Results 20,721-20,740 of 33,049 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: This issue gained some prominence a few days after the wage subsidy scheme was launched. I acknowledge the co-operation of this House in allowing the passage of the wage subsidy scheme such that we now have over 400,000 citizens depending on a job because of that wage subsidy scheme and over 50,000 employers. In its absence, our live register and pandemic unemployment payment recipient...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The Revenue Commissioners have indicated that this tax liability will be dealt with very carefully and over a number of years.

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Does the Ceann Comhairle want me to respond to Deputies McGuinness and Lahart?

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: To respond to Deputy Lahart first, I met Insurance Ireland a fortnight ago. I met the CEOs of all the insurance companies earlier in the year but that was pre-Covid. I have met the Alliance for Insurance Reform and I plan to meet both the alliance and Insurance Ireland again in the coming weeks. My message to the insurance sector is that there was no difference between advice the...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: It was because of the legislation that I was able to make the change I did to the level of subsidy that would be available for participants in the wage subsidy scheme at different levels of income. The decision I made then, by offering guidance to the Revenue Commissioners, did not change the eligibility criteria for the scheme or the number of people who were able to access the scheme and...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Before I answer the question, I will respond to the Deputy's assertion on the answer I gave a moment ago. It sometimes seems that Sinn Féin thinks it is the only party that can make political points about anything. What I was saying to the Deputy was reaffirming what Sinn Féin heard from the Revenue Commissioners. It is my intention that all people will be treated equally under...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, indeed. I congratulate Deputy Ryan on her speech. I cannot give her information now as to what the future plans are for the status of that branch - it is not a decision I make - but I will certainly correspond with the bank and relay its answer back to her. Regarding the points Deputy Conway-Walsh made, the Central Bank has now engaged directly with the insurance industry on many...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: We remain, and I hope the next government will remain, committed to many of the projects in Project Ireland 2040. We will have to look at allocations for capital and for particular projects, not just because of the direct effect of Covid on where we are but also because of some of the issues Deputy McGuinness has raised. I remain committed to projects that are there, but the new Government...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: My thanks to the Deputies for the questions they have raised. I will begin with the point that was brought to me by Deputy O'Donnell on how money from the European recovery fund will be allocated. The European Commission will perform an independent assessment regarding how countries have been affected by Covid-19. I would expect that included in the criteria will be the mortality levels...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for all of her questions. I will do my best to work through each of them in turn. The Deputy asked me to identify the areas of agreement between us. The point she made regarding this crisis being very different-----

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am going to get off to a good beginning with Deputy Hourigan, which I hope I will be able to continue with Deputy Howlin. Deputy Hourigan's description of this crisis is very accurate. It is very different from what has happened before in that it is happening in Ireland and across the world because of a public health decision that governments have taken and citizens are complying with....

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I will answer all the questions the Deputy has put to me. I do want to say-----

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: That is great. I wish to make one point. I saw Deputy Howlin having to deal with many of these issues in this House from 2011 onwards. The ability of our country to borrow in the way we are able to now is in no small way attributable to the work the Deputy did when he was in my job for a number of years. I want to acknowledge that because I know the consequences he has faced as a result...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Lots of it does, but we are in a very different place from where we were a decade ago. Regarding the engagement I and the Government have had on this issue, Deputy Howlin might be aware that some weeks ago the Taoiseach and I signed a letter and an article supporting a recovery fund. I did that because, while nearly all of the time I am very much aligned with my Dutch colleagues, for...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: For how it will be allocated? In fairness, it needs to be allocated primarily on the basis of those countries that have suffered the most from this disease with loss of life and loss of income. That means there is a group of countries that are more likely, therefore, to benefit from it. That is in our interests as well. If we do not do that, we will exit this crisis at some point with...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: We have much work ongoing on this issue. Again, I am strongly in favour - as was Deputy Howlin - of good, strong management of our semi-State companies by those who run them. They are dealing, however, with circumstances they played no role in triggering. Regarding the larger issues developing, there is no doubt there is a challenge concerning public transport. I support what the Minister...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The issue raised by the Deputy was put to me in the course of considering how we will deal with this matter. If we cannot find another way of dealing with it, my preference is for it to be dealt with as a tax policy or administration matter. Changes in other areas of policy, such as the length of maternity leave, may cause other issues that would need to be considered. This is an important...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am not currently considering such issues. Various issues have been raised. Many have been addressed through the wage subsidy scheme and I have dealt with many of them in the House in recent weeks. The issue of workers with underlying health conditions having to return to work has not developed in the way the Deputy may have feared. If she has evidence to the contrary, I ask her to send...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: That is a very good question. The European Commission is a number of weeks away from presenting proposals to the European Council or to finance ministers on this topic. Obviously there is a lot of merit for us if the GNI approach is used because in many ways that offers a more accurate picture of how our economy is actually performing. However, because a paper has not been tabled and we...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: There have been discussions about the budgetary rules, and the escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact has now been triggered. My expectation is that almost all, if not all, countries will be in a position whereby their deficits are considerably above what would be expected in normal times under the terms of the Stability and Growth Pact. There has not yet been a discussion regarding...