Results 3,641-3,660 of 8,468 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is because it is not based on individual need. I apologise that I was not clear. What was I asking was should GP certification be used as an interim measure, given this situation with the primary medical certification? My first question was on this exact point, concerning the replacement of this method with an individual assessment mechanism. Would such an approach be more in line...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On the age issue, I agree with Mr. Deering regarding the employment aspect. My other query concerned people being disqualified at a certain age from the scheme. As I understand it, that was one of the key findings regarding where the motorised transport scheme was in conflict with the Equal Status Acts. Again, the concern here is that this might be a wider issue in respect of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank Mr. Deering. Social protection might be an interesting area to explore in that regard, as I believe some of the same assumptions are still present there, unfortunately.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I was very struck by many aspects of the testimony we heard but particularly the client who was unable to travel. There is the wider issue where no appeals are possible currently because of the inappropriateness of the assessment system. I was also struck that a client in a local Citizens Information Services office lost an appeal because the person was unable to travel the five hours to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Just to follow up, Mr. O'Brien mentioned the emergency needs payment. I was just so struck by that woman who clearly needs support with transport as she could not even fund transport to her appeal. The emergency needs payment is one mechanism. Dr. Lajoie also mentioned the idea of interest-free loans. Will she expand a little on that as an idea? There is that concern Deputy Doherty...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On that, it strikes me that refundable tax credits is another measure that has been talked about before. So many of the schemes we have are delivered through tax reliefs. If people are under a certain threshold, they are not really benefiting from them. My last question concerns an issue I raised with the Ombudsman, namely, the intersection on age and disability. A concern raised in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It strikes me that like the UK, we should look at the Vimes Boots Index. I do not know if the witnesses have been following it. As Mr. O'Brien said, the idea is that there is an extra cost. For example, the good boots might cost €50 and last a lifetime, but everybody is buying €10 boots because they cannot afford that €50. It is the idea of not having capital carrying...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I commend the Cathaoirleach and all of the staff and others who were involved in today's launch of Seanad 100. It is an exciting year ahead and it is interesting to be looking back at the past 100 years. There have been some very strong contributions and inspiration from speeches from former Senator Mary Robinson and the current longest serving Senator, Senator David Norris. I rise to ask...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That it not be taken today or that it not be taken without debate.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Apologies. I ask that it would be postponed to another day, and not taken today.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am open to other suggestions from the Leader.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Formally second my amendment.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes.

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the fact that we are taking action by way of an intervention in terms of electricity. I understand the case the Minister made in that this is a measure he wants to move on speedily and the logic that was presented. I have no doubt it will make a big difference to many households. I would not diminish the impact it may have but I would point out, whatever about the speed that is...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: For clarity-----

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I said the overall retrofitting scheme did not do enough to target those on lower incomes.

Seanad: Report of Joint Committee on the Carbon Budget: Motion (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I see that the Minister is staying. I thank him for doing so. We have all been waiting a long time for the national carbon budgets. Like everybody else, I am very keen to see them implemented and to see a new, harder, firmer structure to our climate ambition. We have a duty, however, to make sure we get the budgets right, and we need to be very clear that getting them right does not delay...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Commission for Regulation of Utilities Strategic Plan: Discussion (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will come to my questions. I reacted quite strongly because I was concerned. The position on data centres has changed but we still do not have that assurance that it will only be on renewable energy as we look at a moratorium. Given that we know that different kinds of data are being processed that may need to be prioritised if we have an energy crunch, what do the witnesses think about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Commission for Regulation of Utilities Strategic Plan: Discussion (15 Feb 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We heard very serious concerns before last summer about the level of potential consumption of energy by data centres. We had a somewhat disappointing discussion about this matter in the autumn. Since then, new guidance has been given, new progress has been made and new measures have been taken, however, I am concerned when we see what is happening in Ennis and in other places. There may be...