Results 1-20 of 46 for going forward speaker:Emer Higgins

Seanad: Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (24 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: .... He spoke, in particular, about Debenhams and how constituents of his were affected by it. I fully acknowledge the impact on the Debenhams workers who were made redundant early in the pandemic. The Government always sought to ensure that the concerns of these workers were heard and that the State's welfare, employment and training services responded to their needs. The Government...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Role of Disabled Persons Organisations and Self Advocacy in Providing Equal Opportunities under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Implementation: Discussion (8 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank all of our guests for being with us today and for sharing their experiences. To Gary I would say that today is an anti ego-ablism day. It is a day for engaging with the people who sit on the disability matters committee and we sit on this committee because we know that disability matters, that civic and human rights for all matter and that inclusion matters. Today is about us...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (1 Feb 2024)

Emer Higgins: ...a TD. As the Minister of State may be aware, we are facing a school places crisis in my constituency. As I said in the Dáil both this week and last week, we have school buildings waiting for the go-ahead for extensions and new builds for years now. We also have students who do not know which post-primary school they will go to in September. I am really disappointed that there...

An Bille up an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Dec 2023)

Emer Higgins: In less than three months from now, the people of Ireland will go to vote in polls on the 40th amendment to our Constitution. This is a very significant moment because it reflects another crucial step towards advancing women's rights across Ireland. The proposed amendment seeks to eliminate archaic and stereotypical language referring to women in the home. It proposes a modern alternative...

Financial Resolutions 2023 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (12 Oct 2023)

Emer Higgins: Got it. Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I congratulate my colleague, Deputy Donohoe, who after delivering six budgets as Minister for Finance delivered his first as Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. This budget is not just about numbers. It is about a reflection of our priorities as a Government. Despite the current...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review of National Planning Framework and Climate Targets: Discussion (26 Sep 2023)

Emer Higgins: .... It is about identifying those viable sites to do it. The National Transport Authority obviously plays a crucial and strategic role when it comes to servicing new planning developments, the forward planning, whether that is for new strategic development zones, SDZs, or strategic housing developments, SHDs, but also in encouraging in the here and now people out of their cars, onto...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Defective Block Scheme Regulations and Review of IS 465: Discussion (13 Jul 2023)

Emer Higgins: ...many of their neighbours. I also thank the representatives of the Society of Chartered Surveyors who volunteered their time and expertise to helping those homeowners who, as Dr. Cleary said, are going through mental torture. One thing I was glad to hear was that the issues are not insurmountable. That was a key message for me to hear from homeowners because I want to make sure this...

LGBTQI+ Equality: Statements (20 Jun 2023)

Emer Higgins: I am delighted to speak in this debate today. I wish to start by wishing everyone a happy Pride month, especially all those who will celebrate this weekend. I love going to the Pride parade and seeing the vibrancy, colour, positivity, energy, diversity and inclusion that Pride brings to the streets of Dublin and across Ireland, when it comes to parades and celebrations taking place...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Infrastructure Provision and Residential Developments: Discussion (13 Jun 2023)

Emer Higgins: CIF is then putting forward the case for population projections from 2011 to 2016 being used for the population projections going forward for the development plans and the zoning. If that were to change and their feedback were to be taken on board, and more ambitious targets identified around population growth being matched with development, what are the capabilities of Uisce Éireann...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Value Sharing and Urban Development Zones Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (16 May 2023)

Emer Higgins: ...development zoned land to produce housing in the middle of a housing crisis. It is great to hear Mr. Jones play down the concern and explain why it should not in any way be a reason not to move forward on something that is going to benefit the housing situation. Does Mr. Keran have anything to add to that or is he happy?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Modern Construction Methods: Discussion (Resumed) (9 May 2023)

Emer Higgins: I thank the witnesses for being with us today. MMC is going to be the future of this industry. It is about using technology and innovation to deliver badly needed homes quickly and at scale. We obviously need the products to make that happen but we also need the workforce. I heard a representative of the CIF on the radio this morning mentioning the Intreo fair that took place on Friday....

Construction Safety Licensing Bill 2023: Second Stage (3 May 2023)

Emer Higgins: ...all about the many cutting-edge, nearly zero-emission building and retrofitting courses on offer there. I was so impressed with the training opportunities on offer and with how many people are going through the centre's doors. It is a really excellent centre of excellence when it comes to everything from retrofitting, decarbonisation, modern construction methods and utilising the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Modern Construction Methods: Discussion (2 May 2023)

Emer Higgins: ...regard to these sites not being Housing for All sites and there being some problems within them. It would be really interesting to hear whether there are any learnings we can bake into the plan going forward that could really become a time saver for us. Following on from my comments earlier about apprenticeships and to let people know in case they are not aware, to mark Construction...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Emer Higgins: ...should work. I am keen to make sure is that it is a meaningful review. It is the opportunity, in my view, for community, public representatives and the executive of the local authority to put forward new directions or new proposals based on a situation five years later. I do not know that the draft Bill provides for that. It seems to very much be leaning towards chief executives making...

Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use: Motion (21 Feb 2023)

Emer Higgins: ..., we will be able to look at how we could potentially change our response to drug use when it comes to health, education and the criminal justice system. The remit of the citizens' assembly must go further than this. It must look at drug use in Ireland using a whole-of-society approach. This includes attitudes on and trends in drug use, the impact of drug use on individuals, families,...

Committee on Public Petitions: Office of the Ombudsman Annual Report 2021: Office of the Ombudsman (16 Feb 2023)

Emer Higgins: ...to articulate the work he does in terms of that long-lasting impact or change. I refer to the two-year anniversary of the publication of the report Wasted Lives, and the report the Ombudsman is going to do as a follow-on to that. I sit on the Committee on Disability Matters. We would gain valuable insight if the Ombudsman came before the committee after the publication of the report...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2023)

Emer Higgins: ...for 70,000 homes being with An Bord Pleanála for decision still and the fact that this is a potential two-year supply. An Bord Pleanála was before the committee last week and it was at pains to go through the resourcing issues and how it needs to be better resourced. We all agree with it on that and that is common ground for all of us in this room. It seems to also be common...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Raising Awareness of the Lived Experience of Congregated Settings: Discussion (9 Feb 2023)

Emer Higgins: ...acquired disabilities. A young man in my community acquired a life-changing injury after a mountain biking accident. He is one of many people who is unnecessarily still in hospital or rehab and going from one to the other without making progress in their recovery because councils do not have fully accessible accommodation for them to move into. They are taking up much-needed beds in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Emer Higgins: ...to decision-making, in the timelines and in the bodies making these decisions. The witnesses described An Bord Pleanála as having its own strong identity and culture but said they face the ongoing challenge with their workload, which they do, but there is also a challenge with their reputation. We would like for this Bill to help to resolve that issue. It is interesting to note...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Provision of Bus Services in Dublin: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Dec 2022)

Emer Higgins: ...special welcome to Mr. Hann, who is here in his new capacity. I congratulate him on his new role. It has been interesting to hear the update on the recruitment of drivers. It was only a month ago when Mr. Edwards sat here and told me that there was going to be additional drivers in the coming four weeks and that as a result of that we would see improvements in local services, such as...