Results 21-40 of 3,424 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Seanad: Childcare: Statements (2 Apr 2025)

Emer Higgins: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the really important issue of early learning and childcare. It was great to be able to watch the debate and see so many Senators contribute to what is a really important topic for so many families. It is clear from the discussions that we all recognise the importance of early learning and childcare for children and their families as well as for society...

Confidence in the Ceann Comhairle: Motion (1 Apr 2025)

Emer Higgins: I rise to my feet today, not in support of a particular individual, but in support of the sanctity of an office that upholds the most important thing any sovereign nation has: its democracy. We in this Chamber elected in a fair and free vote Deputy Verona Murphy as Ceann Comhairle of the Thirty-fourth Dáil and as the first ever female Ceann Comhairle in the history of the State.

Confidence in the Ceann Comhairle: Motion (1 Apr 2025)

Emer Higgins: Last week, we in this Chamber took a vote and if that vote were to be taken again, the outcome would be the same. Respecting outcomes of votes is the very basis for a functioning democracy. The Ceann Comhairle has only sat in that Chair for 23 Dáil sitting days and in that time, we have had two days of chaos, obstruction, ugliness and disrespect, and the exact opposite of a fair...

Confidence in the Ceann Comhairle: Motion (1 Apr 2025)

Emer Higgins: Dramatics do not help our country and do not help our people. Opposition politics cannot just be about headlines. They also have to be about the country and the nation's interest. It has never been more important to buckle down and get working on behalf of the people of Ireland to protect our stability, our jobs in the face of potential tariffs, the taxes that support our most vulnerable -...

Confidence in the Ceann Comhairle: Motion (1 Apr 2025)

Emer Higgins: I fully support the mandate of our newly and duly elected Ceann Comhairle to get a 24th Dáil day sitting in that Chair and to continue to carry on her democratic duties to ensure the functioning of this Dáil Chamber, as is the democratic duty of all of us.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (1 Apr 2025)

Emer Higgins: 782. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on her discussions with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the rollout of the free HRT scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15614/25]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (1 Apr 2025)

Emer Higgins: 783. To ask the Minister for Health if, once the free HRT scheme is in operation, retrospective payments from January of this year will be made to those availing of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15615/25]

Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Second Stage (26 Mar 2025)

Emer Higgins: Before I begin my closing remarks, I would like to thank the Members who participated in this debate. It has been a really informed and thoughtful discussion. Deputy Seán Crowe mentioned that I was taking copious notes. I will paraphrase some comments. Deputy Farrell said that this body of work has afforded us all a trip down memory lane, and it really has. Deputy Ó Murchú...

Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Second Stage (26 Mar 2025)

Emer Higgins: Revoke.

Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Second Stage (26 Mar 2025)

Emer Higgins: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to be bringing the Statute Law Revision Bill 2024 to the House today. The Bill was introduced in the Seanad on 23 October 2024 and it passed Report and Final Stages in that House on 5 March this year. The Statute Law Revision Bill 2024 is the latest in a series of measures that have been enacted to modernise and improve...

Seanad: Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2025)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Senator not just for tabling these amendments but for engaging with us so collaboratively over the past week. As I stated on Committee Stage, both my Department and the Law Reform Commission believe that it is legally justifiable to include the 1685 order on the list for retention. However, we acknowledge the concerns that were raised in the House last week and as a result, and...

Seanad: Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: This Bill is rather technical legislation, but it is important and necessary. It represents another step in the journey to clarifying and simplifying the Irish Statute Book. I would like to commend my officials and the Law Reform Commission, who have worked on this. That involved reviewing all primary legislation from 1860 to 1922. We understand this represents the most extensive review...

Seanad: Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Senator. To reiterate, the Office of the Chief Herald was established in 1943 as a mechanism to fold the office into the Irish State. Two separate orders happened to that. That is where it became part of our more modern history as we entered into our Republic. I appreciate where the Senator is coming from in his comments on Schedule 2 and potential revocation. That is...

Seanad: Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: Amendments Nos. 2 and 4 are regarding Schedule 1, Part 2 of the Bill. These are technical amendments which remove the instrument known as Smuggling Order 1807 from Schedule 1 of the Statute Law Revision Bill 2024, instruments to be retained. The purpose of this order was to allow for the payment of rewards to soldiers who assisted customs officers in making any seizures of prohibited or...

Seanad: Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: These are minor technical amendments about replacing the phrase "Parliament of Parliament" with the correct legal term, "Prorogation of Parliament" throughout Schedule 2. These amendments do not in any way fundamentally change the Bill. They are not amendments to policy in any way. They are technical minor amendments.

Seanad: Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: This is a minor amendment to rectify a technical error.

Seanad: Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: These are very minor technical amendments. They are typographical amendments that were recommended by the Law Commission. They do not fundamentally change the Bill in any way or the policy behind the Bill. They are merely technical.

Seanad: Statute Law Revision Bill 2024: Committee Stage (27 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: I thank Members for their co-operation and their input into this Bill. The Bill we considered here today proposes the revocation of all statutory and prerogative instruments made before 1 January 1861, except for five instruments, which will be retained. More than 40,000 secondary instruments were reviewed by the Law Reform Commission to ascertain whether they were obsolete or whether they...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (13 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: I congratulate everybody who is taking up a seat in the Chamber. In particular, I congratulate those who undertook successful elections to get here and everybody who took their seat in Seanad Éireann for the first time yesterday. It is an immense honour and I wish them every success over the next five years. I also take this opportunity to offer comhghairdeas to you, a Chathaoirligh,...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Senator. The expansion in ministerial duties arises from the increasing complexity of policy issues, the challenges associated with managing extensive Government initiatives and the enhanced engagement with stakeholders at all levels both domestically and internationally. It is very important that we ground this discussion in wider societal and economic developments. Based on...