Results 1-20 of 1,524 for speaker:Emer Higgins in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages in the European Union was published on 19th October 2022 and must be transposed into Irish law by 15th November 2024. The Directive aims to ensure that workers across the European Union are protected by adequate minimum wages allowing for a decent living wherever they work. Article 4 of the Directive, Promotion of Collective Bargaining on Wage...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Wage-setting Mechanisms (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: On the 25th August 2023, the then Minister for Business Employment and Retail signed the Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for the Security Sector which came into force on 4th September 2023. The ERO provided for a wage increase to €12.90 per hour from that date. The full details of the ERO are available here: si-no-424-of-2023-employment-regulation-order-security-indus...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Wage-setting Mechanisms (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: On the 25th August 2023, the then Minister for Business Employment and Retail signed the Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for the Security Sector which came into force on 4th September 2023. The ERO provided for a wage increase to €12.90 per hour from that date. The full details of the ERO are available here: si-no-424-of-2023-employment-regulation-order-security-indus...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Schemes (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The latest employment survey results from Enterprise Ireland present a positive outlook for the Irish economy, particularly in the sectors under its remit. According to the Annual Employment Survey 2023, there has been a notable increase in employment levels across industrial and service companies. This growth is not just confined to the capital city but is spread across the country, with...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Promotion (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Trading Online Voucher (TOV) Scheme helps businesses develop their online trading capability and can cover various areas including developing a website, digital marketing, social media for business and search engine optimisation. The TOVs are administered by the Local Enterprise Offices. In 2023, there were 1,715 Trading Online Vouchers approved, and there was an expenditure of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Wage-setting Mechanisms (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: On the 25th August 2023, the then Minister for Business Employment and Retail signed the Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for the Security Sector which came into force on 4th September 2023. The ERO provided for a wage increase to €12.90 per hour from that date. The full details of the ERO are available here: si-no-424-of-2023-employment-regulation-order-security-indus...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The 2023 Review of the Employment Permits Occupation Lists and Review of Minimum Annual Remuneration (MAR) Reports have delivered comprehensive changes to the employment permits system, with changes to 43 occupations and the introduction of a Roadmap for increasing salary thresholds for employment permits. The first adjustments commenced on 17 January this year, and they affect new permit...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: On the 25th August 2023, the then Minister for Business, Employment and Retail, signed the Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for the Security Sector which came into force on 4th September 2023. At that time approximately 16,000 workers benefitted from the ERO, which included a wage increase to €12.90 per hour. In addition to the pay increases, the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages in the European Union was published on 19th October 2022 and must be transposed into Irish law by 15th November 2024. The Directive aims to ensure that workers across the European Union are protected by adequate minimum wages allowing for a decent living wherever they work. Article 4 of the Directive, Promotion of Collective Bargaining on Wage...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: My Department is responsible for operating Ireland's managed employment permits system, maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market. Our system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-European Economic Area nationals to fill skills and/or labour shortages in the State required to develop and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: As I have previously outlined, following engagement with the Department of Health - which has policy responsibility for the dental sector - the Interdepartmental Group on Economic Migration Policy concluded that the Irish Dental Association's submission to the 2023 review of the Occupations Lists did not contain sufficient evidence to support a change in the status of Dental Nurse in respect...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (23 May 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 Mid-West 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 (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: On the 25th August 2023 the then Minister for Business Employment and Retail signed the Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for the Security Sector which came into force on 4th September 2023. The ERO provided for a wage increase to €12.90 per hour from that date. The full details of the ERO are available here: enterprise.gov.ie/en/legislation/legislation-files/si-no-424...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Workplace Relations Commission (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is an independent, statutory body under the aegis of my Department, established on 1st October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015. The WRC’s primary functions include the inspection of employment law compliance, the provision of information on employment law, mediation, adjudication, conciliation, facilitation, and advisory services. ...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Sick Leave Act 2022 introduced employer-paid, medically-certified, statutory sick leave for the first time in Ireland. From 1 January 2023, the initial statutory entitlement was up to 3 days’ sick leave, which increased to 5 days on 1 January 2024. The Deputy will be aware that statutory sick leave, and its phased roll-out, was designed in consultation with the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: While the issue of false self-employment is complex, and debate often exists as to scale of the problem, there is consensus that it is important to tackle the issue where possible to prevent people being exploited across all sectors, including the building trade. Ireland has robust mechanisms for the determination of the employment status and the Government is committed to tackling false...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Employment Rights (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Sick Leave Act 2022 introduced employer-paid, medically-certified, statutory sick leave for the first time in Ireland. From 1 January 2023, the initial statutory entitlement was up to 3 days’ sick leave, which increased to 5 days on 1 January 2024. The Deputy will be aware that statutory sick leave, and its phased roll-out, was designed in consultation with the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (23 May 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 Midlands REP is implemented at a regional level by a Steering Committee made up of stakeholders...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Policy (23 May 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: Regional Development (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: Balanced economic regional development is a key focus for this Government and requires a whole-of-government approach. Activity supporting economic development around the country is driven by the local authorities, central Government Departments and a wide range of state agencies and offices. My Department contributes to this objective through a range of activities as set out in the...