Written Answers Nos. 161-180
161. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the estimated cost of establishing a living town and city taskforce within his Department focused on increasing footfall to towns and cities and to ensure that a greater holistic experience is provided in order to encourage more persons to spend more time and money locally. [28850/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Retail Forum, which I chair, provides a platform for structured engagement with the retail sector.
The Retail Forum is supporting the implementation of the Town Centre First (TCF) policy and the Night-time Economy, and has established a dedicated Retail Forum Working Group on these matters.
This Working Group are considering practical actions to support town development in collaboration with the TCF National Office in partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and others; and will examine the types of interventions required for later retail opening.
“Town Centre First - A Policy Approach for Irish Towns” represents a major new policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. It contains 33 actions which will give our towns the tools and resources they need to become more viable and attractive places in which to live, work, socialise and run a business.
The policy recognises that the needs of each town are different and acknowledges that a “one size fits all” approach will not deliver the outcomes wanted. The policy sets out a framework to facilitate and resource each town to chart their own future through a tailored plan, developed by a collaborative Town Team, and supported by their Local Authority.
It is underpinned by significant levels of public investment spread across major Government schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), Croí Conaithe (Towns) Fund and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
The policy will assist each town, through a Town Team supported by the Local Authority, to design, develop and implement a plan to make their towns more vibrant and attractive places to live and work. This could include the development of accessible and safe public spaces in the respective towns. The regeneration of our public spaces is identified as a key opportunity in the Town Centre First Policy.
A National Town Centre First Office will drive the delivery of many of the recommendations outlined in the policy and support the co-ordinated roll-out of the policy by local authorities, Town Regeneration Officers, and Town Teams.
Departments for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and for Rural and Community Development have agreed the structure and funding for the National Implementation Office and the Town Regeneration Officers with local authorities. The first step is the recruitment of the head of the National Implementation Office, which will be finalised shortly, and the recruitment of Town Regeneration Officers will follow on from this in the coming weeks.
The Town Centre First policy falls under the remit of my colleagues Darragh O’Brien T.D., Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Heather Humphreys T.D., Minister for Rural and Community Development.
162. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current and capital funding, respectively, that is provided to each group (details supplied) in 2022, in tabular form. [28851/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFunding to the offices in question under my remit is all by way of Current expenditure and is set out in the table below. It should be noted that funding with respect to the Data Protection Commissioner was formally from the Dept of Justice Vote and the Commission now has its own separate Vote.
|
Subhead |
Current Allocation 2022 (€,000) |
Capital Allocation 2022 (€,000) |
Total Allocation (€,000) |
|
C5 - Health and Safety Authority |
26,471 |
0 |
26,471 |
|
C7 - Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement |
7,750 |
0 |
7,750 |
|
C8 - Competition and Consumer Protection Commission |
18,323 |
0 |
18,323 |
|
C9 - Personal Insolvency Advisory Board |
2,610 |
0 |
2,610 |
|
C11 - Companies Registration Office |
8,016 |
0 |
8,016 |
|
C12 - Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority |
1,679 |
0 |
1,679 |
|
C -16 Low Pay Commission |
490 |
0 |
490 |
163. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the estimated cost of introducing a new public holiday. [28894/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFrom next year the Government is introducing a new permanent public holiday in celebration of Imbolc/St. Brigid’s day. This will be the first Monday in every February, except where St. Brigid’s day, the 1st day of February, happens to fall on a Friday, in which case that Friday 1st February will be a public holiday. The Government wants to ensure that the public holiday provides for a long weekend. The first St. Brigid’s day public holiday will be Monday 6th February 2023.
This will raise the public holidays in Ireland to 10, bringing us more into line with other member states where the numbers range from 8 to 15 days. While there are costs involved, there is no compensation for employers for any public holidays. However, there are many benefits to the economy, as an additional public holiday helps to stimulate spending throughout the country, particularly in businesses operating in the tourism, entertainment, recreation, and hospitality sectors.
Due to lack of data, it is not possible to generate a historical estimate for the impact of a one-off public holiday using Irish data. Previous analysis by the UK Office for National Statistics estimated the economic impact of an additional one-off public holiday would reduce annual gross national income by between 0.3% and 0.4%. The Department of Finance projects Modified Gross National Income of €242 billion in 2022. Based on the above data, the cost of introducing a new public holiday would be in the region of €0.7 billion to €1 billion. This estimate is of limited value however given the range of variables.
In terms of costs to employers, in practice not all sectors will be equally impacted by a bank holiday – for example, the accommodation and food services sector may experience a rise in activity during a bank holiday, similarly a selection of retailers may choose to continue to operate during a bank holiday. As well as the economic cost of an additional public holiday, there are also positive aspects including benefits of leisure from an additional day off for many, as well as any further community and societal benefits.
164. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action that is being taken to co-ordinate work permit applications with visa applications in order to reduce down the time delay that is currently occurring in processing these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28924/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Employment Permit Acts, in order to work in the State all non-EEA nationals require a valid Employment Permit or relevant immigration permission from the Minister for Justice which allows them to reside and work in the State without the requirement for an Employment Permit. The Irish State’s general policy is to promote the sourcing of labour and skills needs from within the workforce of the European Union and other EEA states. However, where specific skills prove difficult to source within the EEA, an employment permit may be sought in respect of a non-EEA national who possess those skills.
My Department experienced a significant increase in applications for employment permits in the past year, impacting on processing times. From the start of January to the end of December 2021, some 27,666 applications were received, representing a 69% increase over the same period in 2020 (16,293) and a 47% increase on 2019 (18,811), which itself represented an 11 year high in applications. 16,275 employment permits were issued in 2021, and a total of 17,968 applications processed, which represents a significant volume of activity.
The increased demand was also driven by the extension of categories of employment permits following the Review of the Occupational Lists in October 2021.
My Department and I recognise the impact delays in the processing times for employment permits has for businesses and their workers. An internal plan of action has been implemented which has increased resources and implemented more efficient methods of processing applications in the permits system. The processing team has trebled in size and daily output has more than tripled compared to 2021 levels.
Since the implementation of this plan, the Employment Permits Unit has made positive progress by reducing the number of applications awaiting processing from about 11,000 in January 2022 to c. 6,000 today, despite further strong growth in demand in 2022. As new staff were trained on Critical Skills and Intra Corporate Transfer Employment Permits, processing times for those permits have fallen from 21 weeks to 5 weeks. The Department aims to maintain processing times for these permit types at under 6 weeks for all of Q2.
The Employment Permits Unit has recently completed processing 3,000 additional General Employment Permits applications made available to the meat and horticultural sectors, following the last review of the Occupational Lists, in addition to normal processing workload.
Within the last month processing times for General Employment Permit applications for Trusted Partners fell from 22 weeks to 14 weeks, while applications from Standard applicants fell from 22 weeks to 17 weeks. These should continue to fall, with processing times considerably reduced by the end of Quarter 2.
The administration and processing of immigration permissions, including visas, is a separate system with a different legislative framework encompassing rules and requirements to the employment permits regime and is the policy responsibility of the Department of Justice.
My officials liaise regularly with their Department of Justice colleagues to deliver changes to improve the efficiency of both systems.
165. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the position in relation to section 357 of the Companies Act of 2014 will be clarified, specifically in relation to the exemption which allows each subsidiary to submit the financial statements of the parent company instead of its own as in the case of a company (details supplied). [29006/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 357 of the Companies Act 2014 derives from the EU Accounting Directive and provides that a subsidiary is exempted from the requirement to annex its financial statements to their annual return that is filed with the Registrar, if its parent company, that is established under the laws of an EEA state, has provided a guarantee over the liabilities in the financial statements of the subsidiary for the whole of that financial year.
The exemption is a long-standing one and the effect of section 357 has existed in Irish company law since 1986. Many companies own other companies and section 357 recognises the principle that consolidated financial statements should present the activities of a parent undertaking and its subsidiaries as a single economic entity (a group).
By establishing these rules at EU level and harmonising national law governing consolidated financial statements there is comparability and equivalence in the information which parent companies should publish across the EU.
Section 357 also sets out certain conditions that must be complied with in order to avail of this exemption and these include that a copy of the guarantee and notification to shareholders must be annexed to the subsidiary annual return to the Registrar. The parent company consolidated financial statements and audit report must also be included in the return.
The Registrar of Companies has no general power under the Companies Act 2014 to administratively amend the CRO register or to allow amendments to be made to registered documents. Neither does the Registrar have a statutory power to remove registered submissions from the register.
166. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will ensure that businesses that infer that they are based in Ireland with a .ie web domain do not leave customers with customs and VAT charges post Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29026/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for .ie web domain and customs and VAT charges lie with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Finance respectively.
In particular, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of the electronic communications sector and it was given regulatory responsibility for the .ie namespace in 2007. In 2009, ComReg appointed .ie Domain Registry (IEDR) as the Authority authorised to register .ie domain names. The IEDR has a policy on registration and naming, setting out the requirements for new registrants, which includes that they must provide evidence of their real and substantive connection to the island of Ireland. The registration of .ie domains does not require .ie websites to be based in Ireland.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is very aware of the changes that consumers have faced as a result of the UK leaving the EU. The CCPC has developed advice for both consumers and businesses, available on its website, to support trading and shopping online in the post-Brexit environment where businesses based in the UK must navigate additional customs and VAT requirements when supplying to consumers based in the EU. Advice issued to consumers by the CCPC includes the following:-
- Check where the business is based before buying online.
- Check the business’s registered address in the terms and conditions section of the website to find out where they are registered. A site that has a ‘.ie’ or ’.eu’ domain is not always a sign of where a business is registered or based.
- If a business has more than one website with a number of different domains – e.g. ‘.de’ or ‘.co.uk’, check the registered address on each website before buying from it.
The CCPC advises that buying from an EU-based business provides strong consumer protections, which ensure that the consumer has enough, clear information and is not misled before making a purchase. It also ensures that the consumer has rights if something does go wrong – particularly the right to a refund. Buying from a non-EU website means that EU consumer rights do not automatically apply and therefore, if something does go wrong, it may be more difficult to get the issue resolved.
167. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of his Department’s commitment to a consultation process with the retired workers’ organisations in relation to the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29167/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe consultation process on the Retired Workers Access to industrial relations mechanisms for pension related issues which was conducted by my Department concluded a number of weeks ago.
My Department officials have commenced the examination of submissions received.
168. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if an assurance will be given that the voices of all retired workers and not just employees will be heard during the consultation process with organisations in relation to the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29168/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to assure the Deputy that the views of all who forwarded Submissions on the Consultation Process in relation to the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021 will be considered.
The purpose of the consultation process was to seek views on the proposals arising from the Private Members Bill and to establish whether there is the potential for new or enhanced methods of consultation through the introduction of alternative systems, networks or fora which might assist retired workers in engaging more fully on pension related issues.
The outcome of the consultation will help inform the Government’s response to the proposals.
169. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount of interest that his Department has been charged by financial institutions since negative interest rates were introduced by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29199/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe framework contract for banking services negotiated by the Office of Government Procurement specifically provides that all accounts linked to the Paymaster General cash pool are not subject to negative credit interest. Accordingly, as a client of the framework contract the Department's own bank accounts are, therefore, not subject to negative credit interest.
My Department is satisfied that as a client of the OGP framework contract for banking services provided, that it is achieving value for money on the cost of such services including in relation to matters such as the cost of maintaining credit balances.
170. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the State agencies, organisations or boards under the responsibility of his Department or that receive funding from his Department that have been charged negative interest by financial institutions since negative interest rates were introduced; the amount of interest that has been charged to each State agency, organisation or board in 2021 in each of the preceding years in which such charges were applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29218/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe link to the following Schedule sets out details of the negative interest rate charges incurred by the Offices and Agencies receiving funding from or operating under the aegis of the Department since the introduction of such charges by their respective financial services providers up until 30th April 2022.
I wish to assure the Deputy that my Department and our Agencies are fully aware of the importance of achieving value for money in relation to the goods and services that we purchase including in relation to banking services such as the cost of maintaining positive credit balances.
My Department meets regularly with our Agencies, including in relation to operational matters and I have requested that their attention be drawn to the importance of ensuring that where possible they take the necessary steps to mitigate against the potential for incurring negative interest charges where such charges are imposed by their financial services provider.
171. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the critical skills list will be updated in 2022 to include occupational therapists and speech and language therapists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29240/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra172. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current turnaround time for work permits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29241/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together.
My Department experienced a significant increase in applications for employment permits in the past year, impacting on processing times. From the start of January to the end of December 2021, some 27,666 applications were received, representing a 69% increase over the same period in 2020 (16,293) and a 47% increase on 2019 (18,811), which itself represented an 11 year high in applications. 16,275 employment permits were issued in 2021, and a total of 17,968 applications processed, which represents a significant volume of activity.
The increased demand was also driven by the extension of categories of employment permits following the Review of the Occupational Lists in October 2021.
From the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic all employment permit applications for medical personnel have been expedited in order to assist the State to respond to the threat of Covid-19.
My Department and I recognise the impact delays in the processing times for employment permits has for businesses and their workers. An internal plan of action has been implemented which has increased resources and implemented more efficient methods of processing applications in the permits system. The processing team has trebled in size and daily output has more than tripled compared to 2021 levels.
Since the implementation of this plan, the Employment Permits Unit has made positive progress by reducing the number of applications awaiting processing from about 11,000 in January 2022 to approximately 5,800 today, despite further strong growth in demand in 2022. As new staff were trained on Critical Skills and Intra Company Transfer Employment Permits, processing times for those permits have fallen from 21 weeks to 5 weeks.
The Employment Permits Unit has recently completed processing 3,000 additional General Employment Permits applications made available to the meat and horticultural sectors, following the last review of the Occupational Lists, in addition to normal processing workload.
Within the last month processing times for General Employment Permit applications for Trusted Partners fell from 22 weeks to 14 weeks, while applications from Standard applicants fell from 22 weeks to 15 weeks. These should continue to fall, with processing times considerably reduced by the end of Quarter 2.
173. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if any former Secretaries General are seconded from his Department; the locations of same; the purpose of the secondment; the remuneration they are in receipt of from his Department or additional allocation to the agency or institution to which they are seconded arising from the secondment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29261/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to the Deputy's question and according to records held within my Department, there are no former Secretaries General on secondment from my Department to another organisation.
174. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of the new quota of 350 general employment permits for hospitality managers that have been granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29419/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra175. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the new quota of 350 general employment permits for hospitality managers is an annual quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29420/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 175 together.
The employment permits system is managed through the operation of the critical skills and ineligible occupations lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for consideration for an employment permit and these lists are subject to twice-yearly evidenced based review.
In October 2021 following the completion of the review of the occupational lists I responded to requests from sector representatives with the establishment of a quota of 350 General Employment Permits for managerial roles in the hospitality sector; namely Catering Managers, Bar Managers, Hotel Managers and Accommodation Managers.
As of 1st June 2022, a total of 6 General Employment Permits have been granted for hospitality managers, with 24 further applications submitted and awaiting processing.
Under current employment permit regulations this quota of 350 General Employment Permits in respect of hospitality managers will remain in place until the quota has been filled.
176. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of the 1,000 horticulture operatives work permits announced in October 2021 that have been granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29421/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe employment permits system is managed through the operation of the critical skills and ineligible occupations lists which determine employments that are either in high demand or are ineligible for consideration for an employment permit and these lists are subject to twice-yearly evidenced based review.
In October 2021 following the completion of the review of the occupational lists I responded to requests from sector representatives with the establishment of a quota of 1,000 General Employment Permits for horticulture workers.
Since the establishment of the quota a total of 734 permits have been granted as of 7 June 2022. A further 62 applications in respect of horticultural workers have been received by the Department and are currently at various stages of processing.
177. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the manner in which it is determined to add a sector to the critical skills list; if exceptions are made due to need; if he has considered adding any additional agriculture skills to the list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29596/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State's employment permit system is designed to support enterprise and supplement Ireland's skills and labour supply over the short to medium term by allowing enterprises to recruit appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals, where such skills or expertise cannot be sourced from within the EEA at that time.
In framing policy regarding employment permits, thought is given to complementing the primary policy objective of Government, the upskilling of the resident population at all levels and the wider policy instruments that are also available in meeting the challenges presented by skills shortages.
The system is, by design, vacancy led rather than focused on employment sectors, locations or employer type. The regime is managed through the operation of the occupation lists: the critical skills list in respect of skills that are in critical shortage in the labour market and the ineligible occupations lists for which a ready source of labour is available from within Ireland and the EEA.
The lists are subject to regular, evidenced-based review to ensure their ongoing relevance to the State’s human capital requirements, guided by available research undertaken by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), and the Skills and the Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU) in SOLAS. The review process incorporates a public consultation, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to submit information and perspectives on the nature and extent of skills or labour shortages. Stakeholder submissions are a vital source of information and views, helping inform the Department’s final assessment of the status of occupations.
Account is also taken of upskilling and training initiatives and other known contextual factors, such as the ending of the pandemic unemployment payment schemes and the Ukrainian humanitarian Crisis, and their impact on the labour market.
In order to have an occupation considered for adding or removing from the Occupations Lists, there needs to be a clear demonstration that recruitment difficulties are solely due to shortages across the EEA and not to other factors such as salary and/or employment conditions. Stakeholders need to provide the necessary data to substantiate their claims and are also required to engage structurally with the public employment service of the Department of Social Protection.
Submissions to the review are considered by the Interdepartmental Group on Economic Migration Policy with membership drawn from senior officials of key Government Departments, who may provide their observations on the occupation under consideration. As the Department of Agriculture is the relevant policy department for the agricultural sector, support to a request such as adding agricultural skills to the Critical Skills Occupations List would be sought from that Department in the first instance.
178. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports that are available to businesses in the hospitality trade that are impacted by the rise in fuel costs and the subsequent cost of living increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29733/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile specific supports for the hospitality industry are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, I wish to assure the deputy that the Government is very conscious of what the rise in global energy costs means for Irish businesses, including those in the hospitality sector. We have already implemented several measures to help ease the impact on enterprises of energy price increases including reductions in VAT and excise on some fuels, as well as a temporary grant scheme to hauliers in the supply chain.
Minister Donohoe recently announced the extension of the 9% Value Added Tax (VAT) rate for the tourism and hospitality industry for a further six months; a measure for which €250 million is the estimated cost to the exchequer .
Furthermore, the Government has recently launched its ‘Reduce Your Use’ public information campaign. This highlights the range of supports that are available to households and businesses ranging from practical advice to financial supports.
Businesses can view these on my Department’s website at enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/Energy-supports/Energy-supports-for-business.html.
Practical advice includes the Climate Toolkit 4 Business, launched late last year by my Department and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. This allows SMEs to input simple information to get an estimate of their carbon footprint and a personalised action plan to reduce it.
From the Local Enterprise Offices, the Green for Micro initiative offers mentoring to micro-enterprises looking to become greener. Meanwhile, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) provides direct grants such as the support scheme for renewable heat, project assistance grants, the EXEED grant scheme, tax incentives available through the Accelerated Capital Allowance, and funding for energy audits. Further training is available via the SEAI’s Energy Academy.
Finally, there are loans available for businesses absorbing the numerous economic shocks of recent years. The Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland offers the Brexit Impact Loan Scheme, offering loans from €25,000 to €1.5m, and the Credit Guarantee Scheme for businesses responding to the impact of COVID-19. These loan facilities may also be helpful to businesses struggling with increased energy costs.
Microenterprises can also avail of loans of up to €25k from Microfinance Ireland which they may not be able to avail of from commercial lenders.
Additionally, the Lean for Micro scheme works with LEO clients to help build resilience.
Government Departments have been consulting with stakeholders on specific measures that could be considered to ameliorate the short to medium term challenges to energy security. The Energy Supply Emergency Group is an inter-departmental and inter-agency group with responsibility for informing the Government response to the impact of rising energy costs on business, in addition to security of energy supply more generally, and a longer-term reduction in Ireland’s dependency on imported oil and gas.
Under the aegis of this Group, my Department has established the Business Energy Users Sub-Group to lead on consultations with business and industry to learn about the specific impacts on Irish businesses, and to hear their concerns and perspectives on the appropriate and most effective tools for policy action. The work of this sub-group, as part of the wider Energy Supply Emergency Group has informed the National Energy Security Framework which was launched by the Government on 13th April 2022.
179. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; if he intends to support the referral of the Bill to Committee Stage in advance of the anniversary of the Second Stage reading of the Bill on 30 June 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29743/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is currently reviewing the submissions received as part of the consultation process on the proposals contained in this Private Members Bill, which will inform the Government's consideration of those proposals in due course.
180. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will publish or make available to the public any submissions made to his Department in relation to the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29758/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe consultation process on the Retired Workers Access to industrial relations mechanisms for pension related issues which was conducted by my Department concluded a number of weeks ago.
My Department officials have commenced the examination of submissions received. As soon as this examination has been completed, consideration will be given in relation to the publication of the submissions at that time.
