Results 5,241-5,260 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am done. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am sorry to hear about what Rosie is experiencing and what her family must be going through. I thank the Deputy for writing to me about it as well. I have the details I need and will follow it up with Children's Health Ireland during the week and get back to the Deputy about it as soon as I get a reply. My understanding from the Deputy's...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: It is hard to hear anyone in Sinn Féin accusing anyone in the Government of misrepresentation. Misrepresentation, misquotes, telling us what we think and believe, and then criticising us for what it says we think and believe, is a classic Sinn Féin tactic. There is misrepresentation all the time. It is what Sinn Féin thrives on. I think it is beneath Deputy Ó Broin...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: -----he is an intelligent person. He is one of the brighter people in his party and to engage in a personalised attack on me is beneath him.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: It is wrong. It is classic of the left-wing populism which Sinn Féin stands for. It is about creating ideas of masses against the elites, simple solutions to complex problems, and demonising opponents. It is not just about disagreeing with people but saying that the people that Sinn Féin disagrees with are lesser people and do not care as much. That is pure left-wing populism....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: -----which is about people renting for life. It might be the case that rents would be lower. It might be the case that people would have more secure tenancies and that they are renting from a public landlord rather than a private landlord, but ultimately, the model that Sinn Féin proposes is about keeping people renting for life, whereas we propose to help people buy their own home....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Where is the Deputy's empathy for private renters who want to buy?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: People are struggling to pay their rent and to raise deposits. Where is the Deputy's empathy for them? He would offer them €1,000 with one hand and take €20,000-----

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Properties (14 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Accommodation for my Department and its Offices is provided by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in buildings which are either State owned or leased by the OPW on our behalf. Neither the Department nor any of its Offices occupy any buildings in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (14 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: In January 2021, the European Parliament published a proposed new directive on an EU-wide ‘right to disconnect’. Whilst it may be some time before we see progress on this at a European level, I wanted to progress at a national level our commitment in the Programme for Government to bring forward proposals on a right to disconnect. In November 2020, I requested that the WRC...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy was not here for my speech.

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on budget 2022. I would like to share time with the Ministers of State, Deputies Damien English and Robert Troy. This is my second budget as Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. We have experienced many ups and downs since I spoke last year, including a serious third wave of the virus and prolonged...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Company Law (13 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 96 together. The recent revelations from Pandora Papers give rise to a number of questions which we need to get to the bottom of as they raise serious reputational concerns. The Government leaders decided that we would ask officials in the Department of Finance and in my Department to initiate work right away to examine these issues. On...

Financial Resolution No. 2: General (12 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I move: THAT it is expedient to amend the law relating to customs and inland revenue (including value-added tax and excise) and to make further provision in connection with finance.

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 1: Tobacco Products Tax (12 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputies for their remarks and their contribution to the debate. It is important that we have a debate on this matter. Nobody should be pilloried for their views on this issue. It was interesting to hear the various arguments from different Deputies. The proposed amendments to Financial Resolution No. 1 would reduce the proposed increase in excise duty for tobacco which will apply...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 1: Tobacco Products Tax (12 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I move: (1) THAT for the purposes of the tax charged by virtue of section 72 of the Finance Act 2005 (No. 5 of 2005), that Act be amended, with effect as on and from 13 October 2021, by substituting the following for Schedule 2 to that Act (as amended by section 26 of the Finance Act 2020 (No. 26 of 2020)): “SCHEDULE 2 Rates of Tobacco Products Tax (With effect as on and from 13...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Data Centres (12 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: In June 2018, my Department published the Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Policy. The location of data centres in Ireland plays a significant role in Ireland’s technology sector, contributing to Ireland’s international reputation as a digital hub and as a high-quality investment location. Ireland has an extremely valuable...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (12 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: From the outset of Covid-19, many employers have taken the initiative, in line with subsequent requests from the Government, to be as flexible as possible in allowing staff to work from home. On 31 August 2021, the Government published Reframing the Challenge: Continuing our Recovery and Reconnecting, containing updated guidance which took effect from 20 September 2021, as part of a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: National Development Plan (12 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s priority NDP investments focus on optimal use of its capital investment to drive a jobs-led recovery and promote the longer-term capacity and reorientation of our economy. Whilst the revised NDP sets out the key physical infrastructure projects in transport, health, broadband and energy that will serve our society into the future,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (12 Oct 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 29 together. 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. Therefore, appropriate examination of all implications...