Results 5,561-5,580 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The right to request remote work is part of a broader 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...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: IDA actively promotes available buildings and land in IDA Business Parks and high-quality buildings in private ownership through their network of overseas offices. IDA Ireland owns approximately 10.6 hectares of industrial zoned land on the Sligo Road in Quignashee, Ballina.   As the Deputy is aware, planning permission was previously obtained for infrastructural development,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Mid-West has a significant ecosystem of well-established companies across Technology, Life Sciences, International Financial Services and Engineering & Industrial Technologies. There are 143 IDA client companies in the Mid-West Region (Clare, Limerick and Tipperary) employing 24,169 people. The FDI performance in the region has been consistent over the past five years with...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware of the critical role that the retail sector plays in contributing to the Irish economy. As the largest private sector employer, and a key element in providing for the needs of society and indeed other sectors of the economy, it is vital that retail continues to develop capability and remains competitive. The past year has been a difficult year for most businesses, including...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: It is just over one year since the Covid-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme (CCGS) was launched. During this time the scheme has provided vital access to finance to 6,592 SME businesses in all parts of the country. The scheme has provided loans of over €431 million to these businesses, many of which are those sectors most impacted by the pandemic such as the wholesale and retail sector,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment I can assure the Deputy of the value that this Government and my Department places on helping entrepreneurs, indigenous SMEs and micro-enterprises  as creators of employment all over Ireland to grow and thrive in our economy. Ensuring we have the best business environment for all businesses to grow and proposer requires a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: On 31 August 2021, the Government published Reframing the Challenge: Continuing our Recovery and Reconnecting,setting out the proposed process for the further gradual of society and the economy. From the 20September onwards, attendance at the workplace for specific business requirements may commence on a phased and staggered basis. In this regard employers should plan and prepare for this...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Brexit Supports (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Brexit Impact Loan Scheme will make up to €330m in lending available to SMEs and small mid-caps impacted by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. This scheme is a successor to the Brexit Loan Scheme, which will close to new applications as the new scheme opens. The Brexit Impact Loan Scheme has been developed in cooperation between my Department and the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Regional development is at the centre of IDA Ireland's new strategy. The national context for IDA’s approach to winning investment for the regions is set by Project Ireland 2040 and the associated National Planning Framework (NPF), National Development Plan and Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies. The IDA’s Regions pillar also aligns with the objectives of the Programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Living Wage (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The current Programme for Government makes the commitment to “progress to a living wage over the lifetime of the Government”. Earlier this year I asked the Low Pay Commission to examine this commitment and to make recommendations on the best approach to achieving it within the lifetime of the Government. The Low Pay Commission has commissioned supporting research on the living...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Government is committed to creating the right environment for a jobs-led recovery and to getting people back to work as quickly as possible. Our Economic Recovery Plan outlines ongoing support for people and businesses to make a full return to work and sets out medium term policies to promote sustainable and balanced growth, as well as signalling the gradual phasing out of the Pandemic...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: We have a real opportunity now to make remote and blended working a much bigger part of normal working life. On 28th June I launched my department’s Making Remote Work campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the advice and information available from Government to help workers and employers facilitate more remote and blended working. This includes guidance for employers and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Northern Ireland (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The last year and a half has brought about unprecedented challenges for businesses on our island. Not only has the pandemic had a disruptive impact, but the uncertainty around the cross-border trading environment has caused difficulties for companies that operate on both sides of the border. The challenges that surround Northern Ireland’s unique position also come with significant...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Clare has witnessed an 8% increase in employment in overseas companies since 2012 with over 500 net new jobs added to the FDI portfolio during this period. There are now over 6,700 people employed across 64 multinational companies in Clare. Recent investments of scale have been in Technology, Med Tech, Pharma and Financial Services sector. Clare has seen announcements from companies like...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Creation (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The recovery from COVID-19 presents an opportunity to embrace the transition to low-carbon activities. Climate change and its impacts present a significant threat to all of us and decarbonising our economy while promoting sustainable growth is one of the core objectives of this Government. Decarbonisation, the transition to a low carbon economy and associated behavioural changes will...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is driving the implementation of the National Remote Work Strategy, Making Remote Work. Published on January 15th, 2021, the Strategy aims to ensure that remote work is a permanent feature in the Irish workplace in a way which maximises its economic, social and environmental benefits. The Strategy reflects the Government’s confidence that remote working can drive regional...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Meetings (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I have had a number of meetings with stakeholders as follows; 9 September 2020 MCD Productions 16 December 2020 Hospitality Forum 15 January 2021 Hoteliers, Restauranteurs 10 March 2021 Hospitality Forum 24 March 2021 EPIC (Events Production Industry Covid Working Group) 13 April 2021 Irish Amusement Trades Association 2 June 2021 Hospitality Forum 14 June 2021 Irish Showman's Guild 30 June...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Meetings (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Ministerial colleagues and I in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment have engaged with various sectors throughout this pandemic to assess the required supports needed for businesses to rebuild and recover. Earlier this year, I met with the Irish Amusement Trade Association and representatives of the Irish Showman’s Guild and my colleague Minister Damien English TD has...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is currently driving the implementation of the National Remote Work Strategy. Published on January 15th, 2021, the Strategy aims to ensure that remote work is a permanent feature of the Irish workplace, in order to maximise its economic, social and environmental benefits. The Strategy contains 15 actions to progress remote work into the future, organised into three pillars and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Data Centres (15 Sep 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 127 together. As the Deputy has alluded to, there have been significant policy and market developments with implications for the data centre sector in Ireland since the publication of the 'Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy' in summer 2018. Data centres are already a significant feature of...