Results 35,201-35,220 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: Regional development is at the centre of IDA’s new strategy, “Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021-2024”. IDA Ireland is committed to the pursuit of balanced, compact regional development which can deliver complementary efficiency and equity gains, with the overall impact of helping to advance national development. The IDA will target half of all investments...

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

Leo Varadkar: InterTradeIreland is playing an important role as part of the Government’s wider Brexit response. ITI’s Brexit Advisory Service, which provides a range of advice and supports to eligible businesses, has this year alone engaged with almost 1,400 SMEs, out of a total of 15,000 businesses since its establishment. ITI’s Brexit Planning Voucher scheme is a particularly...

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

Leo Varadkar: IDA Ireland continues to make good progress on the delivery of the National Advanced Manufacturing Centre (AMC), which will be launched on the National Technology Park in Limerick in Q1 2022. This new manufacturing centre of excellence, aligned with Government’s Industry 4.0 Strategy (2020-2025) and IDA Ireland’s Strategy, will enable Irish based discrete manufacturers (MNCs and...

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

Leo Varadkar: On 20 October 2021 I appointed six new members to the Low Pay Commission for a period of three years, including a new Chairperson. The six new members are as follows: Ultan Courtney (Chair); Tim Callan (advisory representative); Eugene McMahon (employer representative); Fionnuala Ní Bhrógáin (employee representative); Michael Taft (employee representative); Dawn Wynne (employer...

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

Leo Varadkar: IDA Ireland will deliver 19 Advanced Building Solutions (ABS) in 15 regional locations over the lifetime of its new strategy Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021-2024. These locations were chosen based on extensive analysis, engagement, review and consultation as well as macroeconomic considerations, existing clusters and available resources. The IDA’s Regional Property...

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

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy might wish to submit a question to my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, T.D., who is working on this issue. The LEEF Plenary was convened last Thursday 28th October. We had a good preliminary discussion on the Covid-19 recognition issue and we agreed that further discussions would continue with the social partners on the matter.

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

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 94 together. The right to request remote work is part of the Government vision to make remote working a permanent feature of Ireland’s workforce in a way that can benefit all – economically, socially and environmentally. The commitment to introduce legislation to underpin employees' right to request remote work was made in the national...

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: Living Wage (2 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The current Programme for Government makes the commitment to “progress to a living wage over the lifetime of the Government”. Earlier this year I asked the Low Pay Commission to examine this commitment and to make recommendations on the best approach to achieving it within the lifetime of the Government. The Low Pay Commission has commissioned supporting research on the living...

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

Leo Varadkar: We are taking a very cautious, phased approach in relation to the return to the office. The recently published Work Safely Protocol helps make sure employers and their staff have the guidance to protect against the virus and keep places of work safe. The past 18 months have been difficult for most businesses, and some sectors have been more severely impacted by public health restrictions and...

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

Leo Varadkar: The Labour Force Survey, published by the Central Statistics Office on a quarterly basis, is the official source of labour market statistics for Ireland. It includes the official rates of employment which are based on International Labour Organisation (ILO) standardised concepts and definitions. The latest edition of the Labour Force Survey - issued on 24th September of this year - covered...

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

Leo Varadkar: The international call centre industry is an important sector in Ireland. In recent years it has evolved from traditional call centres to language and technology-based customer interaction and customer experience centres. Customer experience operations have been a significant employer in Ireland since the 1980s, and in 2019 it was estimated that approximately 56,000 people were employed in...

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

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 112 together. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement concluded between the EU and the UK in December 2020 creates the economic partnership and free trade area for goods allowing them to be traded without the application of tariffs or quotas on goods. As the deputy will be aware, in the lead up to Brexit, Government was heavily invested in preparing for...

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

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 110 together. The Government’s recent decision to join the OECD international agreement is unlikely to adversely impact Ireland’s existing base of foreign direct investment. From a tax perspective, Ireland will remain a highly competitive place to do business. We will continue to offer a 12.5% rate to over 95% of companies operating in...

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

Leo Varadkar: In the Government's Diaspora Strategy, which was launched in late 2020, a number of actions have been set out to strengthen our connections with diaspora communities and to harness the contribution from the diaspora to support economic recovery. The Department of Foreign Affairs leads on the implementation of this strategy. The strategy recognises how returning emigrants bring with them...

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

Leo Varadkar: The construction sector was negatively impacted following the introduction of restrictions late last year. The number of individuals from the construction sector claiming the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) rose steadily in the early weeks of the year and reached a high of 62,902 claimants on the 9thFebruary. The phased reopening of the construction sector, beginning on 12thApril with the...

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

Leo Varadkar: The labour market recovery has gathered momentum as labour intensive services sectors have reopened, with the level of PUP recipients falling below 100,000 since mid-October. This recovery has been experienced in both the services and manufacturing sectors. In the case of manufacturing, the level of PUP claimants has fallen from a high of 37,400 to under 6,000 in November. One of the service...

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

Leo Varadkar: The success of Irish products both at home and in export markets is crucial to the long-term growth of Irish businesses and the Irish economy. Enterprise Ireland, the agency of my Department which is responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets, works in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global...

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

Leo Varadkar: As the global economy re-opened this year and domestic public health restrictions relaxed, Irish growth numbers are forecast to recover strongly. The Department of Finance forecasts GDP will grow by 15.6% in 2021 and for Modified Domestic Demand (MDD) to grow by 5.2%. This level of growth in MDD implies that real domestic activity will rise above pre-pandemic levels during 2022. These...

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

Leo Varadkar: Enhancing the country’s attractiveness to FDI is a policy objective in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. FDI policy in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Department for the Economy. My Department’s agency, IDA Ireland, has been securing FDI investment for Ireland for over 70 years. Currently, the economy faces twin challenges arising from COVID-19 and Brexit. In the...