Results 35,181-35,200 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Artists' Remuneration (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to ‘Request the Low Pay Commission to examine Universal Basic Income, informed by a review of previous international pilots, and resulting in a universal basic income pilot in the lifetime of the Government’. Earlier this year, I formally requested the Low Pay Commission to examine this issue. In response to my request, the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Budget 2022 recognises that a strong, resilient SME sector is key to rebuilding the economy. As part of Budget 2022, my Department has increased its allocation to its enterprise agencies who are continuing to deal with the impacts of Covid and Brexit. My Department is overseeing the development of nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024. The Plans aim to identify growth opportunities,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Creation (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: IDA Ireland Jobs created in 2021 will not be available until the Annual Employment Survey results are published in January 2022. However, as is evidenced with IDA Ireland investment announcements in 2021, set out in the table below, a significant number of companies have located or expanded in Cork with new jobs and it is reasonable to expect that this trend will continue into the future. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: IDA Ireland actively promotes available buildings and land in IDA Business Parks and high-quality buildings in private ownership through their network of overseas offices. The IDA owns approximately 10.6 hectares of industrial zoned land on the Sligo Road in Quignashee, Ballina. Planning permission was previously obtained for infrastructural development, although this has since expired....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is actively pursuing opportunities for decarbonisation across enterprise and is integrating climate action into all aspects of the Department and its agencies’ activities. This approach recognises that those enterprises that make the move early to reduce their carbon footprint will be resilient to the impacts of climate change. The enterprise agencies will be aligning...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Data Centres (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Government will shortly publish a new Climate Action Plan that will address our objective to decarbonise our economy and society. The Plan will be transformative in nature aiming, inter alia, to decarbonise our electricity system requiring innovative and world leading solutions on both the supply and demand sides of that market. We will need to ensure that new electricity demands,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Brexit Supports (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Brexit Impact Loan Scheme makes up to €330m in lending available to eligible SMEs and small mid-caps seeking access to appropriate financing as they respond to the dual impacts of the pandemic and the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. The Brexit Impact Loan Scheme is a successor to the original Brexit Loan Scheme. However, following consultation with stakeholders, this new...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Data Centres (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 69 together. My officials and I work closely with IDA Ireland on a range of policy matters related to its mandate, including, actions relating to data centres under consideration for the forthcoming Climate Action Plan, the potential role of Power Purchase Agreements, the contribution of data centres to economic development especially to job creation...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Climate Change Policy (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Sustainability and energy efficiency must become integral to the strategic planning of all businesses. As previously announced in the Revised NDP, we will provide €10 million in funding to help businesses decarbonise and prepare for the future. This is designed to kick start new areas of economic growth, providing long-term, future-proofed jobs. Provision has been made in Budget...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Data (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Since the start of 2020, we have faced unprecedent challenges on our island. With these challenges, however, has come opportunities. The NI Protocol presents a unique opportunity for Northern Ireland, with access to the UK internal market and the EU Single Market of more than 450 million people. We have already seen the benefits of Northern Ireland’s unique position in the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: In 2021, Enterprise Ireland established a Diversity & Inclusion Steering Group to oversee the development of the agency’s Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) vision and strategy. To date this group has completed the first stage (Insight Gathering & Scoping) and is at an advanced stage of developing a D&I Vision and Strategy/Charter to align with EI's...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 77 together. The past 18 months have been difficult for most businesses, and some sectors have been more severely impacted by public health restrictions and for a more prolonged period. Throughout the pandemic my Department and its enterprise agencies have engaged with and supported businesses within their remit, and in recent months there has been the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: This Government is committed to introducing a statutory sick pay scheme and work is well underway in this regard. Any move to introduce a statutory sick pay scheme must be balanced with the need to support the viability of the business and enterprise sector, thereby protecting jobs. Therefore, appropriate examination of all implications and consultation with stakeholders is essential to the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 58 together. My Department published the National Remote Work Strategy on January 15th, 2021. The objective of the Strategy is to ensure that remote work is a permanent feature in the Irish workplace in a way that maximises economic, social and environmental benefits. My Department is leading the implementation of the Strategy’s 15 actions...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I note that the Deputy is referring to a report from MoneyTransfers.com, published last August. The report is based on OECD data on foreign direct investment inflows. However, the figure referred to by the Deputy includes the movement of finances within companies and so it does not accurately reflect FDI flows which have an impact on the economy. For this reason, IDA Ireland’s success...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: IDA Ireland staff across the globe are conscious of the importance and impact of winning investments to locations such as Kerry and other regional locations. The Agency has been operating in a very challenging environment over the past 15 months with little or no international travel globally due to the Covid 19 pandemic. IDA has been operating virtually and hosting companies on virtual site...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, Budget 2022 allocated a total of €6.8 billion to fund Covid-19 related measures next year. Of this, €2.8 billion was included in the 2022 allocations provided to Departments to ensure the continued availability of vital measures such as the EWSS. In addition, €300 million is being held in reserve specifically to deal with pressures that may...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Agreements (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, the EU reached political agreement in their trade negotiations with the Mercosur region in June 2019. The resultant EU-Mercosur Agreement is the EU’s largest trade deal to date and covers a population of over 770 million. The Agreement is designed to cement the close political and economic relations between the EU and Mercosur countries and represents a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: This Government is committed to introducing a statutory sick pay scheme and work is well underway in this regard. Any move to introduce a statutory sick pay scheme must be balanced with the need to support the viability of the business and enterprise sector, thereby protecting jobs. Therefore, appropriate examination of all implications and consultation with stakeholders is essential to the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme is the largest scheme of its type in the history of the State and provides for up to €2 billion in lending. It is just over one year since the Guarantee Scheme was launched in September 2020. As of the 13th of October this year, the scheme has provided vital access to loans for seven thousand, nine hundred and twenty-three SME businesses in all...