Results 2,341-2,360 of 8,211 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 17: In page 19, line 17, after “change” to insert “and environmental considerations”.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is my fault. I steered her wrong.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes. Apologies, I had extended the grouping there.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We will come to that issue in a moment. These amendments on the Irish language are important. It is fundamental that we recognise the importance of access to the Irish language and encourage its use by communications media that operate within the State. That is part of that same principle of the positive role underpinning the audiovisual act, which is not just about protection but also...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome this set of amendments. There are two issues here, namely, the media literacy issue and the question of the wider reach that is being proposed. When we look at it solely through the educational lens, we are perhaps thinking of the educational skills space but we are leaving aside the fact that this online media permeates every single aspect of society and that everybody needs to...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: While I am glad that a reference is being made to gambling in the legislation, which was a major concern for us and for Senator Wall, who is not here but pressed this issue, I have concerns. The Minister might address this in her response. While the Department of Justice has a role relating to gambling, I think the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has a role...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Regardless of who it comes from?

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Okay. that is fine.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 40: In page 22, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “(2A) Of the members of the Commission, one or more of them shall be designated by the Minister as the Commissioner(s) with responsibility for Online Safety, to be known as the Online Safety Commissioner(s), who shall oversee the regulatory framework for online safety, including, inter...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 41: In page 22, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “(3A) In performing their functions under subsection (3), the Public Appointments Service and the Minister shall seek to ensure that the Commission has an appropriate balance of knowledge of, and expertise in, the following: (a) arts and culture; (b) data protection and digital...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These amendments seek to address two sets of concern. One related to membership of the commission, a set of measures to ensure there would be a diversity in the membership which represented the diversity in society. The other concerns were that there would be appropriate skills and an appropriate balance of those skills among those constituting the commission. We highlighted a third issue...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 42 does not set the bar as a hard requirement but rather "endeavour to ensure". There are a number of ways that could be addressed that would not require the advertisement of a position solely to men or women. An endeavour might apply in a situation where there might have been a majority of members of the commission who were of one gender that the Public Appointments Service...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 42: In page 22, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “(3A) Where recommending to the Minister persons for appointment as members of the Commission, the Service shall endeavour to ensure that among the membership of the Commission there is an equitable balance between men and women.”.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief in welcoming the Minister's acceptance of what was a constructive point. The words "effective", "efficient" and "economical" are all doing very different work and bring different considerations to bear. The word "effective" is probably one of the most important. I am really happy that it has been inserted. I thank the Minister for taking that point on board in good...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for taking on board. It is appropriate in terms of amendment No. 62 that such agreements would go before the joint committee. I particularly welcome amendment No. 60, which strengthens our proposal in that we had looked to the strategy being laid before a specific committee. Under the Minister's proposal, it may be laid before such committees. Again, it may be the...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 63: In page 38, line 3, after "data" to insert ", where necessary and proportionate,".

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 63 relates to the transferring of data to other bodies. It tries to underscore and specifically reference the necessity and proportionality requirement, which is a key principle of the general data protection regulation, GDPR. The GDPR is referenced elsewhere, but with this amendment I am trying to underscore that in the context of the transfer of data to other bodies. Again,...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 73: In page 42, to delete lines 18 to 23. Amendment No. 73 seeks to delete the lines in the Bill which would exempt members of the commission, or those contracted by the commission, from having to make a disclosure of conflict of interest where it relates to the granting of a contract of service or a contract of employment. Is this amendment grouped?

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This amendment arises in respect of the work of the commission, because there is likely to be some work which will be quite specialised. For example, we know that certain online practices, even the use of recommender systems and so forth, may be required to be regulated. As this is a fast-moving area, there may well be a contract of service where the experts who are hired by the commission...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I appreciate that it may need more nuance as an area but I believe it is one that merits some further examination as the Bill proceeds to the Dáil. I will not be pressing this amendment at this time.