Results 33,141-33,160 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Retail Sector (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The purpose of the online Retail Scheme is to enable Irish-owned retailers to enhance their digital capability and to develop a more competitive online offer that will enable an increase in their customer base and build a more resilient business in the domestic and global marketplace, both online and offline. The recent COVID-19 Online Retail Scheme is implemented by Enterprise Ireland on...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Local Enterprise Offices (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: It is a priority that the 31 Local Enterprise Offices as the first stop shop for business are sufficiently resourced to tackle the dual challenges of Brexit and COVID–19. The Local Enterprise Offices have access to an additional capital funding of €11m in Budget 2021 and this funding will be used to service an expected increase in demand for core supports and tailored training...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Redundancy Payments (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Ireland has a comprehensive body of employment legislation, in respect of which the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is mandated to secure compliance. Ireland’s employment rights legislation protects all employees who are legally employed on a contract of service basis. In March 2020 the Government introduced an emergency amendment to the Redundancy Payments Act 1967 which...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Ireland’s comprehensive body of employment rights legislation protects all employees who are legally employed on an employer-employee basis. Employment rights legislation was strengthened by the commencement, on 4th March 2019, of the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2018. The Act delivered on the Programme for Government commitment to address the challenges of the increased...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that publicans are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities. I am committed to ensuring that the Government offers as much assistance as possible. A comprehensive range of measures is in place for firms of all sizes, including the wage subsidy scheme, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities and is available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that publicans are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities. I am committed to ensuring that the Government offers as much assistance as possible. A comprehensive range of measures is in place for firms of all sizes, including the wage subsidy scheme, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities and is available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Responsibility for employment rights, redundancy and insolvency recently transferred to my Department from the Department of Social Protection, and the recommendations made in the Duffy-Cahill report are currently being revisited. I have also asked the Company Law Review Group, as per the Programme for Government, to look again at aspects of Company Law in this area. Their Report will be...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Aer Lingus (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I understand how difficult it must be for Aer Lingus employees facing renegotiations, restructuring and possibly lay-offs. The aviation industry has been devastated by the pandemic and consequently workers in the industry have been severely affected and are facing great uncertainty. In November, the Government agreed a revised €80 million funding package for Irish aviation. In...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: You will be aware that on the 23 June 2020, the High Court ruled that the Sectoral Employment Order (SEO) (Electrical Contracting Sector) Order (SI 251 of 2019), providing minimum rates of remuneration and other matters for workers in the electrical contracting sector was made ultra vires, that is, outside the powers of the parent legislation. The SEO therefore has no legal effect. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that publicans are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities. I am committed to ensuring that the Government offers as much assistance as possible. A comprehensive range of measures is in place for firms of all sizes, including the wage subsidy scheme, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities and is available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that publicans are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities. I am committed to ensuring that the Government offers as much assistance as possible. A comprehensive range of measures is in place for firms of all sizes, including the wage subsidy scheme, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities and is available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Unemployment Data (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: In recent months, the level of employment in the economy has been closely correlated to the level of Public Health restrictions in place at a given time. An analysis of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) data, for example, shows a very clear relationship between restrictions on certain sectors of the economy and the numbers previously employed in those sectors who are now claiming...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: National Training Fund (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: As Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, I am focused on leading our country through the economic crisis and helping businesses survive and supporting people to get back to work. In the Programme for Government, we committed to developing a National Economic Plan. This Plan will set out the pathway to the new economy of the future, the longer-term policies to get us there, while...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am acutely aware that some businesses, particularly those in close contact sectors, will remain impacted by further public health responses necessary to contain the virus until the Covid-19 vaccine can be rolled out. I would remind the Deputy that much has already been done to assist enterprises through the crisis. The PUP aims to maintain incomes for those who become unemployed and the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Brexit Preparations (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 and 236 together. My Department’s budget allocation for 2021 has been increased by €154 million or 15.9% on the 2020 allocation in addition to €100 million earmarked from the Recovery Fund for Brexit. This is a record allocation and will significantly bolster the capability of our enterprise and regulatory agencies to help...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Brexit Issues (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: In accordance with the Global Ireland 2025 objective of Strengthening Team Ireland’s presence abroad and accelerating diversification of export markets, my Department has appointed four senior officials to our Embassies since 2019. The Counsellor post in the Embassy in Washington is designed to reflect the increasing importance of Ireland’s strategic trade and investment...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: We know the significant effects on business of the current Level 3 restrictions. 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. It is in addition to the July Stimulus measures, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme, Restart Grant Plus, cash for businesses,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Economic Competitiveness (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Access to high quality broadband, a well-educated labour force and a well-functioning housing market were recently highlighted by the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council in its Competitiveness Challenge 2020 Report. The Council is an independent body that operates under the aegis of my Department. These factors were seen by the Council as critical elements for a successful...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: In March 2020, the Employment Permits Section of my Department implemented a COVID-19 contingency plan to ensure that the employment permit regime could continue to operate throughout the crisis. Since 30th March, the employment permit system has been operating fully remotely and online. Operational practices have been adjusted to replace the paper-based elements of the service to allow for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (17 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: While COVID-19 is the most significant challenge to our ongoing efforts to sustain and grow foreign direct investment in Ireland, Brexit remains a significant challenge for our economy. IDA Ireland has been working hard with its client base, over several years, to help mitigate Brexit-related risks that could impact on foreign direct investment in Ireland and to help their clients here...