Results 9,761-9,780 of 15,510 for speaker:Brendan Griffin

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (5 Mar 2020)

Brendan Griffin: 1157. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for carer's benefit in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3156/20]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services Infrastructure (5 Mar 2020)

Brendan Griffin: 1216. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a decision has been made on a developer provided infrastructure application for an estate (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3239/20]

Establishment of Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Motion (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders— (1) Dáil Éireann hereby appoints a Committee, to be known as the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response (hereinafter referred to as 'the Committee'), to consider and take evidence on the State's response to the Covid-19 pandemic; (2) the membership of the Committee shall not exceed nineteen members, appointed by...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the impact of Covid-19 on Irish tourism, our plans to support the sector in recovering from that crisis and all other matters pertaining to it. I have addressed the House on a number of occasions to reflect on tourism but never in the circumstances in which the sector now finds itself. It is right and proper that the primary focus of the...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: Yes. I thank Deputy O'Rourke. On the issue of the task force, it is important that we get it established as quickly as possible and that we get the right people on it. I envisage a triumvirate of representatives of the industry, first and foremost, but also the people with expertise in our agencies as well as a role for the Department. My vision for the task force is that we would have an...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: I appreciate the importance of the industry in the Deputy's region of the south east. There is huge further potential there. In regard to our plan and our roadmap, which is available since last Friday, the reality is that we are planning in the context of not knowing how this global pandemic will develop. There are a huge number of moving parts. Yes, we want to have our plan ready as...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: I thank the Deputy. Around this time last year, I was up in his constituency with him and I would dearly love to be able to go back there again. It is a fabulous part of the country with huge potential. Massive progress has been made in recent years and I hope we can drive it further. To answer a couple of the questions the Deputy asked, with regard to VAT my view is that while it is a...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: We know the system of rates we have traditionally is probably not responsive to the modern economy in certain areas and certainly needs further modernisation. We know as well that those bills are crippling for many enterprises. We talk about remaining competitive but it is very difficult to do so when, before it starts at all, a business has those types of bills to pay. That is why I very...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: The Destination Towns scheme was an important landmark in terms of how we do tourism. Regional dispersal of tourists was very much at the heart of the thinking behind the scheme. It was, first and foremost, administered by Fáilte Ireland. As an initial attempt in that sphere, it was very positive. It was only in December that the successful towns were announced and, unfortunately,...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: The Deputy is absolutely right. The huge amount of spend by Irish people going abroad to holiday is something that over the years we have been doing our best to tap into more. Our people in Fáilte Ireland do significant work in that regard to try to keep people staying at home - buzzwords we are hearing an awful lot more of lately. That is why, just before this crisis hit us, we...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: The Deputy said a great deal-----

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: -----and some of the questions are primarily for ministerial colleagues. I will relay the questions that are more appropriate for other Ministers directly to them. With regard to the pubs and restaurants, we are open to suggestions from the industry players regarding how they can operate safely and we are engaging with people in the industry to see if this can be done. Speaking as...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: A conversation like this was unimaginable just a few short months ago, when we had almost 11 million visitors to the island last year. This is where we are, however. It is important that a task force developing a plan have as much expertise but as few people as possible. The task force needs to be workable but at the same time it needs to have experience. My view is similar to that of...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: I will respond first to the question on seasonal workers. While we have had progress regarding people who were on X's and O's at the start of this outbreak, people who had not returned to work were left without the Covid-19 payment. This is something I feel very strongly about. I met many such people in the past three years in my role as a Minister of State. I meet those people who are...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: That will have to be to the fore and it is why we cannot give specifics or certain dates about the return to normality.

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: I will convey the Deputy's suggestions to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. He primarily deals with aviation issues. I will ask him to follow up. We always have to bear in mind that our airlines are key partners when we talk about the tourism industry. As an island that attracts approximately 11 million people every year, those coming from overseas have to come either by...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: I appreciate the Deputy's interest in this topic and the suggestions he made. We have referred to many of them throughout the course of the debate. I appreciate that everybody is coming at this in good faith in their suggestions and ideas for supports for business. However, we cannot lose sight of the fact that all of these suggestions and elements of assistance for businesses will come at...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: It affects all types of business but, in particular, small peripheral businesses, which tend to be businesses with small cash reserves, which may be the businesses that are slower to attract footfall and revenues into the future. The Deputy is right in terms of being concerned for those businesses. I, too, am concerned for them. The Government has introduced a number of measures across the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: 160. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for additional accommodation by a school (details supplied) in County Kerry will be examined. [3965/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 May 2020)

Brendan Griffin: 161. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application by a school (details supplied) for funding to construct two classrooms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3987/20]