Results 5,081-5,100 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am glad to see today that the Central Bank has announced it will allow lenders to take part in a shared equity scheme, which I think will be of benefit too.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I think it is entirely reasonable for the Deputy to criticise the Government and my party. I do not think it is reasonable for the Deputy to say that her party should not be criticised or be subject to any analysis or criticism at all. That is very one-sided. I ask her to reconsider that comment. We have 70% home ownership in Ireland. We have one of the highest rates of home ownership in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: There has been extremely high and sustained demand for Covid-19 testing at community test centres over the past number of weeks. This reflects both the high prevalence of the disease in our community at the moment but also the fact that there are many other respiratory illnesses and viruses circulating in the community. With so many people, hundreds of thousands of people every day,...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff (24 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department operates within the Civil Service policy framework for Human Resources, and in this regard it carries out its functions in accordance with the circulars and policies set down by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The specific reason for the sanction / action is sensitive and personal information relevant to the individual concerned and it is the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Relations (23 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Ireland’s comprehensive suite of employment rights legislation protects all persons legally employed in Ireland on an employer-employee basis and provides robust safeguards for employees. If workers have concerns or complaints regarding their employment rights, the mechanism for them to use is the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The WRC is the organisation which is mandated...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Meetings (23 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: It is policy that any meeting that I or the Ministers of State in my Department attend is also attended by Department officials and a note of the meeting is taken.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (23 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together. The IDA Ireland Midlands Region is made up of Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly. 2021 figures to date show that there are 44 IDA client companies this region, employing 6,308 people. The FDI performance has been consistent over the past five years, and the region has an impressive range of companies, with particular strengths in Life...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Industrial Relations (23 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Ireland’s comprehensive suite of employment rights legislation protects all persons legally employed in Ireland on an employer-employee basis and provides robust safeguards for employees. If workers have concerns or complaints regarding their employment rights, the mechanism for them to use is the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The WRC is the organisation which is mandated...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Industrial Relations (23 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Ireland’s comprehensive suite of employment rights legislation protects all persons legally employed in Ireland on an employer-employee basis and provides robust safeguards for employees. If workers have concerns or complaints regarding their employment rights, the mechanism for them to use is the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The WRC is the organisation which is mandated...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (18 Nov 2021)

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 published last January. I...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Vacant Properties (18 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: While IDA Ireland does not own any property in Tipperary Town, they actively market the IDA Business Park in Knockanrawley, Co. Tipperary, located approximately 1km South East of Tipperary Town Centre. The IDA in recent years sold two sites to non-IDA clients to facilitate their business expansion and support and create employment in the area. The remaining lands in the IDA Business Park,...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Revenue Commissioners (17 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Redundancy Act 1967, as amended, prescribes the minimum redundancy lump sum for qualified employees, generally referred to as 'statutory redundancy'. Statutory redundancy is based on the employee's length of reckonable service and their normal weekly remuneration subject to a ceiling of €600 per week. The Act does not stipulate the normal weekly remuneration to be used when an...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Policy (16 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) is the independent body tasked with advising the Government on the current and future skills needs of the Irish economy. Its Secretariat is based in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. As part of its 2021 work programme, the EGFSN undertook a study on the nature and quantity of skills required between now and 2030 to deliver on...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (16 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: This Government is committed to introducing a statutory sick pay scheme and work is well underway in this regard. Any move to introduce a statutory sick pay scheme must be balanced with the need to support the viability of the business and enterprise sector, thereby protecting jobs. My Department undertook a full public consultation, reviewed international best practice, and formed an...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (16 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Technology Centre programme is a joint initiative between Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, which allows Irish companies and multinationals to work together on market focused strategic R&D projects in collaboration with research institutions. Technology Centres are collaborative entities established and led by industry. Participating companies propose areas and themes of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Funding (16 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Government established the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) in 2018 as one of four National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2027 Funds under Project Ireland 2040. It is aimed at encouraging collaboration and innovation in the development and deployment of disruptive technologies, on a commercial basis, targeted at tackling national and global challenges. It is managed by my...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (16 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department published the National Remote Work Strategy on January 15th, 2021. The objective of the Strategy is to ensure that remote work is a permanent feature in the Irish workplace in a way that maximises economic, social and environmental benefits. The Strategy highlights the opportunities presented by remote working. In particular, it outlines the possibilities remote working...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Regulation (16 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I understand some businesses are under pressure to meet their fixed costs, such as rent, after what has been an exceptionally challenging period. Last October, the Government published the Code of Conduct between landlords and tenants for commercial rents. The aim of the voluntary Code is to facilitate discussions between landlords and tenants impacted by COVID-19, as it is in...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (11 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: IDA Ireland has not provided funding to Amazon in the past 24 months.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Missions (11 Nov 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy may know, the European Union is represented in Taiwan by the European Economic and Trade Office. This Office represents all EU Member States, including Ireland, and seeks to seeks to strengthen economic and trade relations with Taiwan. There has been a Taipei Representative Office in Dublin since 1988. Enterprise Ireland is the Government agency responsible for the...