Results 381-400 of 431 for speaker:Lorraine Higgins

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Natural Gas Grid (30 Jun 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I accept the role of Gaslink in all of this. However, the Government and, in particular, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, have an obligation to fund Gaslink to enable it to expand the network. In regard to Athenry, there is currently a large volume of industry in the region and this is set to increase following the granting of the planning permission for the...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, to the House and thank her most sincerely for taking the Bill this evening. As the Minister can probably appreciate, this means a lot to me because it is an issue I feel strongly about. While much online abuse targeted at teenagers, politicians and so on has been...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I am delighted this issue is now in the political consciousness after a long time in the public consciousness. Before I go into the sections of the Bill I would like to thank my Seanad colleagues, Senators Ivana Bacik and John Whelan, for supporting my endeavours and for signing the Bill which I will now explain to the House. As previously stated, the purpose of the Bill is to protect...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank colleagues for their mostly constructive and positive contributions to this debate. I thank the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, and the Minister of State, Deputy Gerald Nash, the Fine Gael group, Fianna Fáil group and my Labour Party colleagues for supporting the proposals, as well as Senators Fidelma Healy Eames and Senator Sean D. Barrett. To be...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I do, however, agree with him in one instance, namely, the need to educate young people about these issues. That is absolutely key, as I made clear in my opening speech. It is a cause for concern that so many children do not understand that the behaviours in which they are engaging constitute abuse and bullying. I urge the Senator and his colleagues in Sinn Féin to put forward...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: The Senator talked about people using a telephone being found guilty of an offence. If he had looked at the legislation a little closer, he would have seen that the offence in question requires abuse to be persistent. A person could not be convicted on the basis of a once-off incident.

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: The Senator also referred to the removal of material. If he reviews Part 3 of the Bill, he will see there are provisions for a judge to make ancillary orders. I suggest he should read legislation in full before contributing to debates in the future.

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank Senators Catherine Noone and Marie Moloney for their contributions. I look forward to supporting the proposals Senator Moloney intends to bring forward on the registration of SIM cards.

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank Senator Healy Eames for her contribution. She was one of the few Senators, along with Senators Noone, Moloney and myself, who referred to being cyberbullied in the past. It seems pertinent that we are all women. Not a single male Senator stood up this evening to say he had been subjected to such bullying.

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: It is plausible to say there is a healthy dose of misogyny online. Senator Healy Eames, like others, pointed out that education campaigns are key. I had to chuckle in the midst of this very serious debate when the Senator referred to Wi-Fi as what sounded like "wiffee". That is a new word for me. Cyberbullying is pervasive, insidious and omnipresent and its effect should never be...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I am calling for a debate on the planning process in Ireland, particularly the way competitors use it as a tool to stymie others from getting a foothold in a market. While I fully accept the majority of objections are made by private individuals and community groups with real concerns about planning applications, there are a number of body corporates that use the process as a strategic tool...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: In the past five years, it has objected more than 70 times to planning applications made by competitors, with up to half of them being successful. It even says on its website that it opposes unsustainable out-of-town retail development. I fully agree with it on that point, but what about the sustainable retail units and supermarkets being built smack bang in the middle of our town centres...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Staffing (8 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I raise the issue of the pressing need to secure a permanent resource teacher for Esker national school in Esker, County Galway. At present the Department of Education allocates resource teachers on the basis of need calculated by time. A resource teacher may work across two schools to make up the total time allocation. These allocations are temporary unless the hours can be provided by...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Staffing (8 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for her response. I accept that 15% of the Department's budget is being used in meeting special educational needs. It was heartening to hear the Minister's announcement earlier this week on the allocation of an additional 610 SNAs. While I am delighted that Galway, in particular, will receive an extra allocation of 42 SNAs, I ask the Minister to look at the...

Seanad: Choice of Court (Hague Convention) Bill 2015: Order for Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I move: "That Second Stage be taken today."

Seanad: Choice of Court (Hague Convention) Bill 2015: Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: As has been outlined already, the purpose of the Bill is to make provision for the measures that are required to ensure that the Hague Convention of 30 June 2005 on Choice of Court Agreements can function effectively within the Irish legal system. The convention comes into force on 1 October this year and Irish legislation will have to be updated to reflect this. It is important to be...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Second Stage (15 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: In any situation where a vacancy arises those responsible for finding a suitable candidate are charged, rightly, with finding the best person for the job. In the Oireachtas we are charged with the important work of representing the best interests of the Irish people, and appointing the best possible candidates is therefore vital. I wholeheartedly welcome these proposals as they tackle a...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Appointments to Certain Offices) Bill 2014: Second Stage (15 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: Imposing time limits might preclude the people best suited to these roles from applying. I urge that this would be considered before the next Stages of the Bill. In general, I am broadly in favour of these new proposals, particularly those relating to the appointment of a new Clerk of the Dáil. Overall, I am in favour of increased competition. Our greatest resource is our people, and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Farm Inspections (6 Oct 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister and thank him for taking this matter on the Commencement. I have raised this issue a number of times in recent years. As the Minister is probably very well aware, the inspection regime causes considerable distress to farmers whose properties are being inspected. It is imperative that I highlight the practices that have been carried out by some officials during the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Farm Inspections (6 Oct 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: It was the charter of rights-----