Results 11,061-11,080 of 32,547 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Illicit Trade (30 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The serious threat that illicit trade in tobacco, alcohol and fuel products poses to legitimate business, to consumers and the Exchequer is clear and I am assured that combating such criminality continues to be a Revenue priority.  Revenue and An Garda Síochána collaborate closely in acting against cross-Border fuel, alcohol and tobacco crime, and also cooperate with their...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Advertising (30 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: My Department facilitates the “Switch Your Bank” campaign as part of its remit to ensure that consumers are protected within the financial sector in Ireland and to ensure a healthy level of competition. This is a public awareness campaign as part of a range of competition measures agreed with the European Commission to raise awareness and promote customer switching of financial...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Banking Sector (30 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The swift introduction, and subsequent extension to 6 months, of the payment breaks by the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland was critical for borrowers impacted by Covid-19.  The payment breaks on mortgages allow households to absorb the shock of the crisis, so that as many as possible can recover once the virus is under control. As at the end of June, the Central Bank...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Deputy Doherty knows I do not have that power.

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The order is fixed already.

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I want to be clear; this Bill will be implemented as passed by the House. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the reference to directors in the Bill that is causing concern is an important compliance measure. As I have told Deputy O'Donnell and others, I have received correspondence on this issue in the past 24 hours. The Bill will be implemented as intended and as passed by the...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy's amendment seeks to restrict the hiring practices of employers who access the temporary wage subsidy scheme, the employment wage subsidy scheme or the special warehousing and interest provisions of the Bill. The amendment proposes that entry to such schemes would mean such employers would not be able to hire new workers to fill roles vacated due to layoffs or to hire new workers...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for his questions. I am not passing anything off. I am introducing an economy-wide scheme. What is implicit in bringing in an economy-wide scheme is that I am not at this point proposing to bring in anything that is different sector by sector. I think it is clear in this legislation that we are looking to introduce a scheme that benefits as many people as...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I never said I had the ability to bring in a different percentage contribution for which Deputy Doherty is calling. I simply made the point that I have the ability to vary some of the operation of this scheme during its lifetime. I also know many people, as does the Deputy, who are in part-time work and who have many different employers. I take his point that it is unlikely they will go...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I will be, but Deputies have raised an array of issues.

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I appreciate that. I thank the Deputies for the variety of matters they have raised. I will deal with each of them in turn. I will deal first with the amendment tabled by Deputy Doherty. I am very much aware of the issue the Deputy has raised. His point was that different parts of our economy are now beginning the slow journey into recovery at very different speeds. For some parts of our...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I compliment Deputy McNamara on the drafting of this amendment. It is a masterpiece of drafting and I am sure had to be read on many occasions by those souls who judge what is acceptable and not acceptable before they realised it was acceptable. To speak to the substantial matter Deputy McNamara raises, the primary qualifying criterion for the employment wage subsidy scheme is that the...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I will deal with the issues raised by the Deputies. On Deputy Boyd Barrett's point about the need for a roadmap and the need for artists, especially performing artists, to be clear regarding what their future prospects can be, insofar as that guidance can be given to many at present given the current uncertain times, I will follow up with the Arts Council and the Minister, Deputy Catherine...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: At that particular point, the Government was trying to revise the public health guidance that was available to the country. We were trying to prioritise the public health of our country. Again, the suggestion that the Government had in mind anything but the well-being and health of the constituents Deputy Mattie McGrath mentions belittles the seriousness of this issue. I absolutely...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: -----on behalf of his constituents.

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I will keep going.

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Thank you very much, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Yes, I referred to what Deputy Mattie McGrath said. If he is going to engage in the kind of debate he attempted to engage in earlier, he needs to be prepared for those who are willing to respond, and I am willing to do so. The issues the Deputy attempted to raise about artists and those who give such soul to our country are also the very reason...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: With regard to Deputy Boyd Barrett's intervention, I was very willing to respond to the points raised on Second Stage. I was here for all of the Second Stage debate, as I should be when legislation of this importance is discussed. I listened to every Deputy and took note of what they said. I would have been in a position to respond. I want to put on the record of the House that I did not...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: In responding to the issues raised in respect of this section, it is important to put these matters in context during this debate. Many issues have been raised with regard to the temporary wage subsidy scheme and the role of the pandemic unemployment payment. As we begin this debate about the temporary wage subsidy scheme, we should anchor any discussion about the perceived limitations of...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Will I make a comment on each section as we move through the Bill? I am happy to do so.