Results 35,541-35,560 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Waiting lists are far too high. That was the case before the pandemic and they have got considerably worse as a result of the pandemic and the cyberattack. We need to turn the tide in that regard and ensure those waiting lists and waiting times improve over the next couple of years. I absolutely agree that we need to look at the regional disparities. There will always be regional...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (27 Jan 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My engagement with the company has been done through the IDA, which manages the relationship with National Pen. Unfortunately, some jobs are going to be lost. The operations are being outsourced to eastern Europe, to either the Czech Republic or Hungary. These redundancies, unfortunately, cannot be prevented although there will be job increases in other parts of the company. National Pen...

Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) (Amendment) Bill 2022: First Stage (27 Jan 2022)

Leo Varadkar: No.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (27 Jan 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has not commissioned polling of the general public relating to any existing or proposed policy developments for the period January 2021 to date.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (27 Jan 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The National Remote Work Strategy identified 15 actions to be undertaken to ensure that remote work is a permanent feature of the Irish workplace in a way which maximises its economic, social and environmental benefits. An Interdepartmental Group (IDG), coordinated by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), provided oversight to the implementation of the Strategy. The...

Seanad: Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am pleased to introduce the Bill to Seanad Éireann. I have set three objectives in my role as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. These are as follows: to help businesses respond to Covid and Brexit and to survive and prosper again; to restore and exceed pre-pandemic employment levels by achieving a target of a record 2.5 million people at work in Ireland by 2024 and...

Seanad: Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I welcome the contributions from Senators and the broad support for this Bill.When I first decided we would revive and reintroduce it, I actually believed it would be very simple. I thought we would do just two things: make it illegal to use tips to top up wages, bearing in mind that it is already illegal to top up to the minimum wage but not to other contractual rates, and introduce...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (1 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: 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 Remote Work Strategy. On 25 January the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (1 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: IDA Ireland recorded its highest increase in FDI employment in a single year in 2021. 53% - 133 of the 249 of investments won went to regional locations – with employment growth in every region of the country The Border Region consists of the counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, and Monaghan. IDA Ireland supports 67 client companies in this region who collectively directly employ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (1 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The primary responsibility of the IDA is to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Ireland and to retain, transform and expand the existing base of FDI companies that have already invested and located here.  When it comes to foreign direct investment, site visits represent a valuable tool through which investors can be encouraged to invest in regional areas. However, site visit...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (1 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: 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 Remote Work Strategy. On 25 January the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Data Centres (1 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department plans to complete the review of the 'Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy' in the first half of 2022. It is clear that the Statement needs revision to align enterprise policy with the programme for government renewable energy and climate targets.  My Department will continue to work closely with the Department of the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (1 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: 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 Remote Work Strategy. On 25 January the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Expenditure (1 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: On 2 December 2019, a request for tender for an Economic and Sustainability Impact Assessment of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement was published by my Department. The tender was placed on the Ireland e-tenders website and the Official Journal of the European Union. The tender specified that the budget for the contract, including all costs, would not exceed EUR 200,000 plus VAT for its...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Legislative Process (1 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The following Acts or sections of Acts under the remit of my Department have been signed into law but not commenced. Act Section not commenced Reason Action The Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Act 2021 This Act was signed into law on the 22nd December 2021 Work is underway to develop the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (2 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: 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 Remote Work Strategy. On 25 January the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue again today in the House. The Government acknowledges that the cost of living is rising. It is rising very fast at present, faster than it has in 20 or 30 years, and people are feeling the squeeze. Whether it is the shock of looking at your gas bill, whether it is the electricity bill or whether it is the rising cost of filling a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Government acknowledges that inflation, in particular the type of inflation that we have at the moment, which is very much driven by higher energy prices, is impacting on those with lower incomes more so than those with higher incomes. That is clear. People on lower incomes spend more on energy and fuel, or a higher percentage of their income on energy, fuel and groceries than those on...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Yes, but what about somebody who has a mortgage or somebody who is not on social welfare? His proposal would not help them.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I saw some media reports on the report in question. I have not had a chance to read it, and it would not be fair to comment on it until I have had a chance to do so. When I said in 2018 that Ireland was a climate laggard and our ambition was to be a climate leader, I meant that. At the time, an NGO that scores countries on where they stand in terms of climate action and environmental...