Results 41-60 of 3,424 for speaker:Emer Higgins

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 Senator Harmon for this amendment, which I think is very well intentioned. Accountability, transparency and value for money are all elements that we want to make sure we are achieving as we do our work in government. Regarding the Secretary General providing detailed statements of costs, this is already provided for because a lot of this information is publicly available....

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

Emer Higgins: I do not believe this is anecdotal. It is data-centred evidence coming from the CSO, which I referred to earlier. The CSO is the State agency responsible for gathering information and statistics in Ireland. That is why I believe its data is worth looking at.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (6 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: At the outset I congratulate Deputy Gould on his successful re-election to Dáil Éireann. I thank him for raising this really important issue. As the Deputy has alluded to, I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the relevant Minister, who cannot be here today but has provided me with quite a lot of briefing material on this. That is because it is a hugely important issue....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (6 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Deputy. To be clear, the message from both the EPA and the HSE is not to drink discoloured water, and to report it to the EPA. I take on board the Deputy's feedback that the EPA and the HSE are not doing enough in that regard, and not doing enough to interact with the public in that regard too. I will absolutely pass that on to the Minister, Deputy Browne, and ask him to act on...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Supply (6 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: The Deputy is right that we need to invest in our water supply. That is crucial and the examples he gave of water shortages and outages really reinforce that. Our water and wastewater systems require substantial and sustained investment over a number of investment cycles to bring them up to the quality and resilience standards required of a modern service, to provide for population growth...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Supply (6 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: It will support improved water supplies across Ireland, including in Tipperary and rural Ireland, and it will support a range of programmes delivering improved water services in our rivers, lakes and marine areas. It will make a significant contribution to addressing Ireland's needs. Uisce Éireann, as we both acknowledged, has a dedicated team to deal with representations and I will...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Supply (6 Feb 2025)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Deputy and I congratulate him for his successful re-election to Dáil Éireann. As he alluded, I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the relevant Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins. I am happy to pass on the Deputy's feedback in terms of what he has just said about Uisce Éireann and his ask of that company. The supply of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Dairy Sector (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: The company in question is at an early stage of development and is being supported by Enterprise Ireland (EI) to explore business opportunities in the nutritional powders market. EI has ongoing contact with the company in this regard. I understand that the process to allow for the commencement of production at the factory is progressing. There are currently a small number of full-time...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: In total, the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) and Power Up grant schemes paid out over €400 million in 2024. Following an extension to the deadline, the ICOB scheme closed on 29th May, 2024 and the Power Up grant closed on 22nd November, 2024 also following an extension to the deadline. The Local Authorities contacted eligible businesses to let them know how to register for the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Visa Applications (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that no Employment Permit application for the person concerned in the details supplied has been received by them to date. It is therefore not possible to expedite an employment permit application in respect of this person. It should be noted that it is not permissible for a company to employ a non-EEA national without an employment permit.

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: The Sick Leave Act 2022 introduced 3 days of employer-paid, statutory sick leave for the first time in Ireland, coming into force on 1 January 2023. The entitlement for employees increased from 3 to 5 days on January 1 2024. An important anti-abuse provision is contained within Section 5, Subsection 9 of the Sick Leave Act 2022, which provides that statutory sick leave is only payable if...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Semi-State Bodies (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: The following is a breakdown of current vacancies in Enterprise Ireland, along with the estimated full year cost of filing each and the time frame for the filling of each. Job Title Number of vacant positions as at 09.01.25 Expected timeframe for filling vacancies Full Year Salary Cost (per vacancy) * Ireland Based & Expat Posts ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: I would recommend that the promoter of this business contact a business advisor in the Cavan Local Enterprise Office (LEO) to discuss their business plans. The LEO in Cavan plays an extremely important role at local level, as part of a supportive ecosystem, providing their services to small businesses, promoting entrepreneurship and contributing to jobs growth within towns and communities...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that to date no employment permit application for the person concerned in the details supplied has been received. It should be noted that it is not permissible for a company to employ a non-EEA national without an employment permit. Applications for employment permits are dealt with in date order. As of Thursday, 16 January 2025,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) in Monaghan offers a wide range of high-quality business and management development programmes that are tailored to meet specific business requirements. Whether it is a new start up or growing an existing business there are programmes that are suitable for anyone exploring self-employment as an option or for those who are currently operating a business and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: IDA Ireland achieved excellent results in 2024 with continued strong levels of investment and employment across the FDI sector, reporting a total of 234 investments with the potential to create 13,500 jobs over the next few years. 69 investments were from new name or first-time investors, strongly indicating Ireland’s ongoing attractiveness as an FDI location. Ireland cannot afford to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Schemes (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: It is hugely positive to see Enterprise Ireland (EI) supported companies recording jobs growth for the fourth year in a row despite what was a challenging year for some sectors of exporting Irish businesses. EI recently published its 2024 employment results which showed an increase to a record 234,454 jobs in supported companies, with 15,741 new jobs created, up 3% on the 2023 outturn....

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Schemes (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: The Government is committed to backing businesses and will continue to work closely with small businesses to support their growth, help them to find new markets, create jobs and take on the twin challenges of decarbonisation and digitalisation. The Local Enterprise Offices (LEO) have a key role to play here. The 2024 Annual Employment Survey of LEO clients once again show positive job...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (22 Jan 2025)

Emer Higgins: Both the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) scheme and the Power Up grant were administered by local authorities on behalf of the Department and the Department is not involved in administering individual cases. Both the ICOB and Power Up schemes are now closed having paid out a total of over €400 million to SMEs right across the country. In order to get payments to businesses before...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Farm Safety (7 Nov 2024)

Emer Higgins: Farming continues to be one of the most dangerous sectors in which to work. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) continues rolling out its Farm Safety Action Plan 2021- 2024 which aims to reduce the level of fatalities, serious injuries and ill health in the agriculture sector. The Plan focuses on high-risk activities particularly around the use of tractors and other farm vehicles,...