Results 36,541-36,560 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department published the National Remote Work Strategy on January 15th, 2021. The Strategy identified 15 actions to ensure that remote work is a permanent feature in the Irish workplace in a way that maximises its economic, social and environmental benefits. My Department is leading the implementation of the Strategy’s actions through an Interdepartmental Group and very significant...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: National Minimum Wage (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: We want to reward work and ensure that work pays more. Minimum wage workers are among the hardest working people in Ireland and deserve to paid more particularly at a time or rising prices. Yesterday, the Government agreed to accept the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation to increase the National Minimum Wage by 80 cent to €11.30 from the 1st of January 2023. At least 164,000...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I fully recognise the need for a transition away from the traditional “take-make-waste” linear waste model to a model that eliminates waste in the first place and moves to a restorative and regenerative model. The nature of the concept requires that waste does not exist and that everything is transformed into a resource that can be utilised. With high energy prices and increases...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Data Centres (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Government published a revised Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Enterprise Strategy at the end of July. The statement was produced in the context of related electricity policy and regulation, and advised that over the short to medium term, the capacity of Ireland’s electricity grid, security of supply concerns, and our determination to decarbonise our electricity system,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: It’s clear that this is a really challenging time for enterprise. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has driven energy costs to unprecedented levels. Faced with higher energy prices many companies are looking for ways to bring their costs down. While ultimately this will mean a move away from fossil fuels and towards more sustainable, cheaper alternatives, improving energy efficiency...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 28, 30, 34, 35, 41, 49, 54, 57 and 62 together. I think it is fair to say that this Government has not been found wanting when it has come to helping businesses get through difficult periods. The multi-billion euro financial assistance provided by Government during the pandemic was unprecedented, whether it was help with businesses’ wage bill so...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I am acutely aware of the challenges many businesses are facing, and will face, from the rising cost of energy. We know that these costs are largely driven by a spike in the cost of natural gas, following from Russian's illegal and deplorable invasion of Ukraine. Russia has since demonstrated that it is willing to use its role in global energy markets as a further weapon to disrupt the unity...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Ports Policy (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Regional enterprise development and sustainable local job creation is a key policy priority of this Government. Earlier this year, my Department launched nine new Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs) to 2024. The new REPs are an integral part of Ireland’s enterprise policy, aimed at driving economic growth and sustaining better standards of living throughout Ireland. These are bottom-up...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Officials from my Department, Ministers of State and I engage with the business community almost on a daily basis. The cost of doing business and in particular the impact of rising energy costs on businesses have featured very prominently in recent weeks. My Department is taking a leading role in the Government response to this, working closely with the Department of Environment, Climate and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Conservation (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: There are a range of incentives and advice available to business to help them use energy efficiently, diversify their fuel use and switch to renewable energy sources. I and my officials are engaging with Minister Ryan’s Department and the SEAI to ensure that assistance to business is appropriate, easy to understand, and efficient in regard to the time and resources required for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: 2021 was a record-breaking year for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employment, 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% or 133 projects of the 249 investments won by IDA going to regional locations. Employment growth was recorded in every region of the country. The Border Region...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is very aware of the economic challenge of escalating energy prices and has put in place measures to assist enterprise. I and my Department are working with Minister Ryan, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, and across Government, to manage our response to the energy situation as it develops. The Wholesale Price Index for energy products...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: IDA Ireland published their mid-year results in July and despite the challenging global environment, the results demonstrated significant foreign direct investment for the first half of 2022. In the first half of this year, we have seen investment levels exceed 2021 mid-year results by 9% and 2019 mid-year results by 10%, meaning we have exceeded pre-pandemic levels of FDI. Ireland won 155...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Labour Market (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: When we launched the Economic Recovery Plan last year, we set a goal of achieving 2.5 million people in employment by 2024. According to the latest available national employment figures, from the Central Statistics Office’s Labour Force Survey, employment levels reached 2.55 million in Q2 2022. We now have more people employed in our country than ever before, while the quarterly...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Low Pay (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 66 together. The Programme for Government contains the commitment to “progress to a living wage over the lifetime of the Government”. In January 2021, I requested the Low Pay Commission to report on how best the Government could progress to a living wage. Following commissioned research from Maynooth University and engagement with...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: 2021 was a record-breaking year for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employment, with total employment in IDA client companies now standing at 275,384, up over 17,000 on 2020. Growth outside of Dublin was particularly buoyant with 53% or 133 projects of the 249 investments won going to regional locations and employment growth was recorded in every region of the country. The IDA’s...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Officials from my Department, Ministers of State and I engage with the business community almost on a daily basis. The cost of doing business and in particular the impact of rising energy costs on businesses have featured very prominently in recent weeks. My Department is taking a leading role in the Government response to this, working closely with the Department of Environment, Climate and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Losses (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I extend my sympathies to all employees of the company who have been impacted by these developments and I know this news is very concerning for all involved. Enterprise Ireland has been working with the company throughout this difficult period. That engagement has intensified and I have asked EI to keep me informed of developments having raised the matter at the most senior levels. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Prices (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I'm very aware of the difficulties businesses have faced over the past number of years with the necessary COVID-19 restrictions and now with the increased cost of living and in particular energy costs. The Government has already implemented measures to help ease the impact on enterprises of rising energy costs, including a temporary reduction in the excise duties charged, by 20 cent per...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (15 Sep 2022)

Leo Varadkar: 2021 was a record-breaking year for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employment, with total employment in IDA client companies now standing at 275,384, up over 29,000 on 2020. Growth outside of Dublin 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. IDA...