Cian O'Callaghan
Question:2. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach if persons living in a charity-run homeless hostel will be counted as homeless in the census in 2022. [62207/21]
View answerCensus of Population
Questions (2)
Written answers
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) re-convened the Homeless Methodology Liaison Group previously used for the purposes of Census 2016 on January 31st, 2020. This group is made up of an extensive range of organisations that work with homeless persons and who are best placed to advise the complexity of the homeless count. The Group developed an agreed methodology used to identify a person as homeless for the purposes of the Census enumeration.
A list of all the various homeless hostels, charity and local authority accommodations and private emergency accommodations identified will be provided to the CSO from the key stakeholders to support the homeless count for Census 2022. As agreed with the Group, the CSO will count persons staying in these establishments on Census night as homeless for the purposes of the Census enumeration. It is intended that this Group will reconvene in advance of the 2022 Census.
Public Sector Pensions
Questions (3)
Martin Browne
Question:3. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some ESB retirees with pensions through the superannuation scheme have not received an increase in pension rates since 2009. [62041/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Government agreed to a timed amendment to the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021. This was to allow time, as has been outlined in the Dáil, to examine all the issues carefully and to ensure that stakeholders - retired workers, including retired ESB workers, trade unions, employers, industrial relations bodies, the Departments of Social Protection and Public Expenditure and Reform - are given the opportunity to express their views on these important matters.
Following deliberations in the Dáil, I recently held a meeting with members of the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament who shared with me, and officials from my Department, some of their views on occupational pension schemes, including views of retired ESB workers.
I intend to launch a public consultation shortly into certain matters raised during consideration of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021, and this will include input from organisations representing retired workers.
Public Sector Pensions
Questions (4)
Seán Fleming
Question:4. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the promised consultation with the retired workers' organisations (details supplied) that can offer experience and knowledge in relation to retired workers with occupational pensions will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62116/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Government agreed to a timed amendment to the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021. This was to allow time, as has been outlined in the Dáil, to examine all the issues carefully and to ensure that stakeholders - including retired workers themselves, trade unions, employers, industrial relations bodies, the Departments of Social Protection and Public Expenditure and Reform - are given the opportunity to express their views on these important matters.
Following deliberations in the Dáil, I recently held a meeting with members of the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament who shared with me, and officials from my Department, some of their views on occupational pension schemes.
I intend to shortly launch a public consultation into certain matters raised during consideration of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021, and this will include input from organisations representing retired workers.
Legislative Programme
Questions (5)
Catherine Murphy
Question:5. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the date on which he will progress the Competition (Amendment) Bill 2021 in view of the fact that a European Union directive related to same must be transposed by the State in early 2022. [62118/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Competition (Amendment) Bill will include provisions to facilitate the transposition of the EU’s “ECN+ Directive” into Irish law and will represent a step change in competition enforcement for Ireland.
The Bill is included as a priority in the Programme for Government and my officials have been working intensively with the Attorney General and his officials on developing a draft Bill. The legislation will break new ground in Irish law introducing, among other things, administrative sanctions for breaches of competition law. In so far as possible, it will create a uniform regime for dealing with breaches at EU level and domestically. This will provide clarity to businesses and stakeholders. This approach also introduces legislative complexity as the legislation must transpose the ECN+ directive while respecting the particularities of Ireland's legal system including constitutional considerations especially in light of the Zalewski judgement. For these reasons, the drafting has required careful consideration throughout.
I am hoping to receive, shortly, a draft Bill after which I intend to bring to Government at the earliest opportunity. Subject to Government approval, my ambition is for the Bill to be introduced to the Oireachtas as it resumes in January.