Results 7,421-7,440 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 sets out the key parameters around the taking of annual leave and payment of same.  The terms and conditions of individual employment contracts may provide for extra days' leave above what is statutorily required by the Act. Section 19 of the Act provides that an employee shall be entitled to paid annual leave equal to: (a) 4 working weeks...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that businesses are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities and I am committed to ensuring that the Government will offer as much assistance and support as possible. The Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business sets out the five stages for unlocking the restrictions put in place to contain the Coronavirus, at three week intervals. The...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that businesses are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities and I am committed to ensuring that the Government will offer as much assistance and support as possible. The Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business sets out the five stages for unlocking the restrictions put in place to contain the Coronavirus, at three week intervals. The...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: IDA Ireland (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 96 together. Attracting investment and creating new jobs in regional locations, including County Donegal, is a major priority for both myself and my Department. The IDA has a significant role to play in helping us achieve that objective. The Agency has been working hard, through its staff both here and abroad, to encourage overseas investors to locate...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Enterprise Ireland (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: My Department, working through our agency Enterprise Ireland, supports companies throughout the country to start, scale and succeed in international markets. To support companies start, a range of financial and non-financial supports are available through Enterprise Ireland, including: - Enterprise Ireland’sNew Frontiers Development Programme, the national entrepreneur development...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Local Enterprise Offices administer the Trading Online Voucher Scheme on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. This scheme offers skills training, mentoring and financial support of up to €2,500 to help eligible businesses to develop their ecommerce capability, but does not cover the capital cost of equipment. However, businesses already...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Enterprise Ireland (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Media organisations whose content is of international interest so that it could credibly generate revenue in non-Irish markets may seek assistance from Enterprise Ireland on the basis of its ambition to provide sales in non-Irish markets through the development of a credible business plan.  A local or regional media organisation, supplying a local market which does not provide an...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Restart Grant Plus was introduced as part of the response to the effects on business of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The Scheme has been operated by the 31 Local Authorities on behalf of my Department, and closed to new applications on 31 October 2020. It was effectively replaced as part of Budget 2021 with the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) operated by the Revenue...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Enterprise Ireland (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Enterprise Ireland is currently not in a position to support companies active in the area of cannabis-based products. Enterprise Ireland’s position is based on the fact that, while EU regulations permit a threshold of 0.2% of THC in hemp products, products containing any trace of THC are considered as a controlled drug in Ireland under the Misuse of Drugs Orders. In effect, there is no...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Departmental Staff (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Data on the number and percentage of persons employed in my Department who have declared a disability is currently being collated for end of 2020. This data is being prepared for submission to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Monitoring Committee by the 31st March 2021. This data is based on self-declaration of disability, so can only be compiled through an all-staff census...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will be aware that my Department has national policy responsibility for health and safety in the workplace. We have been working closely with the Health and Safety Authority and across Government to ensure that the “Work Safely Protocol” is up to date and aligned with the latest public health advice and Government’s COVID-19 guidelines....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am sorry to hear about that situation. As I think the Deputy will know and appreciate, when it comes to any form of accommodation, it depends on the contract that was signed on the lease or licence agreement and no Government can change a contract retrospectively. If somebody enters freely into a contract to buy a service or pay for accommodation, it is what the contract states that...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: This has come to my attention too. There are a number of cases in my constituency, and I have discussed the issue with the banks and will do so again in the regular engagement I have with them. I do not think it is simple as a matter of discrimination. Banks have certain responsibilities and among them is to engage only in prudent lending. If they lend money to somebody who cannot pay it...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am really not sure why it is taking so long to sort out this issue of medical cannabis. It has been discussed for years in this Chamber. Emergency arrangements were put in place, which the Deputy mentioned, but we should by now have in place standing arrangements that work for people for whom the drug has been prescribed by a specialist. It is an issue that falls under the remit of the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate this is an important issue that the Deputy is absolutely right and entitled to raise in the House. Unfortunately, I do not have an update to hand and I do not want to mislead him. I will certainly tell the Minister the matter was raised and try to get the Deputy a written reply next week.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of that. I will meet the French minister for European affairs over the weekend and it is one of the issues I will discuss with him.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The intention is that all parts of the country are treated equally when it comes to home care. I know that is not always the case, but it certainly should be. I am surprised to hear what Deputy Andrews has to say because the amount of funding put into home care was increased by 40% in the past couple of years and is being increased again in 2021. While some people may not need it anymore,...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Retail is changing. It is simplistic to put these things down to matters of company law or which fund bought what business. The truth is that retail is changing. People have moved online. Last week in Ireland, more money was spent online than physically. As a result, retail is going to transform before our eyes. It was happening anyway. There was inevitability that we would see more...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I distinctly recall the Deputy calling for a dedicated Minister with responsibility for fisheries. As is so often the case, however, when people call for a new senior Minister, they do not tell us which Ministry should be abolished. Our Constitution says there can be only 15 senior Ministers. This week the Labour Party called for a Minister with responsibility for vaccines and now Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Dec 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Perhaps, the office of the Taoiseach. We could have a Government with no Taoiseach, perhaps. I do not know.