Emer Higgins

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: “Dail Eireann resolves that the Transparency and Social Value in Public Procurement (Bill 2024) be read a second time this day 24 months, to allow for consideration of the complex legal issues in the Bill and how they interact with the Companies Act 2014 and the EU’s eForms (electronic procurement notices) Imp…

I thank Deputies for their engagement on the Bill and in particular Deputy Farrell who worked on it. It has been useful to have the opportunity to discuss public procurement on the floor of the Dáil, important considerations for it and how the Government can ensure better services for the people who come here to live and work and who are born and live here. It is important that we make sure that p…

I thank all Members in the House for what was a really interesting discussion on this really important issue. Like my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, I am pleased the Government has not opposed this motion. The Dáil’s engagement on diaspora matters is always welcome and it was really positive to have such good engagement today. Every day, we see the value of the sustained investm…

I thank both Deputies for raising this cross-party Topical Issue which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. I thank them for raising this issue. I was in Limerick city only earlier this week with Senator Maria Byrne and the issue of crime was raised with me by Limerick Chamber of Commerce. Like all decent citizens, I strongly condemn gangland criminality and, in particular, …

I thank the Deputies for raising all of those issues. Regarding the joint policing committees - I too sat on my JPC - as the Deputies will be aware, they are being replaced by the LCSPs. We will get further information on that-----

-----but that is the latest information we have in relation to that. Deputy Quinlivan raised community gardaí and the need to invest in them. I absolutely hear him and will certainly bring that back to the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, on whose behalf I am taking this Topical Issue. At the end of April this year, there were 585 Garda members of all ranks assigned to the Limerick division. I am to…

According to the figures that have been provided to me by the Department of Justice, there was a 6% increase in the ten years previous to 2025. In addition to the specific measures I mentioned which are taking place in Limerick - I have gone through the different Garda operations - a number of key actions have been taken as part of our plan to tackle organised crime and the crime groups behind tho…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue and for sharing her own experience. It is really important that we, as female parliamentarians, share our experience. It is inspiring for others who may follow in her footsteps that the Deputy has done so. The challenge of providing accessible childcare is very much real. The Deputy outlined the issues many of her constituents face. Many of my c…

I thank the Deputy and her colleague for the work they are doing on this issue. The Government is committed to building an affordable, high-quality and accessible early learning and childcare system. I will take her recommendation for a cross-party committee to the Minister, Deputy Foley. The programme for Government commits, for the first time ever, to provide capital investment to build or purc…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is raised with many of us in this House by principals up and down the country whose jobs are constantly evolving and constantly getting more challenging. I really appreciate the Deputy raising this here today. The role of schools within communities is crucial and the Minister for Education and Youth, on whose behalf I am taking this Topical Issue, …

I thank the Deputy for sharing her own experience, which is so relevant. Ultimately, the existing models of leadership and governance in our schools place a burden on school principals as well as boards of management and the sector as a whole. It is a very difficult balance to strike to get the appropriate level of checks and balances which are critical for both our students and the industry and t…

The Government data centre initiative is led by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, OGCIO, a division within my Department. It is an action item in the Government’s public service ICT strategy and aims to deliver and centrally support ICT as a shared service rather than have common technical solutions in each public sector body. The Government data centre project will deliver h…

I thank the Deputies for their comments. The new Government data centre will provide secure but also green operations that will future-proof the reliable delivery of essential digital services. The intention is to operate a hybrid model utilising a Government data centre that combines Government and commercial cloud technology in an optimised way. That is part of the Government's wider digital str…

Yes, and that is something Government is examining in detail. We need to make sure we invest in our digital infrastructure but that we do so in a way that balances our environmental commitments and obligations. We are working very hard to strike the right balance.

Every time we speak in this Chamber about Palestine the situation is worse, but it is still important to speak about it in this Chamber, in our national Parliament, because that is a privilege people whose voices are being silenced do not have. Some 14,000 babies in Gaza are at risk of dying if humanitarian aid continues to be blocked. These are innocent, helpless lives, yet there is still no brea…

Every year on 9 May we celebrate Europe Day. It is an occasion which is more than just history. It is a celebration of peace, partnership and progress. The European Union, whose membership has supported a remarkable economic and social transformation in Ireland, is, at its heart, a peace project. It was founded on the simple but powerful idea that countries can achieve more by working together, so…

I thank Deputy Farrell. The programme for Government includes a commitment to review the public procurement process to make it more transparent and to encourage greater participation by SMEs and other entities the Deputy has just spoken about. Working towards this aim and in the interests of setting out the strategic direction of public procurement for the next five years, my Department is develop…

I have not seen the Deputy’s Bill.

I am absolutely happy to look at it and to sit down with the Deputy to discuss it. Data collection is a key issue of concern for me. I have tasked the Office of Government Procurement to look at how we can better collect those data. Looking right across the spectrum, from SMEs to social enterprises, it is important to consider how much is being tendered versus how much is actually used at the end…

I am happy to speak to it about that matter. It is worth noting that the feedback I have been getting is that local authorities often source locally. That is really positive. We need to ensure that this is baked into our frameworks going forward to make sure we are being socially aware and that transparency, value for money and efficiency are top priorities for all procurement, whether that is in …

I thank the Deputies for the opportunity to discuss efforts to divert young people from criminal offences and criminal activities. This is an issue of fundamental importance. It is very clear from the contributions both today and yesterday that this issue moves and impassions many Deputies across the House. All of us will agree that we must continue to provide opportunities for young people to con…

I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for local government who would like to thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. It is a shame he was not here because were he here he could hear the passion with which the Deputy has spoken on behalf of his constituents. I thank him for bringing this important issue to the floor of the Dáil. The Deputy will appreciate that the ope…

I appreciate the Deputy’s frustration about the lack of information from a State body or a body working on the ground. Ultimately, however, there is good news. The upgrade of the existing water treatment plant is a very welcome development for the residents and businesses represented by the Deputy. Uisce Éireann has committed to holding an elected representative briefing to mark this commencement.…

I can hear the Deputy's frustration loud and clear about the fact this issue has gone on for a long time. It has been raised by him, by Deputy McAuliffe and by others in this Chamber on multiple occasions. I am here to take this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education. Quite a lengthy response has been provided, but I will skip to the bit that is going to be of most interest to the Deputy.…

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta. The Government absolutely values the Irish language. We have had a record level of investment in school buildings this year again. This will increase the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact will be felt in communities right across the country, including in th…