Results 10,121-10,140 of 26,430 for speaker:David Cullinane

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I am not arguing whether Mr. McDonnell's analysis is right or wrong, but it is important that Departments of the Taoiseach and Public Expenditure and Reform were at the heart of his remark that there is a perception that big business is good and small business is bad in the upper reaches of our public service. It was more than a perception. Mr. McDonnell went on to say that "big...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: Senior trade union officials and officials in Department of Finance have said to Mr. McDonnell that their perception is that small business owners fiddle their expenses.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: Senior officials?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: Are they at the highest level?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: It would be extraordinary for senior officials in the Department of Finance to make that statement, whether in public or private.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: The vast majority of small business owners, who ISME represents, are decent people.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: They create jobs and employ people. Senior officials in the Department of Finance are making claims, as Mr. McDonnell said, that small business owners fiddle their expenses. I have a big difficulty with that and that needs to be explored a bit more.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: Nobody named anybody. We are entitled to name the roles involved, such as senior officials. I have not asked for a name.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I accept that. A very serious charge was made and I take it very seriously because we should support all business, especially small and medium-sized businesses. I am disheartened to find such remarks have been made. If that was said to an organisation that is fundamentally wrong.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: We are joined from committee room 1 by officials from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland who are here to discuss supports for businesses. From the Department I welcome Dr. Orlaigh Quinn, Secretary General, and assistant secretaries, Mr. David Hegarty and Mr. Declan Hughes. From Enterprise Ireland we are joined by Ms Julie Sinnamon, CEO, Mr. Kevin...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I thank Dr. Quinn. I should have said at the start that the witnesses have five minutes to give their opening statements. We will try to keep people to that five minutes, if we can. I invite Ms Sinnamon, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, to give her opening remarks.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I thank Ms Sinnamon. I remind members they have ten-minute or five-minute slots. I have a list of people who have indicated and the time slots they have been allocated. I will call out what they are when I get to them. If there are changes, I ask members to let us know. We must keep people to time so everyone gets in fairly and the Chair has a few minutes at the end to put his or her...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: If there is time at the end, Deputy Shanahan can come back in again if he wants to put a question to Enterprise Ireland.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I thank Teachta Collins. Deputy Colm Burke has ten minutes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I call Deputy McGuinness. He has ten minutes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: Next is Teachta Imelda Munster and she has five minutes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I call an Teachta Carthy, who has five minutes. An Teachta Carthy will be the first speaker in this session to keep to time.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I wish to put a number of questions to Dr. Quinn and perhaps to seek some follow-up information based on some of the contributions made by Members. I thank Dr. Quinn and Ms Sinnamon for their time and for answering the questions that were answered. I will first ask a question about the loan scheme. In response to, I think, Teachta Doherty, Dr. Quinn said of the Microfinance Ireland loan...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: Dr. Quinn said it is a matter of Government policy, so the Government decides all these measures. However, given that there has been a call from a number of the business organisations for 0% loans, and given that 0% loans are in place in other European countries, did her Department make any recommendation to Government in that regard? Obviously, Governments make decisions, but did the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: The question I asked specifically was whether Department officials, at any level or even at the highest level, give any advice to Government or make any recommendations to Government on 0% interest loans?