Results 33,201-33,220 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Health and Safety Inspections (13 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: In determining their programme of work in relation to workplace inspections the Health and Safety Authority carries out an assessment exercise based on various criteria before identifying what sectors and workplaces are prioritised for inspection. A similar assessment is done regarding compliance with COVID-19 public health measures inspections.  I have been informed by the Health and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19, only essential retail outlets will remain open.  Further information can be found on S.I. No. 701 of 2020 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020 and S.I. No. 4 of 2021 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 10) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 () clearly...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Brexit Supports (13 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: It is intended that the first call for submission of applications to this new Capital Investment Scheme for the Processing and Marketing of Agricultural Products which is jointly funded by my Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, will open at the end of January. The scheme will be managed by Enterprise Ireland. The detailed terms and conditions will be published...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19, only essential retail outlets will remain open.  Further information can be found on https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/2dc71-level-5/  S.I. No. 701 of 2020 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020 and S.I. No. 4 of 2021 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions)...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19, only essential retail outlets will remain open.  Further information can be found on S.I. No. 701 of 2020 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 10) Regulations 2020 and S.I. No. 4 of 2021 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No. 10) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 () clearly...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I understand the significant impact that the necessary move to return to full scale Level 5 of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19, will have for businesses. The decision to move to full scale Level 5 was not taken lightly and all factors were considered. The restrictions are in place for a period of at least one month from 31 December 2020. My Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that publicans are continuing to make massive sacrifices to protect their communities. I remain 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...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Consultancy Contracts (13 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Details of consultancy contracts related to COVID-19 entered into by my Department are set out in the attached table. Details of outsourcing of consultancies of specifically Covid-19-related work, services or advice Value of Contract Behaviour & Attitudes: Telephone and online survey of Business Capability and Capacity to Implement COVID-19...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Brexit Issues (13 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The choice and availability of online retailers to Irish consumers is a matter for domestic and international retailers and not something that the Government can directly influence. Brexit has not eliminated the potential for UK-based retailers to offer products via online channels to Irish consumers but it has complicated matters. My colleague Minister Troy has brought this to the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. First, the situation in our hospitals remains very precarious and, unfortunately, it is continuing to deteriorate. The very best way we can support the staff working in our acute hospitals is to continue to abide by the restrictions, to social distance and to do all the things that are being asked of us. That is what we need to do to decrease the number of people...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy asked about Be On Call for Ireland. As I mentioned earlier, that was something we launched last March. I launched it as Taoiseach with the Minister for Health at the time, Deputy Harris. We had a significant level of interest in it but it did not turn out to be what we thought it would be because we found that a significant number of people were not available. Some were not...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Berry - Dr. Berry - for his contribution and for the work I know he has been doing on the front line in respect of the vaccination programme. The programme is well under way. We are doing better than people think. There are approximately 200 countries in the world but only 40 have started a vaccination programme and we are among those. We are now in the top ten or 12 in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am really glad the Deputy brought this up because it has been on my mind as well. I am conscious that a large number of volunteers are helping out in the testing centres and swabbing centres. Not only are these people giving up their time, they are also willing to put themselves at a certain degree of risk of contracting the virus. That needs to be recognised properly, so we are giving...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: To answer the Deputy's question, it is okay to ask questions and, yes, it is okay to have doubts and to seek reassurance and information. That is entirely reasonable. During my time practising as a doctor - as a GP - I worked in vaccine clinics. People had questions and concerns and it was my job to answer their questions, give them accurate information and assuage their concerns. The...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: It is always okay to ask questions, particularly if the purpose of asking the question is to seek information. It is different when people ask questions for rhetorical reasons, namely, when they are trying to make a point rather than seeking information. We all recognise that. As to what is happening in terms of our hospitals, there have been issues from time to time in individual...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Under the new rules, any person entering the State through our ports or airports will have to have had a PCR test with a negative result within 72 hours of their arrival. The only exception that is being made is for people who are transport workers in that supply chain, such as hauliers, cabin crew and pilots, for obvious reasons. Some exceptions are made on compassionate grounds where...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: For now, the only exceptions to having to have a negative PCR test result on coming into the country are if one is under six years of age, if one is part of the transport supply chain such as the pilot, cabin crew or haulier or for compassionate grounds where someone needs to race back to the country in an emergency. We can consider further exceptions into the future and I will take up what...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am surprised at how quickly the Deputy becomes sanctimonious. He is forever using Covid to score political points. He did exactly that in his contribution only half an hour ago and made no mention of the sad deaths of at least 50 people yesterday. Sinn Féin beats the band when it comes to using Covid to score political points, but it will not do the two things it should do to help....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am not. The Minister for Finance has responsibility.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Jan 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have any information on the vaccine programme, either in the Mater or in Beacon Hospital. I will ask the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to reply to the Deputy, if he can.