and 30 were announced. There have been no announced inspections since early August. In addition, Inspectors for the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: IDA Ireland (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is strongly committed to regional development and this Department and its agencies - including IDA Ireland - are working towards ambitious targets to ensure that employment and investment are as evenly distributed as possible across the country. This includes actively marketing potential investment sites outside of our main cities and working to develop...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has put enterprise measures in place for businesses that require finance as they develop a response to their exposure to impacts arising from COVID-19. The uptake of these supports has been robust and indicates that businesses are taking action in response to this period of disruption. Budget 2021 provides a significant package of tax and expenditure measures to build the...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Brexit Preparations (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The U.K. will leave the single market & customs union in less than 60 days. No matter what happens between now and then, there will be changes. If you are a business owner, now is the time to get ready. The Government’s Brexit Readiness Action Plan sets out a broad range of changes that will occur from 31 December 2020, regardless of the outcome of ongoing EU-UK negotiations....

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Sick Pay Scheme (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am committed to bringing in a statutory sick pay scheme for Ireland and it is my intention that this scheme will be designed in consultation with unions and employer groups. Work is well underway. As a starting point I presented a draft issues paper on statutory sick pay to the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) sub-group on employment legislation and regulation on Wednesday, 30...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Health and Safety Inspections (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Ensuring that the education sector is a safe learning and working environment for all is a priority for this Government. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the lead agency in relation to checking compliance with the Return to Work Safely Protocol. However, inspectors from other Government Departments and State Bodies, including the Department of Education, are also carrying out Protocol...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The level of support now being provided to businesses to remain viable and sustain employment across all sectors is unprecedented. I am satisfied that we have an appropriate mix of supports in place to support workers and businesses in moving to Level 5, in particular, so businesses can reopen and restore employment as we suppress the virus. Under Enterprise Ireland's Sustaining Enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: We know the move to Level 5 has a significant impact on businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector. In order to reduce transmission of this disease quickly we have made this decision now so we can return to a lower level of the Living with Covid-19 framework. As part of the Restart Grant and Restart Grant Plus schemes, several top-up payments were approved by Government to deal with...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Nov 2020)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has put a range of enterprise measures in place for businesses that require finance as they develop a response to their exposure to impacts arising from COVID-19. The uptake of these supports has been robust and indicates that businesses are taking action in response to this period of disruption. Budget 2021 provides a significant package of tax and expenditure measures to...