I thank Senator Horkan for those points. The advice I have is that those issues can be dealt with inside existing legislation. The Senator is correct that we want to mitigate harm done to tenants by their following advice issued by the Government. I made the point earlier in the debate that it is important the commercial landlords in particular have a sense of perspective with regard to what our economy will look like after Covid-19 has left us. With those people who have been running good businesses and who have b…

I propose not to accept amendment No. 66 because the proposed amendment would not have any effect on rates levied in 2020, as the bulk of provision in local government rates and other matters after 2019 have not yet been commenced, and were never intended to come into effect in 2020. Rates levied in 2020 were not levied under the 2019 Act but under the original rates legislation, which remains in effect. Notwithstanding this, and given the issues as raised by Senator Horkan, along with the unprecedented nature of t…

The Senator's interpretation of where we stand is correct. That is a deferral of the bill as opposed to a deletion of the bill. I am obviously aware of the costs that companies will face when they look to reopen. We will have to give that and many other matters consideration for that moment in which we look to reboot and then rebuild the economy.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to speak. I thank all Senators for the way they have treated this Bill today. During a period of emergency like this, it is really important that the normal functioning of democracy continues, that questions are asked and that opposing views are aired but it is so important that this Bill passed through this House this afternoon. I thank all Senators for allowing that to happen and for the manner in which they raised their concerns or views on the Bill. The fact that this B…

I am.

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 181) Regulations 2020, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 25th March, 2020."

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2020, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 25th March, 2020."

As every other Deputy has done, I want to open my words by offering condolences for those who have lost their lives as we battle this virus. I also want to offer recognition of all of those who are playing such a vital role in allowing us to respond to the virus and, I am confident, with the passage of time, contain it and then defeat it. To all of those who are devoting their lives and their time, at risk to themselves, we owe our great gratitude. As other Deputies have done, I want to acknowledge those who have w…

The speech I have delivered could be different to the one that was circulated.

I want to address Part 8 which concerns changes to the Redundancy Payments Act 1967. The provisions set out in section 12 of that Act provide that an employee who has been temporarily laid off or kept on short term for four consecutive weeks has an entitlement to claim redundancy from his or her employer. It is clear to all sides of the House that these provisions were not designed to deal with the situation we are now facing. In section 27 we are providing that these arrangements will not apply during this emergen…

Could I get your guidance, Acting Chairman? Deputy Doherty, in particular, referred to a number of different amendments in his address. Do you want me to respond to his comments on all of the amendments?

Okay. It would be virtually impossible for me to deal with all of them in one minute and 32 seconds.

The Acting Chairman is very good. Some really important issues have been raised by Deputies Michael McGrath, Doherty, Cian O'Callaghan, Nash, Rabbitte, O'Donoghue, Cowen, Mattie McGrath, O'Donnell and Troy. I will respond to each of them in turn, but I want to give some context. This was prompted by something Deputy Nash said. He said it would have been very helpful to have this guidance available earlier in the week. The truth of it is that we were moving so quickly in putting all of this together that the legisla…

A Cheann Comhairle, I actually got the dispensation of your predecessor a moment ago.

I am quite happy to take guidance from the Ceann Comhairle.

Approximately 20 questions were put to me earlier on.

I will accelerate and try to get them done. Very quickly, on amendment No. 62, the particular requirement that the company does pay and has the ability to add to the subsidy made available to the State, in normal times I would completely agree with Deputy Doherty. I think, unfortunately, it could be very possible that there will be even more companies in the future that will have a very low level of income coming in because demand for their goods or service has evaporated which means they are not in a position to a…

Deputy Michael McGrath presents the concept that the presence of cash reserves would in some way debar a company from participating in the scheme. I do not believe that will be the case. I think it is very possible that companies will have cash reserves, precisely for the reason the Deputy refers to, that they have costs coming up that they know they need to meet. I will be relying on the Revenue Commissioners to implement that. I am confident that they will. For the benefit of all Deputies, I want to say on the fl…

I thank all of the Deputies. The answer to Deputy O'Gorman is "Yes". Regarding what Deputy O'Donnell asked, we expect that the detailed guidance for the scheme will be published by the Revenue Commissioners in the coming days. It will build on what has been published this evening. On the questions put to me by Deputy Michael McGrath concerning the publication of names, the reason the legislation will be indicating whether the names of companies should be published is that we want to ensure the subsidy being made av…

On the questions put to me by Deputies Nash and Brady, the existing provisions in Schedule 3 to the Redundancies Payments Act 1967 already provide that periods of temporary lay-offs do not break continuity of employment. This will obviously include temporary lay-off periods due to the effects of the measures required by an employer to comply with, or as a consequence of, Government policy to prevent, limit, minimise or slow the spread of infection of Covid-19. I hope that answers the questions that have been raised…