Results 141-160 of 3,424 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: I can go through that. The Health and Safety Authority, HSA, now has 317 sanctioned posts. That is an increase from 190 in December 2020. There are currently 280 staff in situ. The overall vacancy rate is impacted by retirements and resignations, in addition to those recruitment challenges the Chair mentioned. The HSA anticipates an additional 27 new starters next year, which will bring...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: The savings there arise due to the timing of the backfilling positions that follow transfers out, internal promotions from people who are acting up, and through filing recently sanctioned posts. The authority currently has 14 civilian vacancies. We are recruiting for the 14 vacancies. As I said, those vacancies arise out of internal promotions and transfers. They are positives.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: I apologise, I need to check my notes.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Deputy. I fully agree with him. This area offers huge opportunities from a renewability and renewable energy perspective but also from an employment perspective. The Deputy referenced the maritime areas and the Maritime Area Planning Act that came into force in the last number of years. Having been a member of the joint committee on housing and planning, that was something I...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: Yes, outside of Dublin. As a Dublin TD, I forget.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Chair and members of the committee for a really engaging session. In particular, I thank my officials for their work on all of the budgetary matters and for all the they do day in, day out for companies.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: Then the IDA savings relate to delays regarding property transactions which were not completing as expected. Obviously, we had budgeted for them to happen in the hope that they would.

VAT Rate for Hospitality Sector: Motion [Private Members] (16 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: May I just reiterate that the Government is conscious of the need to support the food and hospitality sector?

VAT Rate for Hospitality Sector: Motion [Private Members] (16 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: I have outlined some of what we are doing in that regard.

VAT Rate for Hospitality Sector: Motion [Private Members] (16 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all the words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government is very conscious of the needs of the tourist and hospitality sector and wants to maintain a healthy and profitable environment for these sectors going forward; — in this regard, it reduced on a temporary basis the Value Added Tax...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Healthcare Policy (16 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank Deputy Hourigan. She made some valid and interesting points, which I take on board. I will refer them to the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, and ask that he take them on board as well. The Minister wants to ensure that members of the transgender community are given the proper, appropriate and integrated care and support they need to live authentic, fulfilling lives. The new model of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Healthcare Policy (16 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: -----the model of care will be our policy decision on this. The long-term aim is to provide a wide range of services for all people with gender dysphoria, from care locally in the community to more specialised and complex care. The Minister and the HSE are dedicated to building a service based on experience, clinical evidence, respect, inclusiveness and compassion. I know the Minister...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mother and Baby Homes (16 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank Deputy Buckley for raising this Topical Issue on the mother and baby institutions payment scheme. I will provide an update on the progress with regard to the delivery of this important scheme to survivors and former residents on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. As the Deputy knows, the scheme is the centrepiece of the Government’s action plan for survivors and former...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mother and Baby Homes (16 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank Deputy Buckley. I will put on record some of the other systems and supports that are in place as it would be good for all Deputies to be aware of them and to promote them to those affected. First, the national centre for research and remembrance is an initiative that will represent a national site of conscience. It will include a museum interpretation experience, a space for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Healthcare Policy (16 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank Deputy Hourigan for raising this important issue and for her passion, knowledge and commitment to the subject. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, who has spoken previously on the topic of gender healthcare. He has acknowledged this is a small and vulnerable group of people who need to have access to proper, appropriate and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (16 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: At present the occupation of Town Planner is eligible for the General Employment Permit. The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) made a submission to my Department's 2023 review of the occupations that are eligible for an employment permit, seeking to have the role made eligible for the Critical Skills Employment Permit. The submission was considered by the Interdepartmental Group on Economic...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Redundancy Payments (15 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Redundancy Payments Act 1967, as amended, provides for a minimum statutory lump sum payment to all eligible employees in situations of redundancy. In order to be eligible for a statutory redundancy payment, an employee must have at least two years’ continuous service with an employer, excluding any period of employment with that employer before the age of 16 years, and be in...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (15 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Employment Permits Section of my Department informs me that they have checked the new Employment Permit applications received, and that the Employment Permit application in respect of the person concerned in the details supplied was only submitted to them on the 4th of October 2024 and was placed in the processing queue on the 7th of October 2024. All applications for employment permits...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (15 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Employment Permits Section of the Department informs me that as of 09/10/2024 the number Employment Permit applications received in respect of the homecare sector since the scheme opened in January 2023 currently stands at 1149. Of this number, 1073 have been issued, 51 were refused, 7 were withdrawn and 1 is currently being processed. There were also 17 appeals. It is estimated that...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (15 Oct 2024)

Emer Higgins: On the 10th of October 2024, this Department opened the Emergency Humanitarian Support Scheme for small businesses, sports clubs, community and voluntary organisations who are unable to secure flood insurance and have been affected by recent flooding in County Cork. The scheme will go some way in assisting businesses, who through no fault of their own, were unable to secure flood insurance,...