Results 341-360 of 431 for speaker:Lorraine Higgins

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Mar 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I wish to raise an issue to do with applying legislative time limits to decisions by An Bord Pleanála in order to expedite the planning process. Apple's investment in Athenry, County Galway, is a fantastic news story and it is one that I, as an Athenry native, am thrilled with. However, I am concerned that the current planning process could end up delaying the development due to the...

Seanad: Succession (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Mar 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I commend Senator Quinn on his work and dedication in bringing this Bill forward. The current legal scenario, as we have seen in numerous cases, has the potential to compound the difficulties of family members mired in already tragic situations. That someone convicted of murder should possibly benefit from the joint tenancy shared with the person whose life was taken is terribly unjust....

Seanad: Order of Business (31 Mar 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I call for a debate on the Tús and rural social schemes. There are moves afoot to amalgamate the schemes which, I respectfully suggest, are incompatible. The rural social scheme is for small farmers and helps to supplement the incomes of a few thousand, whereas the Tús scheme is a job activation measure. To corroborate my assertion, I have been advised that at least one community...

Seanad: Order of Business (31 Mar 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: Some 2,096 people, 81%, including 156 farmers, are in the constituency in which I live, Galway East; we must, therefore, be particularly cautious in implementing policies designed for implementation in the east but which do not fit in the west. On that basis, I call for a debate on the issue at the earliest convenience.

Seanad: Order of Business (31 Mar 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: Confucius agrees.

Seanad: Order of Business (31 Mar 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: And the west.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the news yesterday that the Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O'Sullivan, speaking at the annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, said that an investigation is under way into the intimidation and harassment on social media of members of the public and gardaí. This is brilliant news for many adults and children the length and breadth of the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Third Level Staff (15 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I am raising the approach of the National University of Ireland Galway, NUIG, to gender among its academic ranks. The Minister of State may be aware that in December 2014, an NUIG academic, Dr. Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, won an Equality Tribunal case against the university for discrimination on the basis of gender in the 2009 round of promotions to senior lecturer. Dr. Sheehy Skeffington...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Third Level Staff (15 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for his answer. It is important that we acknowledge the shortcomings of this task force, in particular issues regarding transparency, as I outlined earlier, the independence of the body and assurances to the academics regarding their confidentiality. It is imperative that the students and also members of academia have confidence in this task force. To move this matter...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Third Level Staff (15 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 13 be taken before No. 1 today.

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: First Stage (22 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to protect against and mitigate harm caused to individuals by all or any digital communications and to provide such individuals with a means of redress for any such offending behaviours directed at them.

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: First Stage (22 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: This is an urgent matter. Scoil Éanna, Bullaun, Loughrea, County Galway is in crisis. The people of Bullaun are desperate for, and have been promised, a new school. It is astonishing to me that, given the severity of their situation, pupils and teachers are forced to endure this entirely unsuitable and highly dangerous situation nine years after being promised a new building. Scoil...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his response in which he mentioned demographics. This school has gone from having 39 pupils in 2000 to 187 pupils 2014 which is a sizeable increase. The building in which pupils are being taught and in which teachers are forced to teach is wholly unsuitable. However, I welcome the fact the project will be progressed into the architectural planning process...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Amalgamation (29 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I wish to raise an issue regarding the funding policy pursued by the Department when it comes to the amalgamation of DEIS schools with non-DEIS schools. I recently visited a secondary school in my constituency in County Galway, which was originally a regular school but which amalgamated with a DEIS school. As soon as this new entity was established, and despite the fact that all these new...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Amalgamation (29 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for his response. I welcome it and think that something proactive is being undertaken by the Department. It is important that special consideration is given to what I see as unfair situations with regard to DEIS and non-DEIS schools that have amalgamated and the withdrawal of particular funding streams that would have a significant impact on the lives of children from...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Cyberbullying Issues (7 May 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I raise this matter on the Commencement of the House today to call for the creation of a single body to lead the charge against cyberbullying, work on awareness and establish an educational campaign on the issue. Currently, eight Government bodies are involved in tackling the issue of cyberbullying, including the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Justice and Equality, the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Cyberbullying Issues (7 May 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for his response. I accept that cyberbullying issues will always straddle various Departments. However, I am suggesting having one dedicated task force. While enacting law in the area is one thing, it is essential to have awareness and education. I recently spoke to a number of teenagers at an event. They did not have a clue as to whether they were cyberbullying and...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 May 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I am calling for a debate on zero-hours contracts because I believe it is an important issue affecting vast numbers of people. There has been a substantial growth in these kinds of contracts in Ireland in recent years. It is difficult to quantify exactly how many people are affected because people on these contracts do not even know they are on them. The contracts themselves cover a range...