Results 9,341-9,360 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: We will be in a good position after the second round of consultations to come back to the committee with our thinking on where we can go with this. I am not going to tie myself to a timeline because I am involved with other stakeholders and I cannot dictate their diaries, but that is the hope.

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 Duffy Cahill report relates to specific cases connected with assets. It does not cover every redundancy and insolvency.

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: It is desirable and they do that. That is a private discussion they enter into and agree enhanced terms, be it of redundancy or in other situations. That is privately done. The State has legislation and statutory obligations. The Duffy Cahill report refers to this. If employees come to a private arrangement that they are entitled to more redundancy, the question we have to ask is who...

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 think the Senator is wrong on that. Her colleague, Deputy Nash, brought forward legislation to clarify the position in that regard in 2015. Workers do have access to collective bargaining.

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: Workers have negotiated collective agreements. The Duffy Cahill report was about how to honour those agreements afterwards.

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.

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Damien English: It is important that I also congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach on his county's recent success.

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I wanted to say that coming from a neighbouring county which is delighted with how well Cavan is doing during these difficult times. I have plenty of ushers in my ear telling me Dublin is looking forward to playing Cavan. Good luck with that one. It will be a big match. It was a great weekend of football.

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Damien English: That is difficult for a Meath man to say. It is easier, however, than saying it for Dublin. Good luck with all of that. I also wish the same to Tipperary, as I see Senator Ahearn across the Chamber. I could not leave him out. That was a truly historic day as well. This year, 2020, has been one of those mad years with all that has happened with Covid. I do not think anyone could have...

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I can stretch it out if it is needed.

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I have learned from the best like Senator Dooley.

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Damien English: We will not go there. I have been trying to avoid that for a few weeks. Thanks for putting me back in the middle of that one.

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I assure the House that there will be no shortage of socks or other items of clothing in the country. I thought we were having a discussion on Covid but as the Leas-Chathaoirleach said it is about reopening Ireland. It is apt and I hope this prediction is right. We are all focused on trying to reopen and it is important the Seanad is debating how can we reopen safely. Much of the work...

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Damien English: I had mentioned that they be distributed.