Results 33,541-33,560 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (17 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The South West Region has a dynamic and broad enterprise sector with predominance in Bio Pharmaceuticals, Technology (hardware and services) and Agri-Food, in addition to significant potential in tourism, Medical Technology, International Financial Services and Global Business Services. The South West Region comprises Cork and Kerry. Kerry has 17 IDA client companies employing 2,153 people....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Feb 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 The decision to move to full scale Level 5 was not taken lightly and all factors were considered. All measures in Level 5 will stay in place until at least March 5 2021. S.I. No. 701 of 2020 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19)...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Import Costs (17 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The EU’s Safeguard Measures for steel were initiated in July 2018 in response to the United States applying a 25% tariff on steel imports originating from 3rd countries, including the European Union. The aim of the Measures is to manage the volume of steel entering the EU Single Market from 3rd countries as a consequent of the threat of EU market distortion by the dumping of steel...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Contracts (17 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has entered into one such contract since the 1st January 2021. Details of this contract are set out below. Company Purpose of Contract Value of Contract Length of Contract Matrix Internet Web Design and Development for a Climate Action HubDesign, development and hosting of an online tool to assist businesses...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Ministerial Communications (17 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Ms. Katherine Tai has been nominated by President Biden to serve as the next United States Trade Representative (USTR), a cabinet level role which will see Ms. Tai act as President Biden's principle advisor/negotiator on all US trade policy related matters. Ms. Tai can only take up her office following confirmation of her nomination by the US Senate. However, I know that EU Commission...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I am aware of the media reports in regard to the future of Ulster Bank in the Republic of Ireland. This is, as everyone in the House will appreciate, a commercial matter for its owner, NatWest. It will not be a Government decision, nor does it require Government approval. However, it is a matter of real concern and one that the Government is taking very seriously. It...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I will be speaking to the Minister for Finance about this again today. I am sure he will be willing to engage with Opposition spokespeople and members of the committee on this issue as things develop. I will take that up with him later but I am sure he will be happy to brief spokespeople and engage with the committee. As the Deputy knows, the Minister has already...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. Parents and students asked for clarity, choice and some compassion, and that is what we have provided in making the decision yesterday. A decision from the Government gives students the choice to opt for either a calculated grade or an accredited grade, or to sit the traditional examinations, which include written, oral, aural and practical examinations. They can make...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. We will certainly take on board the suggestion and request from the Labour Party on a hybrid option but I understand there are some difficulties with it. One reason we want to have the calculated grade or accredited grade system is in case, for some reason, schools close again and oral, aural and practical examinations cannot go ahead. I am not saying they will close...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I have referred here in the Dáil to the plan. The plan for quite some time has been for the phased reopening of schools, starting with the opening of special schools, which has been done, and moving on to special classes. Across the period of March and April, the plan is to open schools on a phased basis. I totally appreciate that what parents want is a clear plan and clear message....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. We will certainly try to do the right thing by the survivors, taking into account all the issues at play. I think the commission did a good job. It did what it was asked to do, in many ways. It spent five years examining all the documentary evidence, spoke to lots of people who spent time or worked in mother and baby institutions and did its best to come up with a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot make that commitment here but I will take up the matter again with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. I do not know if it is possible to retrieve the audio recordings. Knowing the answer to that would be crucial at this point. The commission has said that each witness at the confidential committee was given a guarantee of complete anonymity, and for this reason the tapes were deleted....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for his questions. I support the greater use of antigen testing in Ireland. I am on the record as having said that on a number of occasions. However, that has to be subject to public health advice and the approval of NPHET and HIQA, which also advises on this. It is now being used in outbreaks and has been tested in some clinical scenarios, such as outbreaks in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Nobody likes to see a bank branch close in a town. We need to be honest and realistic, however. The world has moved on. The number of people who go into a bank branch now is a fraction of what it was ten or 20 years ago, and the number will keep falling. Most purchases in Ireland now are happening electronically. Even places where a person could not use a card before and where they only...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Certainly not, no.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: We need to be honest with people about that. One thing I saw last year and was really impressed with-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy should have a look at one of the old banks in Edgeworthstown and how that has been turned into an enterprise hub.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I checked before I came into the House and, to the best of my knowledge, NIAC has not yet come back to us on that matter. It is under consideration, however. As we move down the list to more and more groups of people, we have asked NIAC to give consideration to groups that could be prioritised, not just family carers but also people under 70 who may have a medical...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have any detail on the different pay rates being offered to people who will be working in the vaccination centres, but like I said, we will have a subcommittee on Covid this afternoon and I will take that up with the HSE then.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am not saying we will not extend it. I am saying that the Minister is giving that consideration. If we do extend it, we want to know that it will serve a purpose and help us solve the problem that has arisen around deleted audio recordings. We do not know if they are recoverable and an answer to that question would be helpful.