Results 9,161-9,180 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (Resumed) (10 Jun 2020)

Damien English: Limerick county and city are major beneficiaries. The Deputy should read the plan in detail because he quoted only one line from it. Limerick is a major beneficiary. If the county follows the plan, it will be a great county to live in for many generations to come. The Deputy should look at the plan.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (Resumed) (10 Jun 2020)

Damien English: That is the nature of things.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (Resumed) (10 Jun 2020)

Damien English: A number of questions were asked and I will answer them in reverse order. That would be the handiest way to do respond as I can cover both Deputies' questions. The better energy warmer homes scheme is not operated by my Department and I cannot give the Deputy details on it. I will ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton, to contact Deputy...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (Resumed) (10 Jun 2020)

Damien English: I do not know. I will check for the Deputy. She asked me a question about one county. I am not responsible for every person county councils employ; the councillors are. However, I will check the position. The Deputy and I disagree on the accusation that I constantly spin things. I do not spin. That is why I will always fight back. I deal with facts and they are always facts. We...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (16 Jun 2020)

Damien English: The Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments; Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2018) set the minimum design standards for both private and social apartmentsdevelopments. The Guidelines also make provision for ‘Build-To-Rent’ (BTR) development to provide greater choice and flexibility in the overall housing mix. The Guidelines define...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Damien English: I will take those questions at the end.

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Damien English: I cannot answer until the end. It is Second Stage.

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (7 Jul 2020)

Damien English: Keep going.

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2020)

Damien English: The Convention Centre Dublin is a strange setting but this is an important discussion. I thank all the Deputies who made the journey across to this new Chamber to discuss this Bill today and those who spoke on it in Leinster House last night when the Tánaiste introduced it. There has been a good discussion, which has focused on many aspects of the supports needed for SMEs. I thank the...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2020)

Damien English: I am trying to respond to all of the questions.

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Jul 2020)

Damien English: I think I have answered most of the questions. I am conscious there are others to whom I have not responded but I will come to back to them individually. In regard to the issues raised, we will work on them and feed them into the system over the next couple of months. The Tánaiste, who opened this debate but could not be here today to close it, the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, and...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2020)

Damien English: On my reference to start-ups, in general microfinance loans are available to start-ups. They were mentioned by other Deputies and I do not suggest that all the demand in recent months has been from start-ups. Of course it has not been; it has been from businesses that want to reopen, survive and thrive. The loan is also available to the many microenterprises. There will be people who, for...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2020)

Damien English: I am conscious that Deputy Catherine Murphy, who probably has to leave now, and Deputy McGuinness were not here for the whole debate. To reiterate, it is not that we are disagreeing with the need for businesses to have access to low-cost finance - that is what we are trying to achieve - but the microfinance loan is only one mechanism and does not comprise all the mechanisms. Eight or nine...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2020)

Damien English: I thank Deputy O'Reilly for her comments. The advice of the Attorney General is that this is not the place to put such an amendment to primary legislation. That is why we are not supporting it. It is not that we do not support the goal of an interest rate that everybody can manage in accessing funding. This is what the loan process looks to achieve. It often happens in a debate that...

Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2020)

Damien English: The Tánaiste, the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, and myself would like to thank Deputies for their attendance, participation and support as we have taken this Bill through the Dáil over the past two days. I am conscious that the logistics were a little awkward between the two Houses. I recognise the efforts of Members to make their contributions and we value all of them. It has...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (8 Jul 2020)

Damien English: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and the general issue of supports for business in the hospitality sector. He also flagged the matter of seasonal workers, which is certainly on our agenda as well. As has been referred to by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and other Ministers, the programme for Government promises to bring forward a July jobs initiative to support our economy...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (8 Jul 2020)

Damien English: To conclude and add to the comments I made earlier, Deputy Ó Cuív rightly raised the tourism and hospitality sector. With regard to any further targeted measures specifically aimed at that sector, in March 2020, a dedicated tourism recovery task force was established made up of leaders of various sectors of the industry who will work together to deal with the many challenges ahead....

Seanad: Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (9 Jul 2020)

Damien English: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his new role.

Seanad: Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (9 Jul 2020)

Damien English: It was well earned over many years of service and I wish him good luck. There are many new faces in here. I was going to say "in this House", but this is not actually the House. It is good to be here in the Seanad, however, and I welcome all the new Senators. There are many new faces and I am looking forward to working with everybody over the next couple of years. I had an important...

Seanad: Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (9 Jul 2020)

Damien English: I thank all the Members for their contributions. I think everybody has contributed now and has shown great understanding and knowledge of the importance of helping the SME sector, as well as that SMEs are all of us and are right at the heart of our communities. They are in every town and village that we represent and everywhere we go and because of that knock-on effect, it is important to...