Results 3,441-3,460 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Human Rights (27 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, Ireland's first National Plan on Business and Human Rights was launched by the Department of Foreign Affairs towards the end of 2017. The implementation of this whole-of-Government plan was overseen by a multistakeholder implementation group comprised of representatives of Government, civil society and business, including from my own Department. Both the plan...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: State Bodies (27 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, in June this year, I issued a press release confirming the Government’s commitment to participate in the Unitary Patent system and the Unitary Patent Court, and to hold the necessary constitutional referendum to enable Ireland to do so. Although the timing for this referendum is a matter for Government to decide, it is anticipated that the referendum will be in...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (27 Oct 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. The Border Region consists of counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, as well as Cavan, and Monaghan. There are 67 IDA Ireland supported companies in this region which collectively directly employ 8,721 people....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Cost of Living Issues (27 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139, 147 and 148 together. Price movements are primarily measured through the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) published by Ireland’s national statistical office, the Central Statistics Office (CSO). My Department has not undertaken an analysis of price increases which are unrelated to any particular issue, but it actively...

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

Leo Varadkar: Enterprise Ireland has worked closely with the company in question since 2019 when it was transferred from the Cork LEO which had supported it since its establishment in 2017. The company has received extensive support from Enterprise Ireland Market Advisors in overseas offices including US as well as UK, mainland Europe, Middle East and Australia. Enterprise Ireland has invested a total...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: National Standards Authority of Ireland (27 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is an independent agency, under the aegis of my Department. As part of its remit, NSAI carries out a range of operational functions, some of which are in areas which fall within the lead policy responsibility of other Departments. In this context, NSAI carries out activities in relation to construction products, which is an area within the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Economic Growth (27 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department, in conjunction with other Departments and state bodies, monitors key sectors to anticipate needs and realise emerging opportunities. The latest series of sectoral reports, "Focus on Sectors 2020", was published in August 2020, which presented concise overviews of 16 key sectors of the economy, encompassing both exporting and locally trading activities, and outlined some...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Low Pay (26 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: As I advised Deputy Connolly in September, last year I requested the Low Pay Commission to report on the Programme for Government commitment 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.” To inform its considerations, the Low Pay Commission asked the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Staff (25 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department’s Communications Unit is led by a Head of Communications. The table below details the number of persons working across the Press Office, Internal Communications and Campaigns & Digital communications teams. Area within Communications Number of persons Press 5* Campaigns & Digital Communications...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Properties (25 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department and its Offices are tenants in ten buildings across the country provided to it through the Office of Public Works (OPW) who manage the State's property portfolio on behalf of Government Departments. My Department does not own any property. As tenants the Department works closely with the OPW to optimise usage of the real estate made available to it across the various locations.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (25 Oct 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...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Human Rights (25 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has not carried out any investigation into the conduct of an Irish company (details supplied). I am aware, however, that the Minister for Foreign Affairs responded on 19 September 2022 to a Joint Communication from the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; the Chair-Rapporteur of the UN Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (25 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 160 together. IDA Ireland supports and facilitates companies to expand and establish in Ireland. Any company investing in Ireland, with an FDI mandate, may receive financial support within the EU State Aid guidelines. In view of the capital intensity of data centres, and their location to date in the greater Dublin area, IDA Ireland has not...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Legislative Measures (25 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Employers are not required to report whether or not they have an employer paid sick leave scheme. Accordingly, it is not possible to provide definitive breakdowns of the proportion of employers who provide such leave. It is our understanding that sick leave is provided to about half of all employees through their terms and conditions. There is a big gap between public sector workers, almost...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (25 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has not had any engagement with the company in question regarding its recruitment model. The Employment Equality Acts, which fall under the remit of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, provide protection for employees in both the public and private sectors as well as applicants for employment and training. The Acts outlaw...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (25 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 and 169 together. The answer to this question is deferred to allow for clarification with agencies under the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment. My Department will supply the information requested once it has been collated.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Meetings (20 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy may be aware of recent media coverage that Intel is considering a reduction in its global headcount. I sought clarity on this issue through my officials. IDA Ireland has informed my Department that the senior leadership team in Leixlip are not aware of any plans at present to reduce the workforce in Ireland. Companies regularly meet with officials in my Department on a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Data Centres (20 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: This summer my Department published a revised policy statement on data centres. I fully agree with the Deputy's assertion that we must ensure that the decarbonisation and digitalisation of Ireland's economy and society are complimentary and in harmony with environmental policy. The 'Government Statement on the role of Data Centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy' sets out how we intend to do...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Relations (19 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: In March 2021 I set up the High-Level Group on Collective Bargaining under the auspices of the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) to review collective bargaining and the industrial relations landscape in Ireland. As part of that review, my Department ran a consultation process over a three-week period in May/June 2022 seeking views on proposals that were being considered by the High Level...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Regulations (19 Oct 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Semiconductors are ubiquitous in our daily lives and we need them in almost every vital sector and service. Recent supply chain challenges have revealed structural vulnerabilities in the European semiconductor value chain, exposing Europe’s dependency for supply on a limited number of companies, many of which are located outside of the EU. On the 8th of February the European...