Results 1,821-1,840 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Implementation of Duffy Cahill Report: Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (25 Nov 2020)

Damien English: This discussion is on the Duffy Cahill report. I referred to the Debenhams case and I am conscious most members referred to it in previous discussions. The reason I referred to it is that the Duffy Cahill report has come back into mainstream discussion as a result of the Debenhams case. When I met Debenhams workers, I gave a commitment that if I could strengthen the legislation for future...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Implementation of Duffy Cahill Report: Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (25 Nov 2020)

Damien English: That is correct.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Implementation of Duffy Cahill Report: Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (25 Nov 2020)

Damien English: The authors of the report also said we have to take all the proposals together, that one individual proposal will not work. The proposals have a knock-on effect as well. The main changes the report authors recommend are in employment legislation. That is the reason I am here, because that is the focus of my work as Minister of State.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Implementation of Duffy Cahill Report: Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (25 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I will try to respond to the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Implementation of Duffy Cahill Report: Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (25 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I will try to answer the Deputy's questions. There is an assumption by Deputy Gould and many others that the implementation of the Duffy Cahill report would resolve the situation for Debenhams workers. I must be truthful. I have read through the document on a number of occasions and I have listened to debates. I do not see the evidence to support that. I am not sure that is the case and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Implementation of Duffy Cahill Report: Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (25 Nov 2020)

Damien English: Yes, I would be delighted to come back in January. The Minister of State, Deputy Troy, would probably like to do the same. I would like to work with the committee on the issue. I believe in the committee system. I have been a committee member for many years. There is an opportunity to work through this issue and to make positive changes if we can prove they are needed and that they will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Implementation of Duffy Cahill Report: Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (25 Nov 2020)

Damien English: All the assets have been looked at as part of the liquidation process, which is responsible for realising the assets and turning them into money to pay all the debts, in conjunction with and under the supervision of the courts. You have identified one asset, Chairman. If the company owns it then that will be in play.

Working from Home (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members] (18 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I thank the Labour Party for initiating this debate today. The discussion on its proposed Bill is focusing our minds on the issue of remote working, the benefits of which we all understand. There is no doubt that working from home or working remotely, even in non-Covid times, when properly planned can provide significant benefits such as a better work, life balance for everyone, with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: That is our focus as a Department, working with the retail sector, the business community and all those enterprises that are involved in providing products and services, some of which will be in greater demand around the month of December and for the Christmas season. We are working and will work with all those sectors through the various Departments on a range of supports and initiatives....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Daly for asking this question. Under level 5 of the plan for living with Covid-19, only essential retail outlets will remain open. The regulations clearly set out the temporary restrictions and it is important to reinforce the point that they are temporary. The regulations list the essential services and retail outlets under level 5 that can open. Level 5 does not...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I thank the Deputy for his comments. Naturally, all areas for controlling the virus and its spread are being observed and dealt with by the Department of Health and all other Departments, in conjunction with NPHET. All of the evidence is being considered and it all indicates that the best way of stopping the virus is to limit and reduce our contacts, be that in a social, shopping or working...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: It is an important message. We ask those businesses to use the remaining 50 days or so to engage with us so we can have them in a strong position to deal with Brexit.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: We certainly are in a position to do that because the Department has secured additional resources to work with industry and support it in the area of job creation, as well as sustaining jobs through the period of Brexit and Covid. I stress again, and the Deputy is in a good position to get this message out there, that we need the companies that will be impacted by Brexit to come forward now....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Preparations (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. On the basis of research such as that and research we have been undertaking through our own agencies and in conjunction with the representative bodies we have worked with on a weekly basis on Brexit over the past number of years, we are concerned that a number of companies have yet to engage with the system to deal with Brexit and with our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Preparations (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: We have been saying clearly for the past couple of months that, regardless of how the talks finish up in the weeks ahead, there will be major changes for business, including in the customs area. That will be new to many businesses that have operated in Ireland over the past 30 or 40 years. It is a new challenge for them. We recognise that and that is why the Tánaiste and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Preparations (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I again thank the Deputy for raising this because it helps us bring the focus onto this. We totally agree with him. From a departmental point of view, we want companies to engage and recognise how serious this is. We acknowledge that, since February, companies have had a great deal thrown at them in regard to Covid and they are trying to manage their way through that. However, Brexit is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. While Covid might have focused the attention of many minds and businesses in recent months, as a Department and a Government, we have been very much focused on Brexit for the last number of years, certainly as we get closer to it. The Tánaiste and other colleagues have repeatedly tried to drive home the message over the last few months about...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: The Deputy is correct. I am from the north-east region and I know there will be a greater impact in the Border region. We recognise that, which is why we have the Northern Ireland protocol and the specific committee to oversee the implementation of the agreement in the years ahead. We are very strong in support of that and of working with our colleagues across Europe and in the UK to...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Brexit Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: My Department and its agencies have put a wide range of Brexit enterprise measures in place, covering potential Brexit impacts. We have introduced a Brexit Readiness Checklist which highlights some of the key actions businesses can take to prepare for the changes Brexit will bring from 1 January 2021. The Border Enterprise Development Fund, administered by Enterprise Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Company Liquidations (10 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I extend my sympathies to the workers in Debenhams who have lost their jobs. I fully appreciate how difficult the situation is for those involved and their families. Many have been striking for over 200 days. It is disappointing that talks facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission facilitated last week did not succeed in agreeing a way forward between the parties. ...