Results 321-340 of 3,365 for speaker:Emer Higgins

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Acting Chair. I want to address a couple of concerns that were listed here today. First, with regard to what Senator Higgins said about the zero-hour contracts, I see what she is saying on that but it is a really good testimony to a Member of this Chamber who, as the then Minister for Social Protection, former Deputy Regina Doherty, banned zero-hour contracts, which was a really...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: As the Senator said, the amendment calls for a report to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas outlining the labour market access available to spouses of employment permit holders, particularly looking to the gender impact, which is a very important issue to raise. This is especially the case for economic migrants working in vital roles in our health and social care sectors in...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: It is, legislatively.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: I appreciate the Senator's outlining her concerns regarding workers' rights. I am not in a position to accept this amendment because it seeks a report reviewing the terms, conditions and remunerations afforded to employment holders to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas. As I outlined on Committee Stage, conducting a review of this type of activity will be administratively highly...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The number of permits annually is 66,000. The reality is, therefore, that it would absolutely be onerous for us to be have to carry out inspections and checks in each individual case.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: I appreciate that, but the only way to identify patterns is to analyse it. Sixty-six thousand is a huge volume. Monitoring those cases would be a significant body of work for my Department to undertake. In the context of the joint labour committees and the idea of raising the bar on a sector-by-sector basis, I fully appreciate this. Earlier today, I signed an order for new pay rates for...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank Senator Higgins for bringing forward this proposed amendment. We discussed this issue on Committee Stage and, as a result, I have now instructed my officials to implement a proposal around referencing the right to join a union in the employment rights information already provided to employment permit holders. I thank those Senators who engaged with me in recent weeks in relation to...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The amendment seeks to delete Chapter 3 of the Bill, which include sections 10 and 11 which deal with approved seasonal employers. Section 10 provides for the application procedures for employers who wish to become approved seasonal employers. Section 11 provides ministerial power to consider an application from an employer to become an approved seasonal employer and outlines the reasons...

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...

Business Support Package: Statements (Resumed) (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank all Deputies for this useful discussion on the recent set of measures agreed to reduce costs for small and medium businesses. I would like to begin by reiterating the point made earlier by the Minister that small and medium businesses are vital to the success of the Irish economy. As someone with a business background, I understand the importance of supporting small businesses and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Work Permits (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: Ireland operates a managed employment permits system which maximises the benefits of economic migration and minimises disruption to Ireland’s labour market. The State's employment permit system is designed to supplement Ireland's skills and labour supply over the short to medium term by allowing enterprises to recruit nationals from outside the European Economic Area, EEA, where such...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Work Permits (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: In the past year, following a review, my Department has implemented changes to the critical skills occupation list, ineligible list of occupants and current salary thresholds for both the general employment permits and the critical skills employment permits. The employment permit section of my Department is also undertaking a range of activities to improve efficiency. That includes the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Work Permits (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Deputy is right. Competitiveness is a key issue here. It is important from a business perspective and, in the context of the labour market, it is important that we are paying competitive rates to employees. The Deputy will be aware that one of the things we are piloting is a new seasonal employment permit. That pilot programme was announced and will be happening and we will look at...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Rights (23 May 2024)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Deputy. Her suggestion of supporting workers and businesses at the same time is actually something we are already doing in this Government. Only last week, the Minister, Peter Burke, and our team announced additional measures to support businesses, and under this Government, we placed significant emphasis on workers' rights. We put sick pay on a statutory footing for the first...