Results 1-20 of 591 for at speaker:Emer Higgins

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

Emer Higgins: ...of €257 million for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant as a vital measure for small and medium businesses. This scheme closed on the 1st of May and the ICOB portal is not live at the moment. Over 74,000 businesses have registered for the grant. The Local Authorities are beginning to make payments to businesses once their details have been verified. Analysis has been...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (14 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: ...of €257 million for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant as a vital measure for small and medium businesses. This scheme closed on the 1st of May and the ICOB portal is not live at the moment. Over 74,000 businesses have registered for the grant. The Local Authorities are beginning to make payments to businesses once their details have been verified. Analysis has been...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (14 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: ...of €257 million for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant as a vital measure for small and medium businesses. This scheme closed on the 1st of May and the ICOB portal is not live at the moment. Analysis has been undertaken in relation to the grant scheme. A decision will be made this week and I expect to make an announcement in relation to the next steps of the ICOB...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (9 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant was announced as part of the Budget 2024 package to particularly benefit small and medium sized businesses who operate from a rateable premises. The Scheme closed for registrations on 1st May. The number of businesses who have registered is 66,108 and this represents 55% of the total number of potentially eligible businesses. Business details...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (8 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) provide direct grant assistance to small businesses operating in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. Professional services including Financial Advisors are not be eligible for LEO grant assistance. Financial advisors may apply for many of the other supports available through LEOs , including the broad range of management training...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (8 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are Units within the 31 Local Authorities nationwide and act as a ‘first stop shop’ providing advice and guidance, financial assistance, and other supports to those wishing to start or grow their own business. The LEOs provide a ‘signposting’ service for all government supports available to the SMEs and can provide...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (8 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: In order to work in the State non-EEA nationals are required to hold either a valid employment permit from this Department or relevant immigration permission from the Minister for Justice allowing them to enter and work in the State without the requirement for an employment permit. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has responsibility for economic migration policy and the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Policies (8 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The importance of the hospitality sector to the Irish economy and communities in every corner of Ireland is well understood. I am acutely aware that many businesses in all sectors are facing difficulties due to the cost of doing business. With this in mind, as part of the Budget 2024 package, and in order to help businesses with their increasing overheads, the Government announced the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (8 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: Placing digital transformation at the heart of enterprise policy is a priority of the White Paper on Enterprise and Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are actively engaged in supporting businesses in their twin transitions of digitalisation and decarbonisation. National campaigns, such as the ‘All in a Day’s Work’ campaign by LEOs draws attention to the benefits of making a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (2 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: Small and Medium Enterprises (1 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: This Government is committed to backing business and will continue to work closely with small businesses nationwide to support their growth and assist them in remaining competitive and resilient. As you are aware the ICOB grant has a budget of €257 million which is designed to assist small and medium businesses operating directly within a premises that is commercially rateable by...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Correspondence (30 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: This correspondence refers to the 2021 Private Members Bill on Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) sponsored by a number of Deputies. It is a matter for the Deputies to progress the Bill. Last April, the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, met with a group of representatives of Retired Associations in...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Correspondence (30 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Government is acutely aware that many businesses in all sectors are facing difficulties due to the cost-of-living crisis. With that in mind, as part of Budget 2024, the Government signed off on a package of €257 million for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant as a vital measure for small and medium businesses. Local Authorities, funded through the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Brexit Supports (30 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) was allocated to a suite of measures implemented by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of the Department. These supports can be grouped under two broad headings: 1) Supports for enterprises to prepare for Brexit in order to mitigate the possible risk of impact and; 2) Supports aimed at mitigating the impact of Brexit by helping firms to compete, innovate...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (30 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Government is acutely aware that many businesses in all sectors are facing difficulties due to the cost-of-living crisis. On March 5th 2024, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and the Department of Social Protection published an assessment of the combined impact of proposed measures to improve working conditions in Ireland. Reflecting the findings of this assessment,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: EU Directives (30 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: ...in the framework of the provision of services was transposed into Irish law via the Protection of Employees (Part-time Work) Act 2001. Accordingly, the full range of Irish employee protection legislation applies to workers posted to work, or otherwise working, in the State. A "posted worker" is an employee who is sent by their employer to carry out a service in another EU Member State on a...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (25 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: ..., funded through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, are administering the grant to qualifying businesses on behalf of the Department. Local Authorities have written to all rate paying businesses with details of how to register for the grant and it is a very simple process for businesses to verify their details through an online portal. The grant has been open for...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Business Supports (25 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: ...are aware, the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant scheme was announced as part of Budget 2024, as a vital measure for small and medium businesses. The scheme is a once off grant and is not a rates waiver and businesses should continue to pay their Local Authority rates as normal. In order to design the scheme officials in my Department consulted with a range of Government and...

Seanad: Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (24 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and everyone in this Chamber for their kind words of congratulations but also of welcome to Seanad Éireann. Most importantly, I thank them for their collaboration with this Bill because it is very important. Senator Seery Kearney brings many skills and expertise in this exact field to the Chamber and I very much appreciate her input and contribution as...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services Staff (24 Apr 2024)

Emer Higgins: Go raibh maith agat. I thank Deputy Tully for raising this issue for discussion in the House. She has been an advocate for people with disabilities and those working with them, which I really appreciate. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge the essential role section 39 community and voluntary...