Results 2,881-2,900 of 3,425 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (16 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: On the 25th August 2023, I signed the Employment Regulation Order for the Security Sector which came into force on 4th September 2023. The ERO provided for a wage increase to €12.90 per hour from that date. The full details of the ERO are available here: si-no-424-of-2023-employment-regulation-order-security-indus try-joint-labour-committee-2023.pdf (enterprise.gov.ie) I have not...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Energy Infrastructure (16 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: I propose to take Questions Nos. 257 and 258 together. This issue is under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, whose Department is in the process of developing a policy framework for electricity storage. I understand that the framework, which will be published in Q2 this year, will set out plans to incentivise the development of electricity...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (16 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: Among the changes introduced by the 2023 Review of the Employment Permits Occupation Lists was the opening of a number of new quotas to provide General Employment Permit (GEP) access for certain previously ineligible occupations, including that of mechanic. On 20 December 2023, a quota of 200 GEPs was opened for the occupation of ‘Car mechanic, Motor mechanic, Auto electrician,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Workplace Relations Commission (16 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: The total cost of doubling the number of WRC inspectors is approximately €6,312,937 consisting of an additional 61 Inspectors and 9 Inspector Team Managers and 3 Regional Managers. The WRC Inspectorate is staffed by civil servants of my Department. WRC inspectors are ranked at Executive Officer (EO) Inspector, Higher Executive Officer (HEO) Inspector Team Manager (ITM) and AP...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (16 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) provide a range of supports to assist individuals who want to start up or grow a business. The 31 LEOs across the country act as the "first stop shop" for all businesses and entrepreneurs in Ireland and operate in each Local Authority area. Businesses operating in the domestic market such as sole traders, micro businesses and small and medium sized...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (16 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: On the 25th August 2023, my predecessor, Minister Richmond, signed the Employment Regulation Order for the Security Sector which came into force on 4th September 2023. The ERO provided for a wage increase to €12.90 per hour from that date. The full details of the ERO are available here: si-no-424-of-2023-employment-regulation-order-security-indus try-joint-labour-committee-2023.pdf...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (16 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: 294. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for further clarification on the process involved in issuing a letter of intent; the average time required for issuing a letter of intent; the current delay in issuing the letter of intent for an extension building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16108/24]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (17 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: As you will be aware that, as part of Budget 2024, the Government signed off on a package of €257 million for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant as a vital measure for small and medium businesses. Local Authorities, funded through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, are administering the grant to qualifying businesses on behalf of the Department. Local...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (17 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: Balanced regional enterprise development is a key focus for me and this Government as reaffirmed in the White Paper on Enterprise. My Department contributes to this agenda in several ways, including through the development, implementation and oversight of nine Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs). The North-East REP is implemented at a regional level by a Steering Committee made up of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (17 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: As you will be aware, as part of Budget 2024, the Government signed off on a package of €257 million for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant as a vital measure for small and medium businesses. Local Authorities, funded through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, are administering the grant to qualifying businesses on behalf of the Department. Local...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Consultations (18 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Deputy for her kind remarks and I look forward to working with her. The purpose of the general scheme of the employment (restriction of certain mandatory retirement ages) Bill 2024 is to implement a key recommendation related to mandatory retirement age, which is included in the Pensions Commission recommendations and implementation plan. As recommended by the Pensions...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Consultations (18 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: As the Deputy may be aware, it is not possible for the State to provide that a retirement age below 66 in all circumstances will be illegal. The reality is that certain roles may require a lower retirement age, often for the health and safety of the workers in question. That is especially so where people have very physically demanding jobs, for example. It is also critical for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Consultations (18 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Deputy and I agree that when it comes to certain occupations, it may not be appropriate to have indefinite periods of working life and that is what this legislation provides for. There are complexities where there are existing contracts between employers and employees, particularly in the private sector, that specify a mandatory retirement age. What we are doing here is making changes...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Directives (18 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: The directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU was published on 19 October 2022 and must be transposed by 15 November 2024. The directive aims to ensure that workers across the EU are protected by adequate minimum wages, allowing for a decent living wherever they work. The directive includes three sets of measures. One of its goals is to increase the number of workers covered by...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Directives (18 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: Let me be clear that Ireland is fully supportive of the principles of this directive. It will increase the number of workers covered by collective bargaining, and that is something with which we agree. It is important to remember that, even without this directive, Ireland has one of the highest minimum wage rates in the EU. Article 4 of the directive is specific to collective bargaining in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: EU Directives (18 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: We should not lose sight of the fact that the overall ambition of the directive relates to the national minimum wage. Ireland has the sixth highest national minimum wage of the 22 EU member states that have national minimum wages. The directive does not attempt to set the minimum wage. Rather, it is about consultation when setting new minimum wages. That is something Ireland is a leader...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Labour Employer Economic Forum's subgroup tasked with the implementation of the High Level Working Group's recommendations on Collective Bargaining met on 29 June 2023 and 16 November 2023. Updates on these issues were also provided at the LEEF plenary meetings chaired by the Taoiseach on 20 November 2023 and 26 February 2024. Many elements of this report are already being...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (18 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Sick Leave Act which commenced on 1 January 2023 provided an initial statutory entitlement of 3 days which increased to 5 days on 1 January 2024 and this could potentially increase to 7 days in 2025 and 10 days in 2026. Payment by employers to employees for statutory sick leave days is currently set at 70% of an employee’s average gross earnings, up to daily cap of €110....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (18 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: The 2023 Review of the Employment Permit Occupations Lists delivered comprehensive changes to the employment permits system including an increase in the occupations for which permits can be granted. Changes to the minimum salary thresholds for employment permits were also introduced in January following an internal review. The salary thresholds for the majority of employment permits had not...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (18 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: I understand that following engagement with the Department of Health - which has policy responsibility for the dental sector - the Interdepartmental Group on Economic Migration Policy concluded that the Irish Dental Association's submission to the 2023 review of the Occupations Lists did not contain sufficient evidence to support a change in the status of Dental Nurse in respect of its...