Results 8,041-8,060 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Government's priority is to protect and support the education of all students, including student nurses and midwives. Student nurses are paid in their fourth, or pre-registration year, but not in earlier years. The process of student nurses and midwives training to meet educational standards and requirements involves a supernumerary clinical placement and this places them on the front...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, said this morning that he is happy to meet again, listen to and engage with the 221+ group. It is his judgment then as to whether the Government would make a decision on Tuesday to defer the establishment of the tribunal. Obviously, I will be guided by him in that regard. Bear in mind that it is being established as an alternative to court...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy for raising this sensitive issue. It is an ongoing issue and many people have taken an interest in it in recent weeks, including Senator Currie, members of the Labour Party and others. I recognise the constructive and measured approach the Labour Party has taken in recent weeks with regard to the country trying to deal with this Covid crisis. The Deputy has taken the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy O'Reilly for raising this very important issue. The CervicalCheck tribunal is being established in good faith by Government, honouring a commitment made by Government after the Meenan report of 2018. It is being established as an alternative to court for those who want it where cases cannot be settled by mediation or negotiation, which is of course the preferred solution and...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Restart Grant Plus provides direct grant aid to businesses with up to 250 employees to help them with the costs associated with reopening and reemploying workers following COVID-19 closures.  As the Deputy will be aware, on 6thOctober 2020 all parts of the country moved to Level Three of the Government’s Framework for Restrictive Measures. In recognition of the...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The National Framework for Living with Covid-19 plan sets out how businesses should operate at each level of the Restrictive Measures Framework.  The current advice under level 5 is that only essential workers should attend the workplace and individuals should restrict travel to 5 kms apart for reasons of essential work, education and other essential purposes. What is deemed to be...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Oct 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. My Department has worked to ensure that appropriate supports are in place for businesses that require finance as they develop their response to their exposure to impacts arising from COVID-19....

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Employment Rights (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Firstly, I wish to acknowledge the difficult time that the travel industry is currently facing.  Many sectors and industries have been badly affected during the emergency period and my sincere thoughts are with all employers and employees in these situations at this time.  Much of our focus since March was to try to ensure that employees were not laid-off and did not lose that all...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Employment Rights (21 Oct 2020)

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 manage their family responsibilities. Employers have a general duty of care towards their workers and that care is often expressed in the form of negotiation, compromise and flexibility. It is for the employer to...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I empathise particularly with businesses in the tourism sector that have suffered devastating consequences as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland has been working with the tourism and hospitality industry throughout the pandemic to help businesses navigate the crisis. The Restart Grant Plus for B&Bs is an additional...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: All employers must comply with the Return to Work Safely Protocol which is designed to put measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the lead Agency in relation to oversight and compliance with the Protocol.  It ensures compliance through a range of measures including advice, guidance, inspection and...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Health and Safety Authority (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 employers have specific duties to ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of all employees. These duties include the managing and conducting of all work activities to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of those employees. Employees themselves also have duties and responsibilities under the 2005 Act and...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Government has decided that, as of midnight on Wednesday 21st October, all of the country will be placed on Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID with a small number of exceptions. This action is based on current public health advice, the deteriorating situation with the disease across the country and the Government’s objectives to support families by keeping schools and...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Employment Rights (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The National Framework for Living with Covid-19 plan sets out how businesses should operate at each level of the Restrictive Measures Framework.  The current advice under level 5 is that only essential workers should attend the workplace and individuals should restrict travel to 5 kms apart for reasons of essential work, education and other essential purposes. What is deemed to be...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 employers have specific duties to ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of all employees. These duties include the managing and conducting of all work activities to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of those employees. Employees themselves also have duties and responsibilities under the 2005 Act and...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Legislative Measures (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: There is no statutory employment right to a refund of expenses in respect of light, heat and waste incurred by employees working from home. Expenses/ allowances are not covered in Irish employment legislation and would be a matter for negotiation between employer/employee except where provided for in collective agreements. In cases where an employer makes payments towards the expenses...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that publicans 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. We know the move to Level 5 will have a significant impact on businesses. In order to reduce transmission of this disease quickly we are making this decision now so we can return to a lower level...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I received a representation from Chartered Accountants Ireland on 22 July 2020 regarding the question of a legislative amendment to extend the six year rule for the cycle of quality assurance reviews of statutory auditors and audit firms and a response has issued from my office. In summary, in view of the importance of the review function in terms of safeguarding small businesses, the...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the Labour Court are offices under the aegis of my Department. Both the WRC and the Labour Court are statutorily independent in the exercise of their quasi-judicial functions and I as Minister cannot intervene when they exercise those functions. In common with the Courts Service and other quasi-judicial bodies the offices of the WRC and Labour...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Tax Rebates (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Up to 2011, the Redundancy Payments Scheme provided a rebate of 60% to employers who made statutory redundancy payments to their employees. In Budgets 2012 and 2013, the Government first reduced and then abolished the rebate payment. The rebate to employers was paid regardless of a company’s financial situation and ability to pay, and ongoing commitment to the Irish economy, thus...