Results 2,941-2,960 of 8,212 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 3: In page 7, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following: “Support for Public Services and Public Infrastructure 12. The Minister shall, within three months of the passing of this Act, lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas, a report outlining how Ireland will seek to use the Fund alongside the EU Covid-19 Recovery Fund to support investment in...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank Senator Gavan for his support and I thank the Minister of State for his recognition of the importance of the points made. If he is not taking them on board, I hope he might be able to make a commitment on reporting. It is one thing to say that concerns will be taken on board in the budget, but it is another to say what I propose. Our second concern - it is an overriding concern -...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have a specific question. I appreciate the point about the private affairs of each company, and that is not what we would look for detail on. In the report the Minster of State has already committed to doing, can I confirm that will include the main objectives that are listed for the fund? I mentioned the ones I like, but there are lots of other objectives that Members will like, such as...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In that context, I would be happy to withdraw the amendment to facilitate speedier passing of the Bill.

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Cathaoirleach for offering me the opportunity to speak on it but I am hoping that elements of it might be reflected in this report that we are looking forward to receiving.

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Second Stage (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister to the House. From his perspective, the primary purpose of this Bill is the establishment of the climate action fund. Like everyone else, we welcome the establishment of a climate action fund. However, there is much within that and during the debate in the other House, much of the focus was on what it might fund and the scope and parameters the Minister effectively...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: “and (c) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (5): “(6) The Agency, in the performance of its functions and powers under this section, shall be cognisant of the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act 2018 and Irish and EU climate targets. A regular report on actions or...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am not proposing to give the energy policy remit to the agency; I am trying just to ensure coherence. While we have talked about the State, the powers extend to actions in the State or elsewhere, and in international meetings they relate to wider oil stocks. This is very important. We should absolutely be divesting, but we have seen that Japan, for example, divested at home but then was...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 4: In page 6, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 14 of Principal Act 6.Section 14 of the Principal Act is amended— (a) in subsection (3), by the insertion of the following after paragraph (f): “(g) sustainable energy or climate science.”, and (b) in subsection (8), by the substitution of...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank Senator Ward for his comments. They are very reasonable proposals. I recognise that the Government parties might not be able to support this amendment today, but the Minister should consider the constructive proposals Senator Ward has put forward. We should not be waiting for ten or 20 years. The Minister knows he has four or five years in government ahead of him and we should...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 6: In page 12, line 16, after “year.” to insert the following: “Where the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform declines consent for monies from a source other than the Houses of the Oireachtas to enter the Climate Action Fund, a rationale for such a decision should be published and laid before both Houses.”. I was glad to hear the...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Can the Minister assure me that he does not see the requirement for consent from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform as likely to limit his ambition in seeking revenues for this fund in any way?

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister. In that context, I will withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 7: In page 12, line 38, after “economy” to insert “and society”. We have spoken about the competitive process. I accept that the Minister has said it will not always be a competitive process. That is appropriate because there are actions in some specific areas that simply need to be taken, for example, in the midlands. Shannon is an area...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is interesting that the Minister has mentioned the environmental projects. Care work might not be profitable, but it is important. Ecological care as well as social care are very good examples of things in which the State might wish to invest in a community in transition. Our national parks and monuments could be subjects of community resilience. Given the focus on community resilience...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am very glad that such a mechanism is there. I think it will be very important. Not everything always benefits from a competitive process. At times a collaborative process is a more useful approach. In other aspects of community development, competitive tendering has on occasion led to a loss of a sense of empowerment whereby funding needed to be given to projects from the ground up....

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 9: In page 16, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: “Amendment of Principal Act - Report on levy 28. The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following after section 64: “Report on levy 64A. Within 24 Months of the passing of the National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Act 2020 the...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I very much welcome the Minister's commitment to bring these issues to the tax commission because that is important. There are many issues I would like to bring to the tax commission and I am aware that the tax commission review will be large and will deal with many issues. I am glad that the Minister intends to bring these issues to the tax commission and I hope that some of the points I...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 10: In page 16, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: “Amendment of Principal Act - Report on palm oil 28.The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following after section 67: “Report on palm oil 67A.Within 12 months of the passing of the National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Act 2020...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am very glad to hear the Minister is considering a strong interpretation of the directive. Of course the directive should not set the ceiling but should be the start of what we want in our ambition. I certainly agree that 2030 is far too late to wait and it will be a major issue next year. We really need to be looking for this exit and I hope we see it in the lifetime of the Government...