Results 1,861-1,880 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Oct 2020)

Damien English: The pandemic has caused untold damage to peoples’ lives and livelihoods. I know that many businesses have been severely impacted by the restrictions needed to ensure public health safety during the pandemic. Our response to COVID-19 will continue to support those businesses affected. Budget 2021 provides a significant package of tax and expenditure measures to build the...

Financial Resolutions 2020 - Financial Resolution No. 7: General (Resumed) (14 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I thank my colleagues for affording me the time to address a few issues in the context of the budget. I will focus mainly on my Department. This is a pro-jobs budget, which is what we need if we are to keep businesses open and jobs in place once the various restrictions are lifted. This budget will show our business community that there are supports to help them get them through Covid...

Trade Union Representation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Oct 2020)

Damien English: The Deputy should check the speeches.

Trade Union Representation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I know that. I did not name Deputy O'Reilly.

Trade Union Representation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I do not doubt that for one moment. I did not refer to Deputy O'Reilly at all, to be clear.

Trade Union Representation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I seem to have touched a nerve.

Trade Union Representation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Imelda Munster and her team for putting forward the Bill and for the discussion around it. While I might not agree on the necessity for it, it is still no harm to have the discussion and to go through it. It is wrong, however, to portray this Government, including my party and our role in the Government, as being against improvements in workers' rights and conditions....

Trade Union Representation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I thank Deputy Munster, the proposer of the Bill. I understand the motives behind it. We have had discussions here already in the past few weeks. I note the Deputy is prominent in flagging the issues affecting local business. It is not just that as in general, the Deputy wants to bring forward the discussion as well. I listened carefully with interest to both Deputies Munster and...

Seanad: Statutory Right to Sick Leave Pay: Motion (7 Oct 2020)

Damien English: I thank Senators for all their contributions and for the opportunity to address the House on the Government's position on this motion on the Bill put forward in the Dáil a few weeks ago. I understand Senator Sherlock had a big involvement in and commitment to it and I welcome that. I certainly welcome the opportunity to have this discussion. The Tánaiste clearly said on behalf of...

Sick Leave and Parental Leave (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Sep 2020)

Damien English: I heard some of the earlier contributions and will discuss them with my colleagues. I agree with Deputy Harkin that the Bill deals with an important issue. We might have different views on the speed at which we can change but most Members are in favour of bringing in measures in this space, which is a positive move. I thank the Labour Party for leading this debate and giving us the...

Protecting Jobs and Supporting Business: Statements (16 Sep 2020)

Damien English: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the chance to say a few words back on the issues raised, and also to identify some of the things I am working on with our own Department. The commentary in general has been around the supports for business, which is important, but we also must bring the conversation on in the months ahead to new concepts and new ideas for the future of business. We are...

Protecting Jobs and Supporting Business: Statements (16 Sep 2020)

Damien English: The Deputy had plenty of time but did not want to do it. In our Department we do analyse what is happening in other countries and we do compare it. Our offering is quite competitive compared with every other country. It is fine if the Deputy finds something in another country that she thinks is good and that we should copy here. The Deputy should mention it, bring it to us and we would...

Workers' Rights: Motion [Private Members] (16 Sep 2020)

Damien English: As we all know with regard to Clerys, there was a substantial and valuable property asset on O'Connell Street that was structured as a separate legal entity to that of the failing retail operations business. The Deputies are, by intimation, making an incorrect comparison between the liquidation of Debenhams, where there is actually no evidence of significant assets still being owned by that...

Workers' Rights: Motion [Private Members] (16 Sep 2020)

Damien English: Regarding the Government's role, we will make sure that the legal rights of the workers are fully vindicated. That means making sure they get at least two weeks' payment per year of service, which is the statutory minimum redundancy payment. If the liquidator in the company cannot pay that, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will pay for it out of the social...

Workers' Rights: Motion [Private Members] (16 Sep 2020)

Damien English: There are suggestions of levies and such which we are prepared to look at.

Workers' Rights: Motion [Private Members] (16 Sep 2020)

Damien English: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following: “acknowledges the difficulties faced by the workers affected by the loss of jobs resulting from Covid-19 and, in particular the liquidation of Debenhams Ireland; notes that: — the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, as well as the relevant Ministers of State...

Workers' Rights: Motion [Private Members] (16 Sep 2020)

Damien English: -----the sympathy with the former staff of Debenhams.

Workers' Rights: Motion [Private Members] (16 Sep 2020)

Damien English: Is this the way the Deputy wants to go again?

Workers' Rights: Motion [Private Members] (16 Sep 2020)

Damien English: The Deputy will appreciate that this debate was supposed to take place this morning. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, was scheduled to take the debate and to lead off and I was to close it because there is a cross over between our two Departments. The change in today's business meant that there was a conflict and she could not be here this afternoon. Everyone knows what happened yesterday...

Workers' Rights: Motion [Private Members] (16 Sep 2020)

Damien English: That is absolutely the case and I can confirm that she had planned to be here at 10 a.m. I spoke to her on this issue quite a lot over recent days and met with her on it and other matters last week. We all share the sympathies. I have met Debenhams workers and their representatives. We have engaged with Mandate and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to try to tease through possible...