Results 3,881-3,900 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I have not seen the report yet so I am not sure what measures, actions or remedies are being suggested. I do not want to comment in detail until I have. However, I understand the point the Deputy is making with regard to some degree of retrospection. I mentioned some of the blocks I am familiar with in my constituency where people have paid or are paying the levy and others have not paid...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Doherty very much. The numbers from the CSO this morning indicate that inflation has now risen to 9.6%, which is the highest rate of inflation we have experienced in 40 years. I think it confirms what people are experiencing in their daily lives. We see it at the fuel pumps, in the supermarkets and in our utility bills. The price of everything is going up and the price of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: -----compared with €100 here. People will see in the next few weeks, for example, an increase in the SUSI grant for those attending third level. The budget in September will introduce a series of measures that people will see in their pockets within weeks, and then another set of more regular measures that will take effect in January 2023. Therefore, far from not responding to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, the timely provision of appropriate and cost-effective property and infrastructure solutions to meet the needs of multinational companies is essential to winning Foreign Direct Investment. Over the past 5 years, the IDA’s Regional Property Programme has enabled the winning of capital-intensive projects of significant scale to regional locations. There are now...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Undefined (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: From next year the Government is introducing a new permanent public holiday in celebration of Imbolc/St. Brigid’s day. This will be the first Monday in every February, except where St. Brigid’s day, the 1st day of February, happens to fall on a Friday, in which case that Friday 1st February will be a public holiday. The Government wants to ensure that the public holiday provides...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Bodies (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The table below sets out the list of underspends incurred by the Agencies under the auspices of this Department at the end of 2021 and against profile to the end of May 2022. Agency name Underspend end 2021 Underspend against profile end May 2022 €,000 €,000 InterTrade Ireland -11 n/a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Public Sector Pensions (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: According to our records, we do not currently have any member of staff subject to abatement pursuant to the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. We issue new entrants with a declaration regarding any previous service that they may have in the public/civil service and request that they declare any applicable pension in payment. We are currently evaluating one...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180, 181 and 183 together. 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%, that is 133 projects of the 249 investments won going to regional locations and employment growth was...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Correspondence (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I have received a request for a meeting by letter from the organisation referred to, dated 15 June 2022, which was received in my office on 16 June 2022. To date, a meeting is not scheduled to take place.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Correspondence (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: To date I have received no correspondence from the organisation referred to.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Consumer Protection (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The CCPC’s allocation for 2022 from Vote 32, under subhead C.8, was €18.323 million. The table below sets out the estimated costings of increasing funding to the CCPC by 50%. - REV Allocation 2022(€,000) 50% Increase(€,000) Competition and Consumer Protection Commission - C8 18,323 27,485 It...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, the Corporate Enforcement Agency was formally established on 6thJuly 2022. The new Agency will effectively subsume the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and will have greater autonomy and flexibility in terms of the ability to recruit staff with the necessary skills mix and depth of experience to meet the reinforced mandate of the CEA. In...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: IDA’s current strategy, developed in the context of the Government’s National Economic Plan, identifies the opportunities for sustainable growth among IDA’s established base of clients through a focus on transformative investments to increase the productivity of Irish operations and their workforce through RD&I, digitisation, training, and actions on sustainability....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor initiative is a collaborative project led by a network involving eight local authorities, North and South of the border, Dublin City University and Ulster University. There is potential for the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor to develop a unique international brand as a cross-border region with a particularly strong offering for Foreign Direct Investment...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: The Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Act 2021, providing for the establishment of the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) was commenced on 6thof July and the CEA was established on 7thof July 2022. In preparation for the establishment of the CEA my Department approved an additional 14 civil servants to be assigned to the CEA. In addition, the CEA’s full-time Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (14 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I signed the orders providing for the commencement of the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Act 2021 and the establishment of the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) on 5th July and 6th July, respectively. I am confident that the extra staff and additional funding will ensure that the new Authority can really make a difference and meet the differing and evolving demands of its...

Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I hear what the Deputies are saying in respect of this being about theft and robbed money. I agree with that assessment, by the way. If money is intended for a person but another person takes it, that is larceny. I would be curious to know whether any complaints have been taken to An Garda or whether there have been any investigations under larceny provisions and what the case law is in...

Proposed Approval by Dáil Éireann of the Terms of the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects: Motion (13 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I move: That Dáil Éireann, pursuant to Article 29.5.2° of Bunreacht na hÉireann, approves the terms of the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects, signed by the Government of Ireland on 29th March, 1972, and laid before Dáil Éireann on 29th June, 2022.

Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: Amendments Nos. 6, 13 and 16 would require the employer to negotiate and obtain an agreement of employees on the matter of the distribution of tips and gratuities. As it stands, the Bill provides that the employer must consult their employees. It also establishes a legal entitlement for workers to receive their tips and gratuities paid in electronic form with the provision that these tips...

Payment of Wages (Amendment) (Tips and Gratuities) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Leo Varadkar: I understand and appreciate the intentions behind the amendments. However, I cannot accept them for two reasons. The requirement that the consent of all employees would be required for a change in policy is too onerous. We are not talking about a majority here; we are talking about unanimity. I just do not think that is a practical provision when it comes to amendments Nos. 6, 13 and 16,...