Results 3,601-3,620 of 8,482 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

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...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: The work you have done in recognising what language means, what it can do and how it can be a measure of connection in communities is so important. That is also important in this House because one of the themes of our centenary is minority voices. The Seanad has a record in minority voices, both in terms of voices from unionist traditions and minority voices championing the language. That...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: As most Members of the House will know, I am a big advocate of fairly massive change in order that we deal with the climate crisis. I believe we have a few years of very significant change ahead of us. We will see sectors that will end or change. How we do it really matters. That is where it is about finding the commonality that is coming through, the idea of just transition, and what we...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for his constructive engagement. He is right, there are parts of this that it is not appropriate for us to be involved in but there are also parts where our involvement, as legislators, is appropriate. Given that our job in this House is to provide the Minister with legislation, including legislation that gives him the power to make regulations, it is important that we...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is it possible to do this in the legislation?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: As someone who has had the honour of being on the walls of the National Gallery of Ireland as part of a temporary exhibition and as somebody who cares a lot about procurement, I join Senator Warfield in pointing out that there are other options. There is space within procurement law. It is not the case that EU procurement law requires us to give contracts to all. We can, in fact, include...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion (2 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Civil Engagement Group usually brings forward legislation and not motions. We chose to bring a motion forward because we realised we were coming again and again to the issue of housing through many different pieces of legislation and policy debates. It has been a core concern for everyone in Ireland and for our group, particularly those who are most marginalised within the discussions...