Results 8,201-8,220 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Restart Plus Grant is a contribution towards the cost of re-opening or keeping a business operational and re-connecting with employees and customers. The grant could be used to defray ongoing fixed costs during closure, for example, utilities, insurance, refurbishment or for measures to ensure employee and customer safety. In seeking to support the most exposed and at risk micro and small...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Industrial Disputes (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Along with my colleagues, the Taoiseach and Ministers Troy and English, I have met with Debenhams employees and their union, Mandate, on a number of occasions to hear their views and concerns about the liquidation of Debenhams Ireland. A number of suggestions have been made as to how the Government might intervene. However, the Government cannot intervene with a liquidator, who has a...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Grant Payments (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Restart Grant and Restart Grant Plus Schemes are administered by the 31 Local Authorities on behalf of this Department. I have set out in the following table the information requested by the Deputy. Please be advised this information is collated by the Local Authorities on a weekly basis therefore the figures contained in the table are as at week ending 9th October 2020. ...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Grant Payments (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Government introduced the July Stimulus €7bn package of supports for firms of all sizes, which includes the wage subsidy scheme, the pandemic unemployment payment for the self-employed, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help to improve cashflow amongst SMEs. Full details on all COVID-19 supports for...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I very much welcome the recently proposed amendments to the Temporary Framework and in particular, I welcome the proposed extension of the Framework to 30th June 2021.  Ireland has, over the last number of months, expressed to the Commission at every opportunity the importance of an extension to the Framework in order that we can continue to respond to the impacts the COVID-19...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: IDA Ireland (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Counties Meath and Westmeath continue to be strong performers in terms of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). From 2015 to 2019, the number of IDA client companies based in County Meath increased from 16 to 19 with 371 net new jobs added during this period. Since 2015, there have been a number of significant announcements from companies in Meath including Facebook and PCI Pharma. In...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Enterprise Ireland (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Supporting balanced regional development is a core objective of Government.  In pursuit of this policy objective, Enterprise Ireland is working with manufacturing and internationally traded services companies in Meath and Westmeath to build scale, innovate and expand reach - key attributes required to be resilient to economic shocks. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Company Liquidations (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The procedures for examinership and winding up are set out in Parts 10 and 11 of the Companies Act 2014 respectively. A company, both during normal operation and during insolvency must also of course abide by all relevant legal requirements including in relation to the treatment of employees and creditors and disclosure to Revenue. The Companies Act 2014 provides provisions which may be...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Work Permits (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Employment Permits Section of my Department inform me that a standard application for a Critical Skills Employment Permit was submitted on 2nd October 2020 in respect of the named person (details supplied). As the Employment Permits Section is currently processing standard applications received on 7th September 2020, this application should be considered within the next 3-4 weeks.

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Flexible Work Practices (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: As our country continues to navigate COVID-19, remote working is now more important than ever. This is reflected in the recent and ongoing work of my Department, and in the Programme for Government, which contains commitments aimed at facilitating remote working across Ireland. Last December my Department published the Remote Work in Ireland report. This outlined the prevalence and types of...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Company Law (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am currently considering the issue of corporate rescue, or 'examinership lite', for SMEs and microbusinesses in conjunction with the Company Law Review Group (CLRG). Membership of the CLRG is broad and representative of key stakeholders in the area such as ISME, IBEC, ICTU, the Revenue Commissioners, insolvency and legal practitioners and regulators, making it uniquely well positioned to...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly highly aware that publicans and restauranteurs 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. On 28th August 2020, the Government announced a further €16m support package to help pubs, bars and nightclubs, recognising the economic impact of Covid-19 on...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Return to Work Safely Protocol (Protocol) was launched on 9May 2020 and came into effect on the 18May 2020 to coincide with Phase 1 of the Government roadmap to ease COVID-19 restrictions and commence the reopening of the economy. Between 18th of May 2020, and 2nd of October 2020 the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) carried out 3,785 COVID-19 compliance checks. The table contained in...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I understand this is a difficult time for many businesses, especially those heavily impacted by the crisis who are facing an uncertain future. I know that some firms are concerned about how they are going to continue to pay the rent due for their business premises. Throughout this crisis, the Government has been encouraging commercial tenants and landlords to engage with each other and have...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Retail, as the largest private sector employer, has shown determination and adaptability in the face of incredible challenges. It has changed its business models, refitted premises, retrained staff and come up with new and innovate ways including; designated shopping hours to continue to trade safely, to protect its employees and customers. The Retail Forum, an initiative of my...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Food Industry (13 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Regional Enterprise Development Fund supports regions throughout Ireland to build on their unique strengths to support enterprise capability and job creation. 68 projects throughout Ireland were approved funding under this initiative, a key pillar of Enterprise Ireland’s Powering the Regions Strategy which contributes to the Governments regionalisation policy The Regional...

Mental Health Parity of Esteem Bill 2020: First Stage (8 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: It is not opposed. I thank Deputy Ward for his initiative in putting forward this Bill.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: One of the silver linings to the very dark cloud which is this pandemic is that it is causing us to reimagine our cities and city centres and, to a certain extent, to reclaim the streets for cycling, pedestrians and things such as outdoor dining, which the Deputy mentioned, notwithstanding the often inclement weather. In general, the Government leaves these matters to local authorities. It...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The short answer to the Deputy's question is "Yes". Covid pandemic or no Covid pandemic, we should increase our critical care bed capacity to in the region of 400 or 500 beds. We should be doing that anyway. We have made progress in recent years, but it has not been enough. Efforts in that regard need to continue. As the Deputy appreciates, it is not as simple as just providing a bed....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputies for raising the important issues they outlined relating to mental health, including individual cases, local services, LGBT young people and the Traveller and Roma communities. The commitment to develop and implement that strategy stands. I will ask the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Butler, to provide specific replies to the Deputies.