Results 6,261-6,280 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. There will be a formal announcement by the Taoiseach later today on the reopening of hotels, all the services associated with them and the hospitality industry more broadly, including pubs and restaurants. It relates to outdoor activities. I fully agree that we need a plan for aviation and a return to international travel. Airports have received very large amounts...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: It is true that transfer of patronage has been very slow in the past couple of years but it is also important that transfer of patronage, where it occurs, should be done with consent. In my constituency we have a reasonable mix of schools, including community national schools, Educate Together national schools, Catholic diocese schools and a Church of Ireland school. When one talks to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. There is only one law and those are the laws that are passed by us, including the Deputy, here in this Oireachtas. The Garda is responsible for enforcing the laws we enact here in this Oireachtas. That is what gardaí have to do. Regarding taxi drivers, the Government acknowledges that they are among the groups that have suffered the most in this pandemic, not...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I can give her an assurance that I will do exactly that. I will be speaking to business organisations this evening, after the Cabinet meeting. I will be meeting, in small-group format, as I often do, with the Labour Employer Economic Forum, which comprises unions and employers, next week. There will be detailed engagement with unions and employers over the next couple...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Shortall for raising this important matter. The programme for Government is explicit on this and states that the Government will develop inclusive and age-appropriate curricula for RSE and social, personal and health education, SPHE, across primary and post-primary schools, including an inclusive programme on LGBTI+ relationships. That is the Government's policy and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I join with you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, by offering my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to Helen McEntee who delivered a baby boy last night, and to her husband, Paul Hickey. They have made history. This is the first time that a serving member of the Government in Ireland has given birth. When it comes to equality and diversity it is often said that people need to see it before they...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: IDA Ireland (29 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: IDA Ireland’s overseas teams and office network are vital to support the agency’s efforts in winning new Foreign Direct Investment across the world.  From time-to-time the Agency seeks to expand its global network of offices and teams.  Many firms are looking to expand into new markets and Ireland is a proven location for global companies to grow and serve their...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: IDA Ireland (28 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Regional development is at the centre of IDA’s new strategy, Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021-2024. IDA Ireland is committed to the pursuit of more balanced, compact regional development which can deliver complementary efficiency and equity gains, with the overall impact of helping to advance national development. The IDA will target half of all investments (400) from...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Irish Language (28 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 148 together. My Department is fully committed to its 2019-2022 Irish Language Scheme, which was prepared in accordance with Section 15 of the Official Language Act 2003.  The Scheme sets out in detail the extent to which services are currently available through Irish in my Department and identifies areas for future enhancement.  The Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Contracts (28 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Details of external contracts entered into by my Department and the agencies under its aegis in relation to the reaction to and the management of COVID-19 are set out in the table below. Department/Agency Purpose of Contract Company Contracted Value of Contract Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment SME Business Supports ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trading Online Voucher Scheme (28 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Trading Online Voucher Scheme was originally launched in 2014 by the then Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources as part of the National Digital Strategy and was designed to encourage and support small and micro-businesses in Ireland to trade online. In January of this year the policy, budget and operational responsibility for the scheme was transferred into...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Expenditure (28 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has not incurred any costs for public relations nor media advice since January 2020 to date, and consequently has not engaged any third-party companies to provide same.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Expenditure (28 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Details of costs incurred by my Department from January 2020 to date in 2021 on advertising and public messaging in print, broadcast and online, and the companies engaged to assist with placing the advertisements and the companies advertised with are set out in the attached table.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Transport (28 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Department and its Offices, which include the Companies Registrations Office, the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland, the Labour Court, the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and the Workplace Relations Commission do not own or lease any vehicles.  The day-to-day operations of the Agencies are a matter for the relevant Board and senior management team and such...

Planning and Development (Strategic Housing Developments) (Amendment) Bill 2021: First Stage (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: It is not opposed.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As I understand it, the applications are received by the Department of Rural and Community Development, which has a scoring system. It is against this scoring system that projects are assessed and a decision is made on which ones to fund. I cannot answer as to why no projects in the Deputy's constituency have been funded. There must be a reason and those who have put forward those projects...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am afraid I do not have an update to give him, but I know he would not raise it on the floor of the Chamber unless it was something of real importance to him and his constituents. I will ask the line Minister to prepare a reply for him and I hope it will be satisfactory. I know how much parents worry when they cannot get a place in a...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am not familiar with the particular services the Deputy mentioned but I appreciate the importance of the issue. The fact he is raising it today is evidence of that. He mentioned that the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, has made a commitment in regard to funding. I am sure any such commitment will be honoured. I will be seeing her in the next couple of days and will mention that this...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate how difficult the past year has been for people working in the aviation sector. I represent Dublin West, a constituency where many people work in Dublin Airport and for airlines. While they were able to get by for a few weeks or months, it has become much more difficult because their income has been hit so hard for more than a year. A lot of financial support is being given to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: To which scheme is the Deputy referring?