Results 4,641-4,660 of 8,482 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My amendment No. 38 is grouped with this. I urge the Minister to consider engaging with this amendment on Report Stage. We have mentioned, and I welcome, the fact that he has increased the range of power from the Circuit Court to the High Court in respect of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. However, while compliance and the consequence for non-compliance, which is the Irish...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I recognise those points but I still believe that there is a need for a stronger provision because, unfortunately, compliance orders are not always complied with. This is a fact, so I am concerned in that regard. I recognise and welcome the provisions relating to the High Court and, in particular, those relating to the employee being able to initiate action. These are really strong...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 38: In page 9, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: "(4) The Minister may set out in regulation such financial or other penalties as are deemed appropriate where a concerned person does not comply with a compliance order issued under section 85B within 12 months of the date of such a compliance order.". I will withdraw my amendment and submit a new...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will make the very simple point. Given that this Bill will probably return very briefly to the Dáil simply to confirm the acceptance of this amendment, there is no reason, in terms of timeliness or whatever, not to consider including some short and, in particular, non-controversial amendments. I would even look to some of those relating to the use of the terms "may" and "shall" or...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Senator Bacik previously indicated to the acting Clerk of the Seanad that I would move amendment No. 40 on her behalf.

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 40: In page 11, line 7, after "request." to insert "This subsection is without prejudice to the entitlement of the Commission to exercise its powers under this section in any such case of its own motion.". This amendment makes it clear that such other powers to act in respect of this section do not impinge on the entitlement of IHREC to exercise its powers or move any...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister and his confirmation will be welcomed by Senator Bacik. I will withdraw the amendment but wish to advise that it may be reintroduced on Report Stage.

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 42: In page 11, line 9, after “review” to insert “to be published”. My amendments relate to a review. This is a simple matter but basically I want to ensure that the review will be published. The review clause currently simply says, "The Minister shall cause a review of the functioning of the amendments made", but it does not commit to...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am not giving up on them.

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 43: In page 11, line 10, to delete "4th anniversary" and substitute "3rd anniversary". For reasons of consistency, I will press the amendment.

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 44: In page 11, line 11, after "section" to insert "and shall review the same not less than every three years subsequently".

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 45: In page 11, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: "Report 7.The Minister shall, within three years of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining a sectoral analysis with respect to the information published under section 2 and further recommendations based upon such analysis in terms of reducing the gender...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 46: In page 11, to delete lines 19 to 22 and substitute the following: "(1) This Act shall come into operation three months after it has been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas or a prior date which the Minister may appoint by order.".

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister indicated his wish for speedy passage and implementation of the Bill. In that context, I am happy to withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 1: In page 8, line 3, after “sale” to insert the following: “, which for the avoidance of doubt, is a dwelling for which no contribution shall be required from a local authority or State body”.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be withdrawing amendment No. 1. It is one of my previous drafts from Committee Stage. My preference is to focus on amendments Nos. 10 and 11. This relates to a key concern I have. It was one of the last points we discussed before the Bill was guillotined on Committee Stage. My concern is that the Bill, as drafted, could be construed as suggesting, in respect of Part 5 affordable...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for walking us through the different elements of the matter. While the contribution is to the purchaser, under section 12(2), it is still defined as an amount. I realise that the later section on affordable housing and equity share makes it clear that the key use of that amount will be for calculating the share but it might be useful, in a belt and braces approach, to...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 2: In page 8, line 16, after “arrangements” to insert “, public-public partnership and not-for-profit arrangements”.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With amendment No. 2, I am suggesting that we include public-public partnerships in the different kinds of arrangements that might be made. These may be partnerships between a housing authority and a State body or another public body, or, in some cases, they may be partnerships between different public bodies such as two local authorities or housing authorities developing something in...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister. I will watch the Dáil with interest. As the State rebuilds its housing capacity and knowledge, one of the public partners used may be a housing authority. The Minister mentioned partners. Many of the partners we have discussed have housing as their main focus and they will become partners for a housing authority or something else. However, there is scope...