Results 2,281-2,300 of 3,425 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Programme for Government (10 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: 17. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the Programme for Government commitment to promote higher female labour market participation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7022/22]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Welfare (10 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: 121. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on plans to develop additional urban horse welfare programmes, working with local authorities, charities and community stakeholders to provide stabling facilities and educational programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7033/22]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta (10 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: 160. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on the progress of the Dublin Mountains Makeover Initiative to date; and if there are plans to incorporate additional mountain areas into the scheme. [7034/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD: Discussion (10 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank all the participants for their input today. It has been an informative and uplifting discussion. As Senator McGreehan said, at times it has been very concerning too. That is the harsh reality of the challenges facing people with disabilities and we need to meet those challenges head-on. We need to overcome them with investment and better recruitment so more people can access more...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Minister and Ministers of State for their comprehensive outline of what is a plan to revolutionise and transform the housing market. I am a big supporter of home ownership. We need to deliver homes by all mechanisms possible. I am not hung up on ideology. I do not care who builds the homes, be that councils, approved housing bodies, the LDA, public-private partnership or...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Minister for the discussions here today. It is important that this topic is being put front and centre. Last year, the first quarterly report of the Housing for All plan showed that, last year, building commenced on 30,000 homes. That was a high since 2008. There were 39,000 planning permission grants for homes. They are really important figures because they show that the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: The Minister ran out of time. I am only joking. The question relates to the affordable housing regulations, which I know are coming down the tracks. I stress that as we are putting together these plans, we do so in a way that allows couples to plan for their future in order that they can aspire to purchase a home that they would be purchasing on the open market at an affordable rate. I...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Minister. The message that this Government backs homeownership is critical. I began earlier by talking about the need for a plan, for political will and for investment. It has been made utterly clear this evening that we have all of those. We have a costed plan, the level of investment that we need, and the political will to tackle this and deliver real change for families who...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (9 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: I welcome this Bill and the power it will give regulators to deal with anti-competitive practices by businesses. The Tánaiste has done a lot of work on this Bill and he has acknowledged that while the vast majority of businesses do not engage in anti-competitive practices, some businesses unfortunately do, be it offences such as bid-rigging, gun-jumping or unwinding certain mergers...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (9 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: 79. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of staff that are employed in each foreign embassy based in Ireland. [7009/22]

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Land Issues (8 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: My constituency colleagues have outlined the problem and we are all united in our desire for action on it. The centre has been planned for years and the local community is desperate to have it delivered. The centre will offer speech and language therapy, occupational and physical therapy, a dental suite, a paediatric suite, GP suites and a mental health suite. These are much-needed...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Land Issues (8 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Minister for her reply and for her acknowledgement of how significant an issue this is locally. It is great to hear that a decision on the disposal of the site has been reached. I ask the Minister to ensure that the disposal is seen through as urgently as possible. I welcome confirmation of the additional facilities for Collinstown Park Community College. I urge the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: As the Taoiseach knows, the prices of everyday essentials and utility bills have risen substantially. In January inflation hit a high of 5% right across the eurozone. The people and families I represent need a targeted suite of measures to help to ease the burden on their household budgets. We need to help people. We need to help low-income families and our squeezed middle who do not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: 506. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department is pursing specific strategies to increase the number of women undertaking apprenticeship courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6107/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (8 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: 505. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the work that has been undertaken to improve the availability and affordability of student accommodation. [6106/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank all our witnesses, and Ms Breathnach for sharing the experience of Waterford. It is great to hear that bed and breakfasts no longer need to be used. We know Waterford is leading the way in terms of delivering those one- and two-bed units, under its repair and lease scheme which has provided long-term solutions for people who were homeless. I very much welcome the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: On the circular that has been spoken about, I was in the Dáil last week when the Taoiseach answered a question on it. He was very clear that the circular issued to local authorities was a way of reiterating to county councils that acquisitions cannot be an alternative to building. What we do not want is local authorities buying up en massethree and four bedroom homes that would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank Ms Tobin for her response. Just to be clear, does the circular prevent a local authority from intervening, for example, in the case of a person who is in a HAP tenancy and whose accommodation is being sold? Does it prevent the local authority from purchasing that property to add it to its stock?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: Super. In summary, the circular is not issuing a ban on second-hand purchases. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

Emer Higgins: I appreciate that.