Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-21 ============================================================ Maria Byrne (CC), Agricultural Panel I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, and his officials. Maria Byrne (CC), Agricultural Panel Amendments Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, and 6 to 11, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed. Alan Dillon (FG), Mayo The amendments in group 1 are technical Government amendments. Amendment No. 1 is grouped with amendments Nos. 2, 3 and 6 to 11, inclusive. These amendments update the references throughout the Bill to reflect the revised title of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and the associated Departments and the revised title of the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, as provided for in the relevant statutory instrument. Maria Byrne (CC), Agricultural Panel Amendments Nos. 4 and 5 are related and may be discussed together by agreement. is that agreed? Agreed. Alan Dillon (FG), Mayo These amendments insert new sections, 16A and 16B, into the Microenterprise Loan Fund Act 2012. It puts the staffing arrangements of Microfinance Ireland on a clear statutory footing. It also provides explicitly in legislation for Microfinance Ireland to appoint staff and to determine grades, numbers, terms and conditions, including pay, subject at all times to ministerial approval and public expenditure consent. It strengthens governance and accountability while allowing the organisation to operate effectively. It is also important to note that the amendments build on the governance arrangements that are already in place and that Microfinance Ireland already complies with the code of practice for the governance of State bodies, is subject to the audit of the Comptroller and Auditor General and operates within established public sector accountability and ethics frameworks. The amendments also include standard public sector safeguards where a staff member is elected or nominated to public office. In such cases, the individual is placed on secondment without pay and the period does not reckon for superannuation. These provisions protect the political neutrality of the organisation and are consistent with practices across the wider public sector. The amendment also further provides comprehensive protections for existing staff and all current employees are deemed to have been appointed under the new statutory framework with the clear guarantee that their existing terms and conditions, including remuneration, will be no less favourable than before. Crucially, previous service with Microfinance Ireland continues to be fully reckonable for the purpose of a wide range of employment protection legislation ensuring continuity of rights and avoidance of any detriment arising from the transition to a new governance framework. Overall, this is a necessary and proportionate change that strengthens governance and provides legal certainty and supports Microfinance Ireland in continuing to operate as a professional, accountable, State-backed lender. Amendment No. 5 is a minor technical correction to ensure accurate cross-referencing within section 13 and to reflect the current title of the Act. It has no policy affect. Maria Byrne (CC), Agricultural Panel Pursuant to Standing Order 165, it is reported to the Seanad that the Title has been amended. Maria Byrne (CC), Agricultural Panel When is it proposed to take the next Stage? Ollie Crowe (FF), Industrial and Commercial Panel Next Tuesday. Maria Byrne (CC), Agricultural Panel Is that agreed? Agreed. Maria Byrne (CC), Agricultural Panel I ask the Acting Leader, Senator Nelson Murray, when is it proposed to sit again? Linda Nelson Murray (FG), Industrial and Commercial Panel Tomorrow morning at 10.30 a.m. Maria Byrne (CC), Agricultural Panel Is that agreed? Agreed. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-21/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:50+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-04-21