Results 301-320 of 3,478 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: It is not.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: It is-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: To be clear, my intention is to look at the Low Pay Commission recommendations and do exactly what it said in terms of analysing them and looking at consequences, including unintended consequences. As I said, I do not want a situation whereby we have an unintended consequence of a change to people's working hours. Deputy Boyd Barrett has alleged that some industries are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: That is industry doing the right thing by these people. What we have is a situation where under-18s cannot necessarily work the same hours legally as those aged over 18 and cannot always do the same duty.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: We need to take that into account as well. That is why we are doing the economic impact assessment and looking at this further.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: As the Deputy will be aware, the Low Pay Commission was asked in 2022 to examine the issues around retaining or removing the sub-minimum youth rates of the national minimum wage and to make recommendations on the matter. The Low Pay Commission asked the ESRI to conduct background research on the issue under the terms of the Low Pay Commission and ESRI partnership agreement. This ESRI report...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Deputy is right that the initiatives he referred to are all really positive. Investing in the old Ambassador Theatre building and reopening the Iveagh Markets would be really beneficial to Dublin. Those are the kinds of projects the task force is considering. The task force has already met. It has 12 weeks to report to the Government. When we receive the report, we certainly will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Minister, Deputy Burke, chairs a hospitality and tourism forum that looks at a lot of the issues the Deputy has raised such as access outside working hours to hospitality, including cafés, and the importance of having a vibrant night-time economy. The Minister co-chairs the forum with the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin. That initiative shows the level of cross-departmental...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Relations (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Respect at Work campaign has six recommendations seeking new protections for workers seeking to organise in workplaces. These proposals are being discussed and will be considered in the context of the action plan to promote collective bargaining. These discussions are ongoing and are happening at the moment. They were discussed at a meeting of officials in the technical working group...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Relations (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Government is absolutely committed to protecting workers. The Doherty report, which we commissioned, is our path towards doing that. We got a progress report on it only this week and work is under way on its recommendations. That is agreed at this point as the review mechanism we are looking at to improve workers' rights. So far, only last month on 17 June, the Labour Court confirmed...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Government is absolutely committed to taking a holistic approach to rejuvenating Dublin city centre. We appointed a task force on 7 May 2024 to help the city centre to thrive as an attractive and safe city. Led by the Department of the Taoiseach, the task force held its first meeting on 21 May and has been asked to deliver its recommendations for consideration by the Government within...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Industrial Relations (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: I am aware of the Respect at Work campaign, which is seeking new protections for workers wishing to organise in their workplaces. These proposals will be considered in the context of Ireland’s publication of an action plan to promote collective bargaining, as required by the EU directive on adequate minimum wages. Article 4 of the directive, promotion of collective bargaining on...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: Ireland operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. The system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages in the State required to develop and support enterprise for the benefit of our economy. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Determination of Employment Status Working Group was established on foot of a recommendation made at the Labour and Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) in late 2021. This Group is comprised of representatives from ICTU, Ibec, the Construction Federation of Ireland and ISME as well as officials from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Revenue Commissioners, and the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: Minister Higgins approved the new ERO for the Security Industry on 13 June 2024 and it commenced on 1 July 2024. It is currently available to the public on the Department’s website: No further legislative changes to the rates of pay and work conditions for security officers in the security industry are under consideration. Under legislation, the JLC may submit proposals to revoke...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Unions (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: I am aware of the Respect at Work campaign which is seeking new protections for workers seeking to organise in their workplaces. These proposals will be considered in the context of Ireland’s publication of an Action Plan to promote collective bargaining as required by the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages. Article 4 of the Directive, Promotion of Collective Bargaining...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: The employment of people with a disability is an area that we need to improve in Ireland. The National Disability Authority notes that, in cross-country comparisons using European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), Ireland had a disability employment gap of 37% in 2022, which is higher than the average across the European Union, which is 21%. In terms of the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: The White Paper on Enterprise sets out a vision for Irish-based enterprise to succeed through competitive advantage founded on sustainability, innovation and productivity, delivering rewarding jobs and livelihoods. The first two, of seven, policy priorities set out in the White Paper are; Integrating Decarbonisation and Net-zero Commitments, and Placing Digital Transformation at the Heart of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: This Government has a very strong record of strengthening and introducing new employment rights. The Government has recently introduced or progressed a series of measures with the aim of improving working conditions in Ireland. These measures are an important part of building an inclusive economy – particularly one that is attractive to highly mobile labour and skills. These measures...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: To ensure minimum wages are set at adequate levels, the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages requires countries with statutory minimum wages to put in place clear and stable criteria for minimum wage setting, indicative reference values to guide the assessment of adequacy, and regular and timely updates of minimum wages. My Department’s analysis of the Directive suggests that our...