Results 6,301-6,320 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I just think that is a very cheap shot. The Deputy once again is engaging in virtue signalling, trying to make out that not only do we disagree with each other, he is also a better person than me and he cares more. That is just cheap politics, I believe. The number of times one tweets about something is not necessarily a reflection of how important one regards it-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: If the Deputy wants, he can go back and read a speech I gave to the Young Fine Gael conference only last Saturday. A large section of that speech specifically dealt with this issue, namely, how young people have been impacted by the pandemic and what we intend to do. It was covered in the media and the fact that it was not tweeted is irrelevant. That was just a cheap shot, unfortunately.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of Dolphin Trust. I am afraid I am not aware of all, or even many, of the facts in relation to this issue and I am reluctant to give an answer that may be incorrect. However, I want to express my sympathy to those affected, both here in Ireland and across Europe. These were small investors who have lost money, as the Deputy said. On the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Obviously, this is a very serious matter, not only for the people who are directly affected. People will have questions and they will want answers. They should get those answers but, unfortunately, I am not the person who can offer those answers because this is not something that I have any detailed knowledge of but I will inform the Minister for Finance that it was raised here and ask him...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has introduced a range of business supports in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including loan guarantee facilities for businesses of different sizes.  The COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme makes up to €2 billion in lending available to businesses that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic.  As a result of the high level of the State guarantee,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I understand the importance of this Programme for Government commitment for the Shannon Estuary and surrounding area. Terms of Reference for the Taskforce are being finalised and I hope to make an announcement shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As outlined in relation to PQ No. 13952/21 on French leaseback properties, one of the primary functions of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (‘CCPC’) is to enforce consumer protection law in Ireland. For cross border consumer protection issues, the CCPC is part of the European Consumer Protection Co-operation (CPC) Network, which is comprised of national...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Transport Policy (22 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Notwithstanding the current public health advice for staff to continue to work from home at this time, my Department and its Offices, has a number of initiatives to promote staff wellbeing and our internal Green agenda, both areas which can involve using active travel as part of any commute to and from work for staff, depending on their circumstances. In Spring 2020, the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Rent Increases (21 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: These are difficult times and many companies have had to temporarily close their businesses and / or premises, curtail their activities or make alternative work arrangements due to COVID-19 restrictions. I am aware that some businesses are concerned that some landlords are continuing to insist on the payment of rents and leases as normal despite their premises being closed. The issue of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: From the start of this Pandemic, a wide range of aid for businesses and employees have been introduced right across Government. These have included income based schemes such as the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the Employee Wage Subsidy Scheme which are payable regardless of sector and are available to employees, sole traders and proprietary directors. In line with the practice in...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Vaccination Programme (21 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am not aware of any such requests.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (21 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 IDA 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 customer base in the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am acutely aware of the difficulties that these necessary ongoing Covid-19 restrictions are putting on all businesses right across the country. Business owners are making sacrifices in order to protect their communities. As you are aware, the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: The Restart grant scheme was launched in May 2020 and was live on all local authority websites. It was advertised extensively both nationally and locally as well as across social media. The Scheme was initially intended to provide grants in tandem with the phased re-opening of the economy as per the Government’s Roadmap. As the Roadmap was accelerated, so too was the scheme available...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: These are difficult times and many companies have had to temporarily close their businesses and / or premise(s), curtail their activities or make alternative work arrangements due to COVID-19 restrictions. I am aware that some businesses are concerned that some landlords are continuing to insist on the payment of rents and leases as normal despite their premises being closed. The issue of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Agreements (21 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is a modern and progressive Free Trade Agreement which has provisionally applied across the EU since the 21st September 2017. The Agreement covers virtually every aspect of economic activity and will provide new market opportunities in many sectors for Irish firms given the extensive bilateral business...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Foreign Direct Investment (21 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 IDA 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 customer base in the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am acutely aware of the difficulties that the necessary ongoing Covid-19 restrictions are putting on businesses right across the country. As you know the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (21 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: I am acutely aware of the difficulties that these necessary ongoing Covid-19 restrictions are putting on all businesses right across the country. Business owners are making sacrifices in order to protect their communities. As you know the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS),...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: IDA Ireland (21 Apr 2021)

Leo Varadkar: Regional development is at the centre of IDA’s new strategy, “Driving Recovery & Sustainable Growth 2021-2024”, and IDA 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. IDA will target half of all investments...