Results 1,621-1,640 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (18 May 2021)

Damien English: The Government continues to work on measures as the recovery phase of COVID-19 continues and welcomes input from stakeholders. It is heartening to see the work that many groups are doing across the country to encourage local recovery and resilience. In this case the most appropriate minister to approach would be Heather Humphreys T.D., Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Grant Payments (18 May 2021)

Damien English: As you are aware, the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates. You will also know...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Grant Payments (18 May 2021)

Damien English: As you are aware, the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates. You will also know that...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (18 May 2021)

Damien English: Universal and equitable access to safe, effective and affordable vaccines, diagnostics and treatments is crucial in the global fight against COVID-19. As you are aware, International Trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties. In exercising that competence at the WTO, the European Commission engages with Member States, including Ireland, through a variety of Committee and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (18 May 2021)

Damien English: The COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme was introduced in March 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, to help businesses seeking to innovate, change or adapt to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. Loans under the scheme range from €25,000 to €1.5m, for terms of up to three years. Loans of up to €500,000 are available unsecured and the maximum interest rate under the scheme is 4%....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Ireland (18 May 2021)

Damien English: My Department working through our agency Enterprise Ireland (EI), supports job creation nationwide. Total employment in Enterprise Ireland supported companies was 220,613 at the end of 2020. EI supported jobs by County for 2020 are outlined in the following table. By County Number of EI Client Companies Sum of 2020 Total Jobs Carlow 89 ...

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 May 2021)

Damien English: It is good to be here again. This is a positive Bill. I welcome the support for the Bill of most contributors on First Stage. With the co-operation of both Houses and the assistance of our teams here, we can deal with this legislation quickly. I thank Members for their support and assistance on that. It is an important Bill for supporting our SME and agricultural communities and our food...

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 May 2021)

Damien English: I thank Senators for their contributions. I thank everyone for their involvement in and support for the SME community and the agricultural and food-producing community. We are all aware of all the jobs both those sectors create and want them to get back to employing and also to growing their businesses as well. I will go through some of the comments. Earlier, I reflected on how urgent...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 May 2021)

Damien English: I am acutely aware of the difficulties that the necessary ongoing Covid-19 restrictions are putting on businesses right across the country. With this in mind the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Electricity Supply Board (13 May 2021)

Damien English: Ireland's system of Industrial Relations is based in voluntarism. While the right of workers to form associations and join a trade union is enshrined in Article 40 of the Irish Constitution, under Irish law there is no obligation on employers to recognise any union for the purposes of collective bargaining. This dispute is essentially a matter for the company and its employees to resolve....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (13 May 2021)

Damien English: The Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Act, 2006 provides for the establishment of a general framework setting out minimum requirements for the right to information and consultation of employees in undertakings with at least 50 employees. It provides a general right to information and consultation for employees from their employer on matters which directly affect them. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Grant Payments (13 May 2021)

Damien English: The 31 Local Enterprise Offices nationwide are a ‘first-stop-shop’ for providing advice and guidance, financial assistance, and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own business. The Local Enterprise Offices act as a ‘signposting’ service for all relevant government supports available to the SME sector and can provide information/referrals to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (13 May 2021)

Damien English: As you are aware, the closing date for receipt of applications for the first phase of the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC) was 21st April 2021. It is not possible to reopen the applications for Phase 1 of SBASC, however, Phase 2 of SBASC will be open for applications to the Local Authorities in the coming weeks. Businesses who have not applied for Phase 1, if they...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (13 May 2021)

Damien English: My Department currently offers assistance to micro enterprises through the Trading Online Voucher scheme. Administered by the Local Enterprise Office network, this scheme aims to assist our micro-enterprises to realise the potential of online trading. This Scheme offers eligible micro-enterprises a voucher of up to €2,500 (50% co-funded by the recipient) to help them develop their...

Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 May 2021)

Damien English: I assure the Deputy that we do have one-on-one engagements. I have an interest in finance due to my background and I often engage with companies on a one-on-one basis to assess their figures. A question was asked earlier about companies that do not pay rates and are missing out on supports. While they do receive the wage subsidy payments and can access finance and some of the schemes, they...

Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 May 2021)

Damien English: I thank Deputy O'Reilly for her support for the Bill in general and I accept the reason for the amendment. It is a valid point that we engage with businesses. I assure the House, if anyone wants to check my diary as proof, that is what we do and have been doing practically every day since I took up this position in the Department last July. I am happy to engage with businesses of all sizes...

Loan Guarantee Schemes Arrangements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Second Stage (12 May 2021)

Damien English: It was remiss of me at the outset not to thank the Ceann Comhairle and all of the Deputies, mainly from the Opposition to be fair, who agreed to facilitate the quick progress of this legislation through the Houses. The legislation did not have to go through the full committee procedure and that has assisted in its speedy progress. I thank everyone for their assistance in that regard. I...

Loan Guarantee Schemes Arrangements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Second Stage (12 May 2021)

Damien English: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I apologise for being delayed. I cannot up run up the steps in this Chamber as quickly as I can those in the other Chamber. I welcome the opportunity to present the Loan Guarantee Schemes Arrangements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021 to the House. This short, technical Bill will enable the Ministers for Enterprise,...

Companies (Protection of Employees' Rights in Liquidations) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 May 2021)

Damien English: Sorry, I did not interrupt anyone else. Beyond that, we stand behind that with statutory payments and we pay out. In the Debenhams case, €13 million has been paid out for all their entitlements. I know it does not completely deal with their further collective entitlements but on the statutory rights around holiday pay, workers pay, time in lieu it is all there, whatever their...

Companies (Protection of Employees' Rights in Liquidations) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 May 2021)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Barry for his Bill and the conversation we can have about this and amendments needed in legislation to strengthen the rights of workers, which the Government is prepared to do. I have listened to the speeches and, like everybody else here, I sympathise with the workers in Debenhams and other workers facing redundancy in other situations because workers are the big losers in a...