Results 33,621-33,640 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Government has put in place a comprehensive range of measures to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates. Details of the wide range of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Food Prices (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The term “Groceries Order” refers to the Restrictive Practices (Groceries) Order 1987 (S.I. No.142 of 1987). This Order prohibited below invoice price selling rather than banning below cost selling. However, in effect, the Order had allowed wholesalers and suppliers to determine minimum retail prices being charged to consumers, thereby seriously constraining competition in the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Ministerial Correspondence (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The correspondence referred to was received in the Office of the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment on 20th November 2020 and the matter is receiving attention.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I recognise the impact that this pandemic is having on businesses right across the country. In order to assist businesses to address the challenges posed by COVID-19 the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The 31 Local Enterprise Offices continue to offer direct grant aid to microenterprises (up to 10 employees) in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sector. Subject to certain eligibility criteria, the LEOs can provide financial assistance within four main categories, following the LEO Lifecycle of Pre-Start, Start and Grow; - Feasibility Grants, for investigating the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I recognise the impact that this pandemic is having on businesses right across the country. In order to assist businesses to address the challenges posed by COVID-19 the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Brexit Issues (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together. In the seven weeks since the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement came into force that sets us on a different course for trading with the UK, we are seeing some short-term disruption arising from the new requirements around customs and SPS checks and controls. Supply chains are gradually adjusting to the new arrangements and documentary...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Data (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 14, 23 and 26 together. The Central Statistics Office compiles statistical data on Goods Exports and Imports. The latest figures available relate to exports and imports for the month of December 2020 and for the year 2020. As statistics are not yet available for the month of January 2021, it is not yet possible to measure any impact on trade between...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (18 Feb 2021)

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 offers as much assistance and support as possible. A comprehensive range of measures is in place for manufacturing and service firms of all sizes, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (18 Feb 2021)

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 offers as much assistance and support as possible. A comprehensive range of measures is in place for manufacturing and service firms of all sizes, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (18 Feb 2021)

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 offers as much assistance and support as possible. A comprehensive range of measures is in place for manufacturing and service firms of all sizes, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (18 Feb 2021)

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 offers as much assistance and support as possible. A comprehensive range of measures is in place for manufacturing and service firms of all sizes, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Local Enterprise Offices (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department and its Agencies will continue our work to enable younger persons to develop the entrepreneurial skills needed to pursue their business ideas. This is particularly important given the twin challenges to businesses of COVID-19 and Brexit. In 2021, Enterprise Ireland will continue to offer a number of start-up supports available to younger persons. These include New...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Local Enterprise Offices (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The 31 Local Enterprise Offices nationwide act as a ‘first-stop-shop’ providing advice and guidance, financial assistance, and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own business and do so regardless of the age of the applicant. Their business advisors and mentors offer signposting to the programmes and supports that will help and encourage new entrepreneurs to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Local Enterprise Offices (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department and its Agencies will continue our work to enable younger persons to develop the entrepreneurial skills needed to pursue their business ideas. The Local Enterprise Offices in every county are the first stop shop for anyone interested in starting or scaling a business and they provide an extensive range of entrepreneurship promotional, advisory and funding schemes, including...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The international call centre industry, or the Customer Experience industry as is it also known, is an important sector and a significant employer in Ireland. In recent years it has evolved from traditional call centres to language and technology-based customer interaction and customer experience centres. In 2019, it was estimated that approximately 56,000 people were employed in this sector....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Data (18 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is aware that it is essential that Irish enterprise has access to high-quality, adaptable and flexible talent. In order to meet this demand, the Government is committed to building and retaining a highly skilled workforce to serve the needs of the economy. This goal is set out under the framework of an overarching skills development strategy, Ireland’s National Skills...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (18 Feb 2021)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Health and Safety Inspections (24 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Between the 1stSeptember 2020 to the 12thFeb 2021 the Health and Safety Authority carried out three thousand, eight hundred and nine (3,809)workplaceinspections across a wide range of sectors. During this period, in additional to carrying out inspections assessing compliance with Health and Safety legislation, the Health and Safety Authority was involved in a number of roles around the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Redundancy Payments (24 Feb 2021)

Leo Varadkar: In situations where a person has permanently lost their job there are 52 weeks from the date of dismissal or date of termination of employment for a redundancy payment to be agreed on and paid, or for the employee to give a written claim for redundancy to the employer or for a referral to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The WRC has discretion to extend the 52 week time limit to 104...