Results 321-340 of 3,478 for speaker:Emer Higgins

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

Emer Higgins: The Government continues to fully support the right of any worker to join and be active in their trade union. Employees have the right under the Constitution to form associations and trade unions. Under Irish legislation an employee is protected should they be dismissed because they are a member of a trade union. The underpinning principle and policy are that the legislative provision acts...

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

Emer Higgins: Balanced regional enterprise development is a key focus for me and this Government as set out 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 South-East REP is implemented at a regional level by a Steering Committee made up of stakeholders...

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

Emer Higgins: The Sick Leave Act 2022 provided an initial statutory entitlement to up to 3 days’ sick leave in 2023. This increased to 5 days on 1 January 2024. The sick leave entitlement could potentially increase to 7 days in 2025, reaching 10 days in 2026. Officials in my Department are engaging with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) on research to inform the decision in...

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

Emer Higgins: In March 2024 Government approved the drafting of the Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill 2024, which will implement a key commitment included in the Government’s response to the Pensions Commission Recommendations and Implementation Plan. The purpose of the Bill is to align mandatory retirement ages in employment contracts with the State Pension age,...

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

Emer Higgins: The Government is acutely aware that businesses in all sectors, including the hospitality sector, are concerned about the impact of rising costs. The Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant was introduced in Budget 2024 package to help businesses with their increasing overheads. Local Authorities are administering the ICOB scheme on behalf of the Department and the priority is to get...

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

Emer Higgins: Regional development is a key element of the Government's enterprise policy and is fully reflected in the strategies of our Enterprise Development Agencies. IDA Ireland is targeting that at least half of all investments - that is 400 of 800 - from 2021 to 2024 will go to regional locations. The IDA Mid-West Region, including County Clare, has 159 IDA client companies in the region,...

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

Emer Higgins: The Protection of Employment Act 1977, as amended, protects employees facing collective redundancies. The Act requires employers considering collective redundancies to consult with employees’ representatives for at least 30 days and to notify the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment at least 30 days before any redundancy takes effect. I have recently introduced a number of...

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

Emer Higgins: My Department’s White Paper on Enterprise to 2030 sets out an ambitious vision for Ireland’s enterprise policy, seeking to secure a sustainable, innovative and high-productivity economy, with rewarding jobs and livelihoods in the period ahead. Ireland’s position as a small economy means that it is essential for our economic resilience that Irish enterprises realise...

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

Emer Higgins: Balanced regional enterprise development is a priority for me and this Government. I am keenly aware of the contribution that various hubs play around the country - from community hubs to enterprise centres and remote-working hubs; they provide support to entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs and allow people to live and work in their own communities. My Department has provided significant...

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

Emer Higgins: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 178 together. Implementation of the EU COMAH legislation (SEVESO III – Directive 2012/18/EC) for major industrial accidents in Ireland was transposed into Irish law by S.I. No. 209 of 2015 Chemicals Act (Control of Major Accident Hazards Involving Dangerous Substances) Regulations 2015. The COMAH legislation lays down rules for the...

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

Emer Higgins: Development of Battery Energy Storage Systems does not fall within the scope of Control of Major Accident Hazards involving Dangerous Substances (COMAH). Battery Energy and Electricity Storage Systems are not classed as substances or mixtures under Classification Labelling and Packaging legislation (CLP), and therefore are not within the scope of Seveso/COMAH. Consequently, the COMAH...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Wastewater Treatment (10 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: My Department does not provide grants to assist businesses in any sector to upgrade their sewage treatment facilities. The full range of Government supports for businesses in all sectors are available through the new online National Enterprise Hub for SMEs to access information on the wide range of Government business supports. I am launching the Hub today along with Minister Burke. It can...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Exports Growth (10 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: My Department’s White Paper on Enterprise to 2030 sets out an ambitious vision for Ireland’s enterprise policy, seeking to secure a sustainable, innovative and high-productivity economy, with rewarding jobs and livelihoods in the period ahead. Ireland’s position as a small economy means that it is essential for our economic resilience that Irish enterprises realise...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (10 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Government is committed to supporting workers and has a very strong record on strengthening and introducing new workers’ rights. The European Union Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Regulations came into effect in Ireland in December 2022. These regulations have ensured that employees are given more detailed information about the important aspects of their jobs....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Schemes (10 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: In May of this year, the Government agreed a range of measures with the aim of reducing costs for small and medium sized businesses. As part of this package and aligned with changes outlined in the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Policy Statement, changes to the LEO digitalisation schemes for small businesses were included. Firstly, the Trading Online Voucher scheme will be doubled to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (9 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: To be clear, the temporary blanket waiver of pension abatement continued up until 31 March 2021. This was when the abatement policy for the healthcare sector returned to normal in line with other sectors. This was, as I understand it, communicated to the HSE on 15 January 2021. On 22 January 2021, only a few days later, I am informed that the HSE informed all relevant staff, including, but...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (9 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Deputy, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, for his comments and his commitment to resolving these legacy issues with facilities built by developers to provide water services in housing estates. I acknowledge the hard work and the efforts of the engineers listed by the Deputy. The Minister introduced the multi-annual developer-provided water services infrastructure...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (9 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this issue today, which I will take on behalf of the Minister for Health. As the Deputy has outlined, on 10 March 2020, the Department of Health informed the HSE that, following engagement with the then Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, approval was given under section 52(4) of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions)...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (9 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, who would like to thank the Deputy for raising this important issue and providing an opportunity to address the matter. As he knows, a small number of estates rely on developer-provided water services infrastructure, commonly referred to as DPI, for their water services. They mainly consist of wastewater...

Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Sultanate of Oman) Order 2024: Motion (9 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Sultanate of Oman) Order 2024, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 19th June, 2024.