Results 4,281-4,300 of 8,482 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 1: In page 47, line 37, to delete "prepared."." and substitute the following: "prepared. (4) The Minister shall, in conducting this review, include a consideration of matters relating to financial abuse, including any measures which may be required in relation to the prevention of or safeguarding against such abuse.".". As the Minister of State will be aware, I am...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We will engage on adult safeguarding in the autumn, an issue that needs to be progressed. As well as the review and the body of evidence, we will need legislation on that. Financial abuse is highlighted in the amendment because it is setting in place a different financial mechanism for successors and capping. Safeguarding with nursing homes, as was mentioned, is a key issue, as is...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 2: In page 59, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “Report 33. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas making further recommendations in relation to the financial assessment of persons applying for financial support in respect of long-term residential care services or such...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for indicating that she will talk to the HSE. We will return to the issue of statutory entitlement to home care in the next amendment. I helped to run the Make Home Work campaign seven years ago. Change in this regard has been a long time coming and I hope it happens soon. It is in the programme for Government. We will come to that point in a moment. Another aspect...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I withdraw the amendment and I look forward to further engagement on this matter.

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 3: In page 59, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “Report 33.The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas in respect of situations where a person applies for financial support to be made available to them in relation to residential care services and where that person...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I was happy to support all of the early sections we flew through because I support the Bill. It is doing something important. Addressing the question of the three-year cap is really constructive and the amendments on a house being sold are positive also. There are many very good measures in the Bill. This is not challenging those measures. It is addressing a scenario. I am highlighting...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I commend the Minister of State on the dementia hours she has secured because I know it is something that she and former Senator Kelleher campaigned for in the last Oireachtas. I also commend the former Government Senator, Deputy Colm Burke. The regulation of home care legislation he put forward as a back bencher, and which I strongly supported, was important and good legislation. I urge...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 4: In page 59, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “Report 33. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining any trends or impacts identified in relation to the Scheme in terms of its intersection with the implementation of Directive 2010/41/EU of the European...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will push back a little bit on this. I am constructive and reasonable. Let us be clear: nothing I am putting in this amendment counteracts what the Minister of State is doing or undermines it. We should remember that legislation is legislation. Legislation does not just belong to the Government. It is not just what the Government would like to be discussed. Legislation is what others...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am referring to social protection contributions in respect of another person. That is why I mentioned that directive. I am referring to social protection contributions in terms of a person, a family member or a spouse assisting the person concerned. That is the missing piece of the puzzle. I hope we are able to tackle it; perhaps in the social welfare Bill when it comes before us in the...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: No. I will withdraw it.

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 5: In page 59, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “Report 33. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining any provisions, procedures or measures implemented in respect of pay related social insurance contributions made for spouses on farms where a farm is being...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am very relieved to hear what the Minister of State said about the Succession Act. It is perhaps unhelpful that it is the same term, but it is a matter to be teased out. I would appreciate if she could provide me with a note on successors and the Succession Act. It would be useful and reassuring to people. In the context of those inheritance issues, the recognition of the role of...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 6: In page 59, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “Report 33.The Minister shall, in any review of the Scheme or the operations of this Act or the Principal Act, include an analysis of the impact of the amendments of this Act and a review and recommendations in respect of social protection entitlements of family members of the person who has...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Well done to the Minister of State. I commend her on the Bill. I know from the previous Oireachtas the real care she brings and the work she has done for those who are most vulnerable, their families and those around them. This is a very positive Bill and a very positive step forward. I commend her on that and look forward to engaging further on the issues we highlighted. I think the...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I indicate my strong support for Senator Boyhan's amendment. It is a good reminder and comes at a crucial point. It would anchor the purposes of the Bill and recognise the essential involvement and contribution of members of local authorities. It is an appropriate place for this strong amendment. The Minister will be aware that I tabled amendments on Committee Stage which I have not...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 3: In page 12, to delete lines 19 to 21 and substitute the following: “(2) Not later than 31 October 2022 and every year thereafter, the Agency shall furnish a report to the Minister, to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas, regarding progress made by the Agency and subsidiary DACs towards achieving the purposes of this Act, which shall include but not...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Questions came from members of the Government regarding the review. My amendments concern the review and are intended to try to strengthen it. This amendment asks that "Not later than 31 October 2022" a report be provided breaking down the numbers of social, cost rental and affordable houses in each local authority area. We hear social and affordable housing being bundled together...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The key is that when the land is gone, it is gone.