Results 3,581-3,600 of 8,468 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In one way it would be lovely for the native Irish pine to get its own recognition and not just to be treated as a subsection of the Scots pine, but I am also pleased that it is covered. There is a valid point that we do not want to see all pines in any of the plantings, and that is the case with the restriction of 25% that is set out in section 9(a)(b). There would not be more than 25%...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It has been a very interesting debate. I was looking back to the CRU’s mandate, which is to protect the public interest in water, energy and energy safety. There is so much talk about the market, market factors, market encouragements and stimulus, that the core role in the public interest and safety seems to kind of perhaps slip away a little bit. At a very fundamental level we know...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ----is very important in terms of coal. On the issue of demand reduction by 2030, it seems like the plan is for demand to continue to increase until 2030 overall. I am not talking about surge management in terms of demand, but in demand reduction overall. On coal, the Cerrejón mine in Colombia we know has huge human rights issues, but it seems that now, as we move away from Russian...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is the CRU applying it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is a public duty on equality and human rights specifically. That is in 2015 legislation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It concerns the public duty on equality and human rights, which is a legislative responsibility.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I had a number of very specific questions for Ms Connolly but perhaps she can answer when she answers Deputy Cronin's questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Ireland can, however, set procurement criteria within the EU procurement legislation that reflect the public duty on equality and human rights.

Seanad: International Women's Day 2022: Statements (9 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Just to follow a brilliant speech from Senator Hoey, I always say it is not about getting to the table, it is about shaping the agenda and changing what is being discussed at the table. However, I think Senator Hoey’s smash-up-the-table-altogether-and-repurpose-it is taking it perhaps the necessary step forward. I think the Minister is hearing that it is about power when we talk...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank Mr. Coyle for his interesting presentation. It is good to see the scale of ambition being talked about again. Reminding ourselves of Ardnacrusha is a good way to start. Some of my questions build on Deputy Bruton's. In Denmark, these new energy islands are a state-led project. They are approximately 51% state-owned. We know, for example, that facilities like Ardnacrusha were huge...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be brief. While we are waiting for that legislation on marine protected areas, MPAs, something we heard a call for is sensitivity mapping, which would allow for better sighting of offshore wind even as the MPA legislation is still moving through.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am a little concerned by what I have heard about the taxonomy, which is about climate tagging. It is not about whether gas or nuclear power exist or are invested in, but whether we are tagging them as climate renewable and sustainable. On their attempted inclusion, the European Investment Bank has said it will not accept it. Many institutional investors of more than €50 trillion,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I just had one more point. I wanted to mention the demand side. On illustrating the demand for green hydrogen by partnering with big companies, it seems we need to have a State level push on green hydrogen. We hear about keeping the lights on, but I am a bit concerned that the strategy for the western seaboard seems to involve large energy users, which I imagine are data centres, being the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The delegated Act, which just covers nuclear energy and natural gas.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister has spoken against them. I do not understand why. It does not tie into any other areas of the taxonomy. It is specifically about natural gas and nuclear energy. I do not understand why Ireland's position is inconsistent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I was referring to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I also asked about the green hydrogen strategy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am happy to get any other answers in writing. I also asked about the issue of partnering with large energy users. How do we ensure that there is local energy security for keeping the lights on if renewable energy is tied very closely to specific customers, such as large energy users? I know that I am out of time, so I am happy to receive a written answer to that question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Just to be clear, we could object to it on the council.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Linda Ervine to mark Seachtain na Gaeilge (3 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh Linda chuig Seanad Éireann inniu agus aitheantas a thabhairt don obair thábhachtach atá ar siúl aici le bunú Turas agus Naíscoil na Seolta. Tá sé léirithe agat gur meán í teanga inar féidir pobal a aontú. Sin mar is féidir dul chun cinn a dhéanamh agus léas a thabhairt...