Results 1,061-1,080 of 8,167 for speaker:Peter Burke

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: The Government is committed to backing business and will continue to work closely with small businesses nationwide to support their growth, help them find new markets and assist them in remaining competitive and resilient. The 31 local enterprise offices, LEOs, play an extremely important role providing assistance directly to micro, small and medium-sized businesses as well as promoting...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Small and Medium Enterprises (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I fully understand the pressures businesses are under throughout the economy at this time, not least those businesses in retail, wholesale or hospitality, which are key. We are supporting them, with €250 million through ICOB and a 9% VAT rate for electricity and gas out to October. There is the grant in respect of energy efficiency that I spoke about, at €15 million. VAT...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I will not take any lectures from the Opposition about protecting workers. I am proud to have been a member of a Government that put €12 billion into the economy through the pandemic unemployment payment to ensure that people had certainty of income right through very difficult times in our economy. That ensured the economy was in good shape to deliver those commitments, protect...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourist Accommodation (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Griffin for his kind words and also for his advocacy on behalf of the tourism sector, both as a Teachta Dála and in a previous ministerial role. The importance of the tourism sector to the economy and to communities in every corner of Ireland is well understood. It is recognised that the use of tourist accommodation to support the Government’s response to the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourist Accommodation (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Griffin for his response and for setting out clearly the pressures the sector is under in his constituency and right across the south and west coasts. I fully understand the pressures and the acute nature of the problem. I am due to meet with the hospitality and tourist forum in May with the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin. Obviously, the forum will discuss this issue. We...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputy for the question. The Sick Leave Act 2022 introduced employer-paid, medically certified statutory sick leave for the first time in Ireland. Commencing on 1 January 2023, the initial statutory entitlement was up to three days’ sick leave, which increased to five days on 1 January 2024. This could potentially increase to seven days in 2025 and ten days in 2026. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I was very clear in my answer to Deputy Nash on a living wage. I said we were going to wait for the report from the Low Pay Commission. That is the mechanism and structure that is in place, and I am not going to pre-empt that report.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: On sick pay, we are very committed as a Government to improve the rights of employees. We are in the month of April. Section 6 of the Act clearly sets out that the decision has to be made in quarter 4 and a ministerial direction has to be given on 1 January next year. I make all my policy decisions based on evidence. Through the year, I will look at how the economy is progressing and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Living Wage (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Nash for his kind words. As the Deputy will be aware, in 2021 the Low Pay Commission was asked to examine the programme for Government commitment to progress to a living wage and provide recommendations on how best to achieve this commitment. The Low Pay Commission’s recommendations were received and considered and in November 2022, the Government agreed that a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Living Wage (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: The Low Pay Commission was established by a Government of which my own party was a member. This shows we are very committed to employees right across the economy. On an objective analysis, last night we voted for auto enrolment to ensure pension rights to those right across our economy. The most vulnerable will benefit. We also introduced sick pay on a statutory basis, which will also...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Living Wage (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I am in a Department where we have to balance the rights of employers and protect employees. I have to protect the rights of consumers and balance that with the rights of businesses. We have to be in a very strong position to protect all those across our economy. I would say, demonstrate by evidence. This Government has shown huge evidence. We have been a reforming Government, in line...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Relations (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy O'Reilly for her question and her kind wishes. We look forward to working with all Members across the House. As we have demonstrated in previous Departments, working relationships are very important. I and the Ministers of State, Deputies Higgins and Calleary, will do our very best in our respective roles. The Labour Employer Economic Forum's sub-group on employment and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Relations (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: First, with regard to the legal issues, we were working with the Attorney General and additional external advice has been sought on the potential issues arising from it. We will keep the impetus going in that regard. With regard to Article 4 of the directive and the 80% threshold, we are required to prepare an action plan in line with the directive and work is under way at the moment in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Relations (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: We are very much committed to this process. Obviously, just a week into the job, I am trying to go through and evaluate all of these issues, but we are absolutely committed in the first instance. The Deputy can see that demonstrated by the establishment of the LEEF group chaired by the Taoiseach and the sub-group chaired by our own Department. We are working at pace on the issues that have...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 80 and 84 together. I would like to thank the Deputies for asking for an update on the ICOB grant. Deputies will be aware that, as part of Budget 2024, the Government signed off on a package of €257 million for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant as a vital measure for small and medium businesses. Local Authorities, funded through the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: The latest data available from the Central Statistics Office shows that the price of wholesale electricity in February 2024 was 46.8% lower than in February 2023, with electricity prices falling by 15.3% between January 2024 and February 2024. Additionally, the Wholesale Price Indices for Energy Products – that is fuels purchased by manufacturing industry – fell by 37.2% over...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: The Sick Leave Act 2022 introduced employer-paid, medically certified, statutory sick leave for the first time in Ireland. Commencing on 1 January 2023, the initial statutory entitlement was to up to 3 days’ sick leave, which increased to 5 days on 1 January 2024. As the Deputy has noted, this could potentially increase to 7 days in 2025, reaching 10 days in 2026. Introducing...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: The report referenced by the Deputy provides a commentary by ICTU on recent and forthcoming changes to working conditions that are planned, or have already been introduced, by this Government. Last month, a report by officials from several Departments, including my own - and all members of the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) - was published. This set out an assessment...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: I am aware of the campaign outlined which is seeking new protections for workers seeking to organise in their workplaces. I note that the launch of the campaign was held in conjunction with the Irish Second-Level Students Union (ISSU). The Government fully supports the right of any worker to join and be active in their trade union. Employees have the right under the Constitution to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2024)

Peter Burke: The Government has advanced a range of measures to improve working conditions in Ireland, including the transition to a Living Wage, Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings, Parent’s Leave and Benefit, Statutory Sick Pay, an Additional Public Holiday, the Living Wage, and Remote Working. These improvements will bring wider societal benefits and will serve to bring Ireland in line with other...