Results 9,461-9,480 of 12,479 for speaker:Louise O'Reilly

Written Answers — Department of Finance: EU Directives (1 Dec 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: 187. To ask the Minister for Finance the way in which the State implements the EU Directive on Payment Accounts' Directive 2014/92/EU obligation that "payment accounts with basic features are available to the widest possible range of consumers" and that " they should be offered free of charge or for a reasonable fee"; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60096/22]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Consumer Rights (1 Dec 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: 188. To ask the Minister for Finance the way that the State protects the consumers' right to use cash as a means of payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60097/22]

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State and his officials for attending. I have just a few questions. The first relates to the state aid rules. We know that the scheme is allowed to operate because the rules have been relaxed, but I am curious to know whether we are up to the maximum we can go in respect of that relaxation? Is there scope there? Can we go beyond the 40%? Are we constrained? Is...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: Are other countries sticking to the same framework and not pushing it any further-----

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I am sorry to cut across the Minister of State. Are other countries pushing it beyond?

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: The Minister of State will know that the vast majority of companies that avail of the scheme desperately need it, but there will be some which experience the conditions allowed for under the scheme but which do not necessarily need it. Companies that previously availed of the scheme and then paid out dividends to their shareholders would have been seen making big profits. The Minister of...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I take on board the Minister of State's point, and I do not think we are in major disagreement, but it would be very frustrating for companies that could do with a little more to see money going to data centres that are hugely profitable and do not provide many jobs. That will annoy people who are not making large profits but are providing jobs and doing all they can to keep body and soul...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State and I accept that the scheme is being kept under review. People want to know at what point they will find out if there is anything available. Can they apply for the contingency fund in the new year or should they start the application process now? How will that work?

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: On capital savings, there is some detail in the submission as to how the €61.35 million in capital savings was achieved. That is now about to be redistributed. I refer to where the money is coming from, some of which includes the drawdown that was deferred, as the Minister of State mentioned, and that will need to come back. How much of the capital savings, when broken down, is...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: That is okay.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I move amendment No. 3: In page 11, to delete line 24. This group relates to seasonal employment permits. I do not believe there is a need for them. We have discussed this; the Minister of State will hardly be shocked to hear me say it. I do not believe there is a need for a seasonal work permit. There is not sufficient evidence to support the introduction of this type of permit. I...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: I am still not convinced there is a need for these. I understand the Minister of State is trying to justify them but I do not know who is asking for them. I am not certain how much lobbying has been done on it. It has truly been successful even if it is only a small number. We have 2.5 million people in work and 60 WRC inspectors. We are already miles behind and that is for workers who...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: The Minister of State has acknowledged that extra protections are needed. He acknowledges that he has to engage with the WRC. There is an acceptance on his part that there are particular problems with seasonal work permits. Nobody at this committee has suggested that 100% of employers are involved. I do not think anyone is even suggesting that it is most employers but even if it is one,...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: The three highest users of work permits are meat processing companies. The impact this has had is that workers' wages have not moved since 2017. For meat processors and deboners, they were set at €10.85 and €13.65, respectively. One of those will move but only because the minimum wage is moving. The wages in that sector have not moved since 2017. There has been wage...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2022)

Louise O'Reilly: It not mostly doctors.