Results 21-40 of 1,156,067 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Holly Cairns OR speaker:Mary Lou McDonald OR speaker:Michael McNamara OR speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick OR speaker:Ciarán Cannon OR speaker:John Brady OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:Eoin Ó Broin OR speaker:Frank Feighan OR speaker:Mairead Farrell OR speaker:Jennifer Carroll MacNeill OR speaker:Emer Higgins OR speaker:Duncan Smith OR speaker:Patricia Ryan OR speaker:Pa Daly OR speaker:Pauline Tully OR speaker:Pippa Hackett OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh OR speaker:Mark Ward OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh00 OR speaker:Brendan Smith OR speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Kieran O'Donnell OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh16 OR speaker:Catherine Connolly OR speaker:Marc MacSharry OR speaker:Brendan Griffin OR speaker:Jim O'Callaghan OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh24 OR speaker:Colm Brophy OR speaker:Gino Kenny OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Louise O'Reilly OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh29 OR speaker:Simon Harris OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:Chris Andrews OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh25) in 'Committee meetings'

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 reason for that is it is in areas in which we do not have expertise; for example, in AI and where we want to make sure we are getting the best advice and the best expertise in the development of our offshore wind strategy.

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

Louise O'Reilly: On that, we have had hearings on AI and you would nearly terrify yourself. I understand AI moves very fast, etc. Is there work under way in the Department to skill people up? This is not an area I suspect will be a flash in the pan. I do not think this is a passing fad. I suspect this is something for the future.

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 agree with the Deputy. It is certainly not going to be a flash in the pan. This is something we have to prepare for, both as a Department and a Government and also as an economy and a society. We have a dedicated unit within Enterprise Ireland that is doing exactly that. It is providing upskilling and investing in it for that exact reason.

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

Louise O'Reilly: How does that work then in terms of that 39% increase in spending? Is that going to EI or is that expertise coming from somewhere else?

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

Emer Higgins: It is also coming from within our Department as well. We are also doing it within the Department. We have worked with the Department of Finance to produce a report on AI and that was also part of what the consultancy fees are for.

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

Louise O'Reilly: I do not want to be peppering the Minister of State with questions here. Could we get a breakdown of where that spend is? It would probably be helpful in written form, if that was okay.

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

Emer Higgins: That is no problem at all. We will provide that.

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

Louise O'Reilly: There is a €258,000 PIRB increased pension liability. It used to be PIAB. I always forget what the R is for. Does that relate to a number of pensions or just one pension? What is the situation there?

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

Emer Higgins: That is purely pensions. The Department does not pay the staff itself but we pay the pensions and obviously with the public service pay agreement there has been adjustments.

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

Louise O'Reilly: That is just what it is. It is just that adjustment.

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.

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

Louise O'Reilly: My final question relates to the disruptive technologies and innovation fund. I understand from the Minister of State's contribution that there are a number of reasons why almost a quarter of that money was not used. Is there a concern there? I can see the reasons why but given that it is a fund that should be oversubscribed, is there any concern? Has the Department undertaken any...

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

Emer Higgins: Call number seven on this was announced as a rolling call. That means applications can come in at any stage up until the closing date of April of next year. We did that for the reason of developing a pipeline of applications that would allow companies more time to meet with possible partners to explore the potential for submitting projects. There is a lot of work involved in this from...

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

Louise O'Reilly: That is all my questions. I thank the Minister of State.

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, especially for his positive remarks on the assistance that the Government and the Department provided to his constituents in Midleton, and to SMEs throughout the country, this year. I thank him for his leadership and vision on the shared island enterprise scheme. It is working very well. I am very glad we are seeking additional funding for it. It is very interesting...

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

Emer Higgins: We are keen for it to start quickly. We are still waiting to hear back from the Department of Justice about how quickly we will be able to collaborate with it on that.

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...