Results 9,261-9,280 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Development (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I welcome the involvement of the regional assemblies which have a very active role to play. We engaged with them quite a lot in the development of Project 2040, the national development plan, and the national planning framework around that to guarantee that those regions have long-term plans. I have said before in these Houses that if we are to permanently address an imbalance in regional...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this question and always having his finger on the pulse of where events might lead us. Naturally, we are trying to manage the economy, job creation and sustainability around business and jobs through all levels of this plan. The Tánaiste has been very clear that it is about getting the balance right. That is why, at this time, most of the country is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: The Deputy's question is targeting an area that is important for us all, probably because of his time as Minister of State with responsibility for social welfare. It is important that, in providing supports through the Departments of Education and Skills, Employment Affairs and Social Protection, and Business, Enterprise and Innovation, we ensure that nobody falls between the cracks. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: The Deputy is touching on something close to my heart. As a young fellow, I spent many days in the car with my father who was a community welfare officer back in the days when such officers could call to a house, get an understanding of what was happening and spend time with a family. Over the years, the volume of activity increased in an effort to reach people with supports through social...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health and Safety Authority (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I will deal with the issue in the question and bring a focus to the resources from the budget. The HSA has a broad remit with responsibility for the enforcement of workplace health and safety legislation as well as chemicals safety, market surveillance of certain products and the national accreditation body. It is vital to prioritise the safety and health of all workers in a way that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health and Safety Authority (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: The HSA has an ongoing skills development programme. Its inspectors are very highly skilled across a range of functions and it has invested in that ongoing programme and not just for this year. The extra resources it is allocated builds on extra money, and extra places, that would have been allocated in terms of staff sanctioned during 2020. It strengthens our team to be able to deal with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health and Safety Authority (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I am glad the Deputy recognised the skills of the staff involved. He might also recognise their judgment, their work and their reporting to us. In most cases, they are coming across very high compliance rates with the Covid-19 protocol and other issues of their work also. In most cases, 92% are in line with Covid-19 measures. The Deputy might accept that that is the feedback we are...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Legislative Measures (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: In a liquidation, a preferential creditor is one whose debts are deemed to be more important than the debts of another creditor. In terms of wage arrears, outstanding holiday pay, and pension scheme contributions, employees are already listed as being preferred creditors. In relation to redundancy entitlements, it is the responsibility of the employer in the first instance to pay statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Redundancy Payments (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: This is a very difficult situation that the workers and their families have had to face. I, along with the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister Troy, 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. The Government wants the best outcome possible for the workers, within the...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: The pandemic has caused untold damage to peoples’ lives and livelihoods. I know that many businesses have been severely impacted by the restrictions needed to ensure public health safety during the pandemic. Our response to COVID-19 will continue to support those businesses affected. Budget 2021 provides a significant package of tax and expenditure measures to build the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Travel Trade Sector (5 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I thank Senator McGreehan for raising this very important issue. She raised it as a national issue but recognised the importance of the sector to the north east and listed travel agents in County Louth. I am very familiar with the important service that travel agents provide nationally to the industry. They support the corporate sector and service the domestic market and people here who...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Travel Trade Sector (5 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I thank the Senator again for raising this important issue. I will make sure her arguments are conveyed to the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform. We are committed to ensuring we have an appropriate mix of financial help and assistance in place for the businesses most severely impacted by Covid-19. We are continuing to see a strong take-up of the range of supports...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (5 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I thank Senator Sherlock for raising these matters. I am here on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley, who could not make this morning's discussion. She apologises for that as there was a clash in her diary with other meetings. I am very happy on her behalf to respond on the matter raised by the Senator relating to Clonturk Community College. I am conscious she raised matters relating to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (5 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I am happy to clarify that the Department's aim is to complete the demographic exercise as soon as possible, although I do not have a precise date. It will feed into the capital spending plans for 2021 and beyond. It will also feed into the review of the NDP, in which education features very strongly. I understand that the aim is to have it ready for next year.It will be involved in that...

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...

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...