Results 1-20 of 329 for going forward speaker:Damien English

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Damien English: I thank the Taoiseach for his presentation. It was a good chance to go back over the budget and talk about priorities. I thank him for the update and the focus on the various issues he brought to us today as well as the outline of the past couple of weeks in the role. I have a few initial comments on some of the issues he raised. He mentioned the Covid inquiry at the start and in your...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Damien English: ...published in detail yesterday. While the Minister of State’s officials were probably involved in some parts of that, it would be important to get the OPW’s view on it. It has been brought forward to try to fix planning delays which can cause great complications in projects it is trying to implement. Regarding Project Ireland 2040 as well, there is an issue with planning...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Block Redress: Redress Focus Group for Banking and Insurance (5 Jul 2023)

Damien English: I will not take up the committee's time for too long. Going back to Ms Shovlin's point, this is certainly beyond a fact-finding mission, but it has been a very worthwhile engagement. I hope, as a committee, we can make it worth the homeowners' while. The contributions from the witnesses have been very informative. The knowledge they have brought has been of immense value to us. I was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Block Redress: Redress Focus Group for Banking and Insurance (5 Jul 2023)

Damien English: ...State scheme, coerce people to accept sub-standard solutions. I would not agree with that. We should not be spreading fear among people that they will be forced to accept sub-standard solutions. Going back to the standards and knowing the people involved in reaching those standards, including people from Donegal who have experienced sub-standard homes themselves, we have to acknowledge...

Our Rural Future Policy: Statements (14 Jun 2023)

Damien English: ..., trying to bring together and drive action locally and focus the money. This document and the strategy do exactly that. The drive to protect and enhance rural Ireland that the Minister has got behind over the past two and a half years with her Department, and since the Department was formed over five years ago, is being achieved. We are having that desired impact. We can see the...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2022)

Damien English: ...system. There have been references to organisations that do not support such a system but to be clear, I sought guidance from the International Organization for Migration, one of the leading intergovernmental advice bodies on this issue. That organisation supports seasonal permits under the right conditions. It has expertise in this area that extends far beyond Ireland and it is not...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2022)

Damien English: ...in any employment, seasonal or non-seasonal, we have to have protections in place for employees. That is what we do. The committee members are the ones highlighting this as a concern so we are going beyond that to try to work with them on this and allay their concerns. I am concerned for all employees. I have to be, and I have to make sure protections are in place in the legislation....

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2022)

Damien English: ...rescinded by the Dáil within 21 days. I have given a commitment, and I do so again, to work with the committee on introducing regulations and to have conversations and agreement on bringing them forward. I am not trying to do regulations and hide them away. This approach recognises that having everything detailed in primary legislation would make it very hard to do the job...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2022)

Damien English: As I referenced in my opening speech, this an area where we are prepared to see if we can get to a better place. I think we all agree with the sentiments being put forward. We had good discussions at pre-legislative scrutiny, on Second Stage, and with some stakeholders and staff from the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland. I have asked officials to look at this again to see how we can deal with...

Seanad: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (29 Nov 2022)

Damien English: I thank the House for facilitating the Bill this week, which I am pleased to bring forward. It was something that we discussed quite a lot here individually with Senators as well, who were asking for a scheme such as this in response to what happening with Ukraine and the pressure it is putting on businesses here as well. The scheme has worked quite well through the past couple of years in...

Seanad: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (29 Nov 2022)

Damien English: ...schemes, at a difficult time. The temporary business energy support scheme probably is the most important element and it will be up and running in the next couple of weeks. Once the Finance Bill goes through this House, the scheme can formally be processed and people should have payments before Christmas. Likewise, we hope some of the banks will be in a position to make loans available...

Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Nov 2022)

Damien English: ...a considerable reduction in interest rate. However, smaller non-banks, including credit unions, would not be able to meet the proposed cap. They will provide a reduction as required but could not go to the level proposed. I want to see a strong level of competition in the range of finance providers participating in the scheme and not having a cap will facilitate this competition because...

Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Damien English: .... I will make a couple of comments. I welcome all the contributions made last night and to date on this Bill and the support for what we are trying to achieve. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae certainly got that message across. The Bill seeks to support businesses through a very difficult time. By doing so, we support the jobs they create. By supporting those jobs, we support the families...

Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (8 Nov 2022)

Damien English: ...." I thank the Ceann Comhairle and Members for their co-operation in getting the Bill to this stage and the committee for having this Bill prioritised for publication. I am pleased to bring forward the Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2022. It is further important legislation as part of the Government's efforts to help the wider enterprise sector to meet the considerable challenges...

Employment Permits Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (12 Oct 2022)

Damien English: ...the interest in this Bill and the discussion and debate around it. I thank my colleagues who have stayed for a long time. I recognise there is great interest in this legislation and I look forward to working with Deputies on Committee Stage to bring through the Bill. I acknowledge there is annoyance that we did not take on board all the matters raised during pre-legislative scrutiny....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (15 Sep 2022)

Damien English: ...In Q4 of 2021 my Department and the Department of Health announced changes to the employment permit system for Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) in public hospitals or public health facilities. Going forward these NCHDs will receive a two-year multi-site employment permit, irrespective of the length of the initial employment contract. Subsequent employment contracts with a...

Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space: Motion (12 Jul 2022)

Damien English: ...important that we recognise that during these important debates. A good example of space touching our daily lives is that when you need to navigate to somewhere new, satellite data enable the maps on your phone. When you want to know what the weather is going to be like, satellite data enable more accurate weather predictions. When you need to stay connected, satellite data enable your...

Irish Corporate Governance (Gender Balance) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (7 Jul 2022)

Damien English: I am delighted to have the chance to thank Deputy Higgins for this Bill, which has allowed us all to focus on a policy priority of the Government. It addresses a very important issue and one I know the Deputy is dedicated to. As with all the work she does, it is extremely well researched and based on evidence. I thank her and her team, some of whom are here, for their work on bringing...