Results 35,721-35,740 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Throughout 2021, my Department has overseen the development of nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024. These are ‘bottom-up’ plans, developed by regional stakeholders which identify growth opportunities, recognise vulnerabilities, and enable job creation across the nine regions. The Regional Steering Committees are chaired by senior industry figures and include the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am not aware of any formal communication from Clare County Council to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment concerning this issue. Section 166 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended) – “Designation of sites for strategic development zones” - provides for the designation by government of a particular site or sites for the establishment of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Schemes (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is currently leading a review of the Future Growth Loan Scheme (FGLS) to develop insights and intelligence which will assist me in the consideration of policy in the area of longer-term lending. The review will examine the benefits arising to SMEs and the State from the current FGLS. Evidence for the review is being collected via consultations with SMEs, industry bodies, policy...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Regional enterprise development and sustainable local job creation is a key policy priority of mine and this Government. Throughout 2021, my Department has overseen the development of nine new Regional Enterprise Plans to 2024. These are ‘bottom-up’ plans, developed by regional stakeholders which identify growth opportunities, recognise vulnerabilities, and enable job...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: On 25 January the Government approved the drafting of the Right to Request Remote Working Bill 2022. Pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment commenced this week. This law will provide a legal framework around which requesting, approving or refusing a request for remote work can be based. It will provide legal clarity to employers on...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Details of costs incurred by my Department during 2020 and 2021 on Covid-19 supports and grants by advertising campaign are set out below. These figures include the associated costs of developing awareness raising campaigns, such as graphic design, animation and translation costs. Supports for COVID Affected Businesses Year - 2020 €4,735 ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: 2021 was a record-breaking year for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employment in 2021, with total employment in IDA client companies now standing at 275,384, up over 29,000 on 2020. Growth in the regions was particularly buoyant with 53%, that is 133 projects of the 249 investments won going to regional locations and employment growth was recorded in every region of the country. The strong...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Data Centres (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is aiming 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. My Department will continue to work closely with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and engage with stakeholders such as Eirgrid, the CRU, IDA Ireland and the data centre sector as we develop this...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Ireland will continue to remain an attractive location for FDI in the future. In signing the OECD International Tax agreement in July 2021, Ireland provided clarity, a long-term view and the assurance of enduring stability and certainty to companies currently investing in Ireland and those making decisions about where to invest. Although it will affect a small number of larger companies, for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: On 25 January the Government approved the priority drafting of the Right to Request Remote Working Bill 2022 . Pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment commenced this week. This legislation will provide employees with a right to request remote work and will provide a legal framework around which requesting,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Research and Development (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Thank you for raising an important issue. A big focus for me in the coming years is increasing the level of home ownership. Owning a home is part of our culture and our history. We cannot accept that an entire generation will be locked out of home ownership, stuck in a rent trap as house prices increase. Housing for All is our plan to change that – to turn the aspiration of home...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Data (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Despite unprecedented challenges to Ireland’s economy in 2021, IDA Ireland’s end of year results for 2021 show that the level of foreign direct investment remained resilient. The table below shows the number of new name multinational companies, across the manufacturing and services sector, secured by IDA between 2018 and 2021. My Department does not hold information in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Economic Growth (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: A key element to ensuring competitiveness for the whole economy is boosting productivity through innovations and reforms in the public and private sectors. Investment in research, development and innovation (RD&I) is known to boost firm-level productivity and overall economic performance. Government support for public and private sector investment in digital skills and technology,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme has been in operation since September 2020. A total of €617 million in loans has been drawn or approved by over 8,800 businesses up to the end of 2021, maintaining over 63,000 jobs. Businesses which have been most impacted by the effects of COVID-19 are drawing the most loans; the wholesale and retail sector, the accommodation and food services...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Public Sector Staff (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: In response to the Deputy's question, I can confirm that neither this Department nor the State Agencies under its remit have any employees working in County Wexford.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Sustainable Development Goals (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: A renewed focus is currently being given to progress Ireland’s commitment to Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Substantial progress has been achieved in recent months in respect of reviewing Ireland’s implementation of Agenda 2030 and identifying key priorities and actions for inclusion in the next National Implementation Plan. It is intended that the draft Plan will be...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Ireland continues to be an attractive location for foreign direct investment, and IDA Ireland reported strong FDI results in both 2020 and in 2021. We recognise that the global competition for FDI is intensifying and that we will have to fight, harder than ever before for new investment projects. IDA Ireland's strategy for 2021-2024 informs our response to these challenges. The Strategy...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The pandemic has presented an opportunity to make a permanent change in the way we work – to make remote and flexible working a bigger part of normal working life with benefits for employers and employees. In January 2021, my Department published the National Remote Work Strategy. The objective of the Strategy is to ensure that remote work is a permanent feature in the Irish workplace...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Education Policy (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department and I are aware that it is essential that Irish enterprise has access to high quality, adaptable and flexible talent. In order to meet this demand, my Department and its enterprise agencies work closely with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, as well as the wider education and training system, with a view to building and retaining a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Economic Data (10 Feb 2022)

Leo Varadkar: For the three-year period from Q3 2018 until Q3 2021, employment in the services sector has increased from 1.725 million in 2018 to 1.906 million in 2021. This represents an increase of 10.5% or 181,000 jobs over the three-year period. The services sector now accounts for 77.1% of total employment in the country. Table 1: Persons aged 15-89 years in Employment, Q3 2018 – Q3 2021 ...