Results 2,001-2,020 of 3,478 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: Yes, that is perfect. I appreciate the responses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank our witnesses for being here. Their legal opinions, expertise and international experience are key pieces of the puzzle for us, because this committee has been tasked with making recommendations in a particularly complex area in a tight timeframe, as has been said. As we have heard, this is urgently-needed legislation and we are all here to prioritise this. Regarding Ukraine, I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: I know I am out of time but if it is possible, could we get a written reply with guidance on best practice in other jurisdictions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: Thank you Chair and I thank all four of our guests for being here today. When Ms Embury started her contribution I was thinking it would have been great to have her in for the legal session earlier. The more she spoke, however, I understood why she is speaking at this session because she has so many insights around surrogates, their personality types and the supports that they need. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: Before I ask the other witnesses to come in, I would like to say to Ms Holub that she has been through so much in the last year and I am really sorry when she came to Ireland that she found herself with added stress and a legal responsibility she never signed up to. That is what all the members of the committee want to rectify.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: I am a member of the special committee that was established to make recommendations on legislating for international surrogacy. We are working hard to a really tight timeframe to make that happen. In our committee room, stories have been shared and tears have been shed. We have heard from legal experts, international experts, researchers, psychologists and medics, and we have heard the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (2 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: 66. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of parents who availed of parents' leave in 2021; and when the extension of parents' leave from five to seven weeks will be introduced. [24227/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Prevention of the Exploitation or Coercion of Surrogates and Intending Parents: Discussion (2 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank all our guests who have contributed to the meeting. We have heard some very personal stories and I acknowledge how difficult it must be for people to share them. I thank Ms Cohen, in particular, for getting up at 5 a.m. to attend remotely. I absolutely commend Ms O'Shea and Ms Reid on their courage in coming here to outline their especially personal circumstances and to fight for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Prevention of the Exploitation or Coercion of Surrogates and Intending Parents: Discussion (2 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: I fully agree on that. Is there enough signposting towards the counselling service? Is there anything that we, as politicians, can do to increase awareness of the services provided?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Prevention of the Exploitation or Coercion of Surrogates and Intending Parents: Discussion (2 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: Do Ms O'Shea and Ms Reid have any advice for families going through these discussions? They might like to use this as an opportunity to reach out to those families.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2022)

Emer Higgins: I want to support this amendment. We had quite a detailed discussion on this in the committee. The Government needs to show leadership when it comes to political advertising, which this Bill proposes to regulate for a short period of time, during the election cycle. That cycle can be only three weeks and as many contributors have spoken about, many elections are won and lost in the...

Transport, Accelerating Sustainable Mobility: Statements (31 May 2022)

Emer Higgins: Given the disruption to transport we have all seen in the last days, it is really timely that we are having this debate now. It seems very clear that what is happening at Dublin Airport is due to staff shortages after Covid. If pay and conditions need to be reassessed to attract and retain talent, then I really hope they are reassessed. If we have Dublin Airport branded as a more...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (31 May 2022)

Emer Higgins: 136. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects the electric vehicle apartment charging grants scheme will be in operation and open for applications; the percentage of a grant the scheme will provide to apartment dwellers looking to install EV chargers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27802/22]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Illicit Trade (31 May 2022)

Emer Higgins: 177. To ask the Minister for Finance the amount of nitrous oxide that was seized by the Revenue Commissioners in 2021 to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27855/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Service Executive (31 May 2022)

Emer Higgins: 682. To ask the Minister for Health if the HSE speech therapy building on Castleknock Road is currently in use by the HSE; if not, if it is vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27486/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services (31 May 2022)

Emer Higgins: 696. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the crisis situation regarding the provision of respite disability services in CHO7; the measures that are being taken to resolve this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27553/22]

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Emer Higgins: This is a really interesting discussion. I would have loved if we had a session on the issue during our committee deliberations given the many varying views and differing scientific perspectives. I draw members' attention to a book published by Brendan Heneghan in 2018, Secrets of the Ballot Box: How the Irish Voting System Really Works. It is based on research of electoral patterns in...

Irish Apprenticeship System: Statements (26 May 2022)

Emer Higgins: I am glad to have the opportunity to contribute to this debate. The Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins; the Minister, Deputy Harris; and the Department are doing excellent work to construct a better future for our young people and notably providing a pathway to education or further learning for everyone. That is welcome. I welcome the apprenticeship action plan, which will ensure we...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (26 May 2022)

Emer Higgins: 241. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn by An Garda Síochána to the significant irregularities in the postal voting system in County Sligo in 2019; if so, the nature of those irregularities; and his plans to ensure that such irregularities cannot occur again in any local authority. [27103/22]