Results 2,461-2,480 of 3,479 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning disability services with the UNCRPD and considering the future system and innovation: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: I am sorry, could Mr. Broadhead repeat that figure?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning disability services with the UNCRPD and considering the future system and innovation: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: Wow, okay. That is huge.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning disability services with the UNCRPD and considering the future system and innovation: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: It does. It shows how big a challenge it is. I thank Mr. Broadhead for taking the time to go through that and for staying on the call. I am sure it is late at this point where he is.

Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: I agree with what the Minister said around the regulations and why they are so badly needed. Also on a couple of points that were made around consistency, the guidelines provide such huge opportunity to give consistency. The Department, through the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, is working at the moment on rural housing guidelines to replace existing guidelines. Things like that...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Minister for his reply on the specific question around websites, which was very encouraging. The websites worked very well when it came to SHDs, but there were some shortfalls. Part of that is the search engine optimisation issue. If one sits down and googles "Palmerstown + SHD" or "Lucan + SHD", one cannot automatically find the planning website for which one is looking. It...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: The integrity of our planning system can be summed up in one word - transparency. This means transparency in our planning laws, consultation, decision-making and appeals process. Pre-planning is a lesser known but very important part of the planning system, especially when it comes to large-scale developments. It is also a very important element of this Bill, which will deal with those...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (8 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: 41. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the budget allocation that will be required to administer half-price public transport to 19 to 23 year-olds as announced in Budget 2022; and the number of persons this measure will cover. [60641/21]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (8 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: 172. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to introducing saliva tests for Covid-19 as an alternative testing method for those that struggle with PCR testing such as those with intellectual or mental disabilities. [60826/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Projects (7 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: 59. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the fund for the upgrade of community centres that was announced as part of budget 2022 will be in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60005/21]

Order of Business (7 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: In recent years, we have delivered significant improvements in our country's approach to women's healthcare. The repeal of the eighth amendment was a landmark decision and the recent budget announcement to provide free contraception to young women was welcome, but women's healthcare goes far beyond contraception and family planning. Menopause can be a challenging time for women physically,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: 70. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if further support is planned under the Covid stability programme given the ongoing challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the revenue of charitable and community organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60004/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (7 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: 160. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there are plans to expedite the promised extension of the C2 bus route into Adamstown, Lucan, County Dublin; the timeframe for the delivery of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59791/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (7 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: 161. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the direct bus route from Dodsboro, Lucan, County Dublin into Dublin city centre at non-peak hours has been removed; if there are plans to reinstate this service to ensure that persons in Dodsboro are serviced at off-peak times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59792/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Business of Joint Committee
Update from Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (7 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for that comprehensive overview and I know he had even more to say. One of the especially interesting things the Minister of State mentioned was how well used our parks, forests and public spaces have been over these past 20 months. Parks and forests offered sanctuary and in many cases, sanity, during lockdowns. I acknowledge all the workers who kept them open...

Finance Bill 2021: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: I just want to say to Deputy Doherty that I sit on the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government, and Heritage. Day-in and day-out and week-in and week-out I am working cross-party with some of his colleagues to try to ensure the housing crisis is resolved, and I very much do not like him coming in here telling me that I do not care as I do not think that is a fair thing to say. ...

Finance Bill 2021: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: -----where they put forward some ideas as to how savings and cash flow could be utilised to help invest in things like approved housing bodies. It is unrealistic to say their savings, even if the Central Bank rules allowed it, would resolve this issue. It is a complex and multifaceted issue and problem and that is why we need a variety of funding streams to deliver a variety of homes, be...

Finance Bill 2021: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: -----as is its opposition to Housing for All.

Finance Bill 2021: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: Budget 2022 will help provide for many families up and down this country in so many ways, but in particular on housing.

Finance Bill 2021: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: I would like to use this as an opportunity to welcome the historic investment we have in the delivery of much-needed social and affordable homes in this budget. Young people, as we all know, feel locked out of the housing market. I do not want to live in a city or in a country where home ownership is something to which my generation cannot aspire. That is why I am glad that budget 2022...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Draft Planning and Development (LRD Fees) Regulations 2021: Motion (2 Dec 2021)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for that comprehensive overview. For clarity, when we look at the SHD fees in comparison to the LRD fees, am I right in saying the fee structure is the same and the difference is that the fees are going to be retained by local authorities in this instance, and that funding can then be ring-fenced and used to increase the resources in planning departments across...