Results 1,621-1,640 of 3,425 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: Fantastic. I appreciate that. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, mentioned the shortage of skilled professionals. It is all linked, as I am sure he and his officials know. It is not an attractive proposition to go into a trade if people feel that insurance will prohibit them from taking up their skills. The fact that we need more people with this skill set, and to consider training in...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Minister for being present and I thank him and his team for their commitment to resolving the housing crisis. It is about maximising delivery, fast-tracking progress and accelerating actions because of the urgency of the accommodation shortage. Those are the words of the Minister and I wish to highlight them because there has been a lot of talk about words and how much they...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Minister for that. I agree with what he said and having a better cycle of planning. It should not always be a rush to finish towards the end of quarter 4, which is too high a risk. However, I suppose that is the nature of doing business. As the Minister said, this year we had an unprecedented situation where we were playing catch-up after the Covid pandemic and we were then...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: Apologies for nipping out. I was at a meeting of the Committee on Public Petitions next door which is discussing thatched roofs. That is relevant here because we want to make sure that heritage buildings do not become derelict sites or vacant buildings. That has much to do with what we have been talking about over the past hours. The extension to Dublin of Croí Cónaithe is a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: When the Minister talks about the State as being the major player in social and affordable housing, given the capital investment that we have already put on the table, there is a real opportunity for the State to provide comfort to developers building out existing planning permissions. There is a huge number of undeveloped planning permissions nationally and half of them are in Dublin. The...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: I am interested in what the Minister has said about the advance-purchase affordable homes. That is how we activate unused sites that have planning permission, which is something we must do. The Minister mentioned the shared equity scheme. The local authority area in which I live accounts for approximately 10% of the figure he just gave for people who have applied and been approved for...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: The Minister might envisage another scheme that may be.

Social Welfare Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: I am pleased to be discussing this legislation and the changes that will come in as a result of budget 2023. Our social protection system, and our social welfare system before that, has always been instrumental when it comes to supporting and protecting people when they need help the most, whether through times of illness or unemployment or when people reach an older age or need maternity...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Schemes (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 197. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason that a person would be ineligible for energy efficiency upgrades, such as attic and wall insulation, if they choose not to upgrade their heating system; the way in which his Department can include persons who use home heating oil in the retrofitting programme in order to help towards their household bills...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 240. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing a two-tiered BIK system based on a person’s income, given the impact that the BIK changes introduced in Budget 2023 will have on workers during the cost-of-living crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57640/22]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Industry (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 246. To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department will examine the matter of decreasing insurance premiums for retired individuals no longer commuting to and from work by car; if this is a matter which the subgroup on insurance reform is considering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57954/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 440. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to a potentially offensive contact name (details supplied) given to persons appealing a decision on their social protection payment; if this is a matter that she can change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57510/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 462. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to an issue (details supplied) being experienced by haulage drivers when they attempt to claim social welfare during periods of unemployment; if she will take steps to remedy the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57914/22]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 491. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the accommodation recognition payment for households accommodating Ukrainian refugees will be increased, given the current increase in the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57960/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Road Safety (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 564. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 324 and 325 of 6 October 2022, if she will provide a wider breakdown of the locations from which scrambler bikes referenced were seized in 2021 and to date in 2022. [57964/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 580. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of funding that has been allocated to the establishment of the national psychology placement office as recommended in the HSE psychology report of January 2021; when he expects the office to be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57286/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 581. To ask the Minister for Health the current policy for the management of urgent cases within children’s disability network teams; if a CNDT can carry out a diagnostic assessment without instruction from the assessment of needs’ division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57288/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 702. To ask the Minister for Health if the support of a dietitian is available to persons living in Newcastle, County Dublin and Clondalkin, Dublin 22 who have recently been diagnosed as coeliacs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57970/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (22 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: 703. To ask the Minister for Health the reason that first-year students from a school (details supplied) are being asked to travel to a HSE facility in Cherry Orchard to avail of the HPV vaccine which is normally administered in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57971/22]

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters (17 Nov 2022)

Emer Higgins: I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Danny Healy-Rae - to discuss the critical situation in Kerry about accommodation for a person with intellectual disability for residential care. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan - to discuss the recruitment crisis in An Garda...