Results 2,861-2,880 of 8,445 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This session has focused on care and social protection. The points Ms Daly made are very relevant to the recommendations of the citizens' assembly on violence against women. We will incorporate those important points. I was struck by the request for ongoing training of persons working in the Department of Social Protection. It sounds like the same training is also needed in the health...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Perhaps Ms Phelan could answer some of my questions on social protection when she is answering Deputy Clarke

Seanad: Annual Transition Statement: Statements (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have to join with the points made by Senator Ó Donnghaile about regretting that we have not been having these transition statements in the way we should have done over the last few years. I was in the last Oireachtas and we had them at that point. There are two aspects of regret. It has been an opportunity missed by the Government in forwarding the climate debate to have these...

Seanad: Annual Transition Statement: Statements (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Performance Report: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have a few initial questions, with the first one on procurement, which I have been considering. I might come back in later as I am going through the hard copy of the full report. I have produced legislation and engaged with officials in the Department on quality public procurement. The use of price quality approaches means that rather than going with the lowest price that meets the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Performance Report: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is demolition included?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Performance Report: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Before Ms O'Loughlin responds on the equality issue, I have a quick follow-up question on the cost-benefit aspect. In the climate committee's report on transport, one of the issues we identified was the concern that the cost-benefit approach used on major transport and other projects did not really give a weighting to the idea of induced impact. It was very much based on a demand-centred...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Performance Report: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have a quick follow-up to that. I should mention that I am also a member of the Joint Committee on Gender Equality. I know that we will be talking about gender mainstreaming and equality. We might look at the very good individual projects that are listed on pages 115 to 117, many of which specifically relate to supporting equality in the context of certain targeted groups Ms O'Loughlin...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Performance Report: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank Mr. Hearne. My final question is on that because that is exactly what we hope will happen; that it will become a different kind of approach. Ultimately, I focused on budget really although as Mr. Hearne said, this is around public service performance in that sense. This question is about public service performance - I know I mentioned procurement so this is not necessarily around...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Performance Report: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The point on outcomes versus output is important. I will give an example, although it is not in the remit of this committee, from the area of home care. There is a concern that much is contracted out and the outputs can become X units of dinners made and X hours, whereas the outcomes in terms of qualitative outcomes for persons receiving care are crucial. In the end the money is part of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Performance Report: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would say that pensions is the issue I would choose for this committee. I ask the witnesses to have a look at private pension tax relief from an equality perspective. I will leave it at that. The Vice Chairman has been very indulgent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Performance Report: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On Enterprise Ireland, there was quite a high estimate of the potential sales from client companies, but I noticed that figure was not available. Are there areas such as that where we are giving a public input into Departments, especially Enterprise, Trade and Employment, but for commercial sensitivities we are not getting to see either the outputs or outcomes? Building on the discussion...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Performance Report: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Okay. Across Europe, there has been this realisation. It is why the recovery and resilience fund is framed in a slightly different way. I regret that last decade, however, because I feel that we could have done many things better in that period. I thank the witnesses for answering my questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Service Performance Report: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (22 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the witnesses.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Section 17 amends section 177L of the principal Act to reflect the repeal of section 177D, which relates to applications for leave. Section 177D, which is being repealed by section 21 of the Bill, which I will be opposing, provides for the decision of the board not to grant substitute consent. In its submission to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Section 18 amends section 177M of the principal Act to reflect the repeal of section 117D, which relates to application for leave, amends the reference to section 261A and channels applications to 177E, which has been amended. A key element in this section is the deletion of the phrase "in a case where it granted leave to apply for substitute consent on the grounds that exceptional...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to speak on section 19. The section amends section 177N of the principal Act and deletes the phrase "for leave to apply for substitute consent" throughout. Section 177N provides for the powers of the Minister to make regulations regarding substitute consent. This section will remove the powers of the Minister to make regulations in respect of leave to apply for substitute consent....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 12: In page 13, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: "Threshold for substitute consent 21. The provisions of this Act including the right to apply for substitute consent shall not be applicable in respect of projects which have an estimated commercial value of greater than €5,480,000.". Amendment No. 12 would insert a new section into the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I note that the Minister of State has not addressed my point on the additional applications. Perhaps he might expand on that, given as I say that this not an arbitrary threshold. This threshold is recognised in the EU in procurement laws and others as major works. Does the Minister of State feel that it is appropriate or acceptable for a project or a proposed development of more than...