Results 11,321-11,340 of 11,434 for speaker:Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the witnesses for their attendance. We will suspend until 4.30 p.m., when we meet representatives from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. I am sure we will have plenty of questions for them.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the witnesses for coming in and for all of the work done to begin next week. There is some uncertainty about the public health advice we have now which may be different from what happens in September. For example, a childcare provider local to me is a small place within two rooms. Many parents using the facility have been early childhood care and education, ECCE, only. Due to...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Speaking with providers earlier, they were not clear about for what the reopening grant would be allowed to be used.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: If I could go back to my example because it is a reasonably foreseeable problem. Due to their physical layout, some facilities may face greater challenges than others. This has a significant impact on the tens and tens of families who may have to scramble to find somewhere else or who may have to pay more in order to take a full day instead of a half day. It has a very significant impact on...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Ms McNally for that. I am providing additional feedback, which is that this is also an issue and the Department might keep it in mind. I would appreciate that.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (17 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I would like to mention some of the targeted initiatives the Government has undertaken to promote increased energy efficiency in historic buildings, something which will become more and more important as the years go on. Every year the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht provides funding via the built heritage investment scheme for maintenance and minor repair works to historic...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the witnesses for attending. I want to take them through some of the issues in their report and ask a number of questions. I am getting a lot of calls from people and I am aware of a concern generally about moving into a recessionary period, what that means and how it will contrast with the previous recessionary period, which was difficult for everybody and lasted a long time. I...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: The professor stated that the reason is we have gone into this recessionary period with our public finances in a completely different position from where they had been. People are concerned, however, even though it has given us a platform to borrow to be able to fund the sort of expenditure we need, both in terms of ongoing weekly payments and the sort of stimulus plan that the professor is...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: So much of this is based on sentiment and behavioural economics rather than being a stripped fiscal analysis. It is a bit like what the professor was saying about trying to predict the speed of the recovery based on the behavioural economics of whether people will feel comfortable about returning to entertainment, shopping or other activities. There is just a great deal that we do not yet...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I was interested when Mr. Barnes stated: "Excess capacity in construction may create opportunities." I hear what he is saying in respect of the repurposing of labour that had been dedicated to commercial space construction, but we are looking at a stimulus package that will, presumably, include significant capital expenditure on infrastructure projects by the State. Is that the only...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: One development we saw over the past several years was the repurposing of space identified for residential to commercial use, a regrettable move. Could the reverse occur now? Could the excess commercial space that has been developed now be retrofitted or repurposed into residential space?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on the Fiscal Position (16 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I know it is not the Mr. Barnes's area of expertise. I thank the witnesses.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: World Health Organization: Public Health Advice (11 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Dr. Nabarro for being with us today. I have several health questions. It is clear that having an underlying condition, such as a heart condition or a respiratory condition, may exacerbate one's experience of the virus if it is contracted. If it is to be the case that we are going to have to live with coronavirus for some time I am concerned about what underlying conditions may...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: World Health Organization: Public Health Advice (11 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I asked that question because that is what I am concerned about. A person could have the illusion of recovery as a result of being discharged from hospital or appearing to be better, but he or she could be significantly unwell for quite a period, with implications both within his or her family and for his or her employer. That is what I trying to understand exactly. I only have a short...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: World Health Organization: Public Health Advice (11 Jun 2020)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Dr. Nabarro has been studying the global progress of the pandemic. It is clear that population distribution has had a major impact in terms of how different countries have experienced it. Will Dr. Nabarro give us some thoughts on the role of population distribution or on why some countries have experienced the pandemic so differently to others, not just based on how they have reacted?

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

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Mr. McCoy and Mr. McDonnell for coming before the committee today. To pick up on what Deputy Cullinane said about Mr. McDonnell's comment, I too find it to be an extraordinary comment. I want to put on the record in the first instance that I have huge respect for small businesses. I come from a small business family. It is incredibly difficult and people work incredibly hard. The...

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

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I do not disagree on the substantive policy issue at all. I have spoken to a range of business owners and self-employed people about the policy issue in great depth and I have no disagreement with Mr. McDonnell on that. I would strongly support him. The nature of the comment was so unusual that I had to draw attention to it. Mr. McDonnell said industrial policy is fixated on the FMC...

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

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Okay. By way of example, when I visited small retail shops yesterday I met a lady who told me she was not eligible for the restart grant because her turnover had not decreased by more than 25% thanks to online sales. In terms of online sales, I understand three years' worth of applications were received in three months, and that is why there has been more funding. We have come to the end...

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

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: It is a tiny support, and I appreciate that there is a range of different types of support. For example, in September a range of businesses will have significant loans which need to be repaid when they are no longer able to push back their loans. There needs to be liquidity around that and an ability to refinance their loans with Government support to be able to do that. I understand the...

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

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Has IBEC been involved in any of the conversations in regard to the preparation of the €2 billion credit guarantee scheme?