Results 11,761-11,780 of 32,602 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Section 28 of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 is the legislation underpinning the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). The Government’s priority in so far as the TWSS is concerned was, and is, to ensure that all employers experiencing significant negative economic disruption from COVID-19 can register for, and start to receive, payment quickly. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme is only available to employers registered in Ireland whose business activities are adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and applies as regards employees who were on the employer’s Irish payroll at 29 February 2020. In relation to eligible companies who are registered as employers here, the scheme applies to companies resident for tax purposes...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to the Covid 19 Public Health emergency, the Government developed a suite of measures designed to support households and businesses that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and the restrictions that were put in place as a result. These measures include temporary income support for individuals by way of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and the Temporary Wage...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Appointments Service (27 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 95 together. As the Deputy will be aware the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the independent recruiter of people into the civil and public service. PAS advertised a Clerical Officer (Dublin) Competition in April 2019 from which 997 candidates were deemed suitable at interview stage and placed on a panel from which vacancies were filled. A total of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Funding (27 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Service Innovation Fund was established in 2019 as an initiative under the current framework programme for reform in the Public Service - Our Public Service 2020. This highly competitive fund aims to support innovative projects from across the Public Service and turn their ideas into a reality. Projects are evaluated on specific criteria: value, outcomes and user impact; novelty;...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (27 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I can advise the Deputy that my Department has now completed the review that I referred to in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 131 of 5 March 2020 in relation to the pensions benefit cap under section 52 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. As a result of that review, I have now asked my officials to draw up new guidance on application of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Pension Provisions (27 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: As noted in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 155 of 10 December 2019, the individual in this case is subject to application of the pensions benefit cap under section 52 subsections (6) and (7) of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. The benefit cap imposes a limit on the total amount of pensionable service which can be taken into account when...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I hear what Deputy Harkin stated regarding the maternity leave and, in particular, the second point she made. The reason I was careful not to commit to a review of maternity leave as a way of dealing with the issue the Deputy raised is because I am aware of the first point she made. This is an urgent issue and I know it is more likely that we will find a resolution of it within the tax code...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Considerable protections are in place and have played a role in over 80,000 mortgages being restructured. They have played a role in over 80% of those who are involved in those restructured mortgages and who are meeting new loan terms. For those whose loans have been sold, the protections they have now are unaffected. That said, if we are at the point where a property is being sold, then...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I can understand why the Deputy is raising this issue on behalf of his constituents. As I understand it, he wants me to reply with answers to those questions. Is that right?

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I understand. Some of those matters were raised with us by the Alliance for Insurance Reform, and I dealt with those issues with the alliance. Subsequently, I wrote to the insurance sector asking for a response to particular issues that were raised with me, some of which were touched on in the communications the Deputy has just mentioned. If he gives those communications to me, I will see...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: As the Deputy will know, decisions on the taxation of aviation fuel are made at an international and a European level; they are not a competence we have here in Ireland. I would, however, be cautious about this. Looking at where we are at the moment, when it is possible on public health grounds to allow aviation - business travel and then tourism travel - to happen, and we will be guided by...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I will have to write back to the Deputy on many of the points he raised because we have run out of time. I will, however, comment on the one matter he said might be outside my responsibility, Skellig Michael. I had the opportunity to visit it at the end of last year so I know how amazing the location is. As somebody who just about got to the top, I can see, in fairness, why the OPW made...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: It is about to be discovered.

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy raised issues around the banks with me a number of weeks ago and I met the CEOs of the banks again, along with the Taoiseach, a number of days ago. I want to re-emphasise to the Deputy that it is critical that a number of things happen during this period. First, if breaks are being entered into, as they are for over 40,000 loan owners, everybody must be clear on what that break...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: Respectfully, I am not in a position to give the commitment the Deputy wants to changing primary legislation. I will have to see what he is looking for first and I am sure he will share that with me. I believe that the legislation we have in place regarding how our credit union sector is regulated is very proportionate and fair. On the comment he made about the culture of the Central...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I thought it might be something different.

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy Naughten for raising those points. The Deputy has acknowledged the work under way on the maternity leave issue that has arisen due to the implementation of the wage subsidy scheme. I am examining if we can resolve that. As I said to Deputy Catherine Murphy, my preference is to address this through the administration of tax law rather than having to look at other policies...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I have had two meetings in recent weeks with representatives and leaders of the different credit union movements. I found these very helpful and I plan to have another meeting in the coming week or two. I heard from them some of the concerns raised by Deputy Naughten. The Deputy will appreciate that some of the issues they refer to are regulatory matters on which I am not the decision...

Covid-19 (Finance): Statements (20 May 2020)

Paschal Donohoe: I am saying that over time, we will not be able to continue the level of borrowing that we have. What the Deputy will therefore want is for taxes to be increased by that amount and I would contend that such a tax increase will have other effects in our economy that I think it is in our interest to avoid.