Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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20. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment his views on the extension of the Temporary Framework for state aid until at least June 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29758/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I very much welcome the recently proposed amendments to the Temporary Framework and in particular, I welcome the proposed extension of the Framework to 30th June 2021.  Ireland has, over the last number of months, expressed to the Commission at every opportunity the importance of an extension to the Framework in order that we can continue to respond to the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic is having on our economy and the economy of the EU as a whole.

At a virtual meeting on 7th October with Executive Vice President Vestager, Commissioner for Competition, I welcomed the proposed extension but highlighted that there will most likely be a need for the Framework to be extended beyond June 2021 to December 2021.  This was also raised by my Officials at a consultation meeting this week on the proposed 4th Amendment to the Temporary Framework.  The Commission has advised that the extension to 30th June 2021 does not preclude a further extension if it is required.

We expect that the proposed amendments to the Framework, including its extension for at least a further 6 months, will be adopted by the Commission in the next week.