Results 4,241-4,260 of 8,214 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (28 Sep 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be brief. I will ask about the Energy Charter Treaty and the exit from it. If we need to be in a different place in 15 years, how much do we need to accelerate the exit process? Russia was able to exit with a six-month clause, whereas Italy had a 20-year clause. How foolish would we be to sign up to new ISDS mechanisms which also have a 20-year exit clause? I know that Dr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (29 Sep 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank all the speakers who have given some very interesting answers. Some of my questions have already been asked, but I will follow up on a few of them. Ms Keane just spoke about the functions. Mr. Kennedy spoke about a report on the kinds of disclosures that are being made. Should there be a function to try to identify patterns in disclosures? I know we rightly have clear caveats on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (29 Sep 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to clarify that I certainly was not seeking more exclusions. I just want to ensure people would not have doubt.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (29 Sep 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I forgot to pose one of my key questions, which concerns the interpersonal issue and other procedures. If somebody has had an interpersonal conflict and is engaged in a different procedure in that regard, it may curtail the person in being able to separately make a protected disclosure or vice versa. I just wanted to address a position where people may wish to pursue a route through human...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Participation of People with Disabilities in Political, Cultural, Community and Public Life: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Sep 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the witnesses. So much has been brought up and I will focus on two or three aspects. I was struck by the importance of time and space being allocated. It is not just about the technical right to participate but it is about the time and space that make participation possible, enjoyable and meaningful. I would like to hear more comment on that issue of time, especially in terms of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Participation of People with Disabilities in Political, Cultural, Community and Public Life: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Sep 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will go to our other guests because there were a number of questions about sign language. I will come to Mr. McGrath, too. I will note that spaces have been provided in universities. If different needs are being accommodated within a shared space, I do not believe that needs to be othering. The othering aspect of that comes more from a societal attitude to people using spaces in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Participation of People with Disabilities in Political, Cultural, Community and Public Life: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Sep 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I know I do not have more time because others wish to speak. Does Mr. McGrath from the National Platform of Self Advocates have further comments or a written submission he wants to make on the issue of time? He put it in my head when he spoke about better planning for time in terms of inclusive processes. He spoke very strongly on it. If he has further comments or submissions he wants to...

Seanad: Situation in Belarus: Statements (5 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister to the House to speak on this important matter and acknowledge that Senator Ward has previously tabled a motion on this issue. I do not need to repeat the litany of actions that have eroded democracy in Belarus. They include the extension of the number of years that a president can serve from five to seven, in 1996; the referendum to remove the constitutional term...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (resumed) (5 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My question builds from the previous question. To what extent has the modelling we have had on emergency scenarios been focusing on emergency supply issues rather than emergency modelling on demand and demand reduction? How do we ensure we do not create hostages to fortune in terms of demand? Data centres were mentioned, which encompass one area. There is the idea of the precautionary...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (resumed) (5 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am sure other members will ask further about green hydrogen, which as a committee we have been trying very much to distinguish from the other gas. I want to focus on the question of demand. EirGrid's presentation was interesting in highlighting the sequencing is that demand is what is required as the first point and then the generation that will meet the demand. In respect of data...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (resumed) (5 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With respect, that did not really answer my question, but I am happy to take a written answer on demand modelling across society in terms of risk society. If we are in situations of constrained energy supply but not on a day-by-day or peak-hour basis but on a longer-term basis, what are the measures including the risk analysis and what do we prioritise? I am concerned about having to remunerate.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (resumed) (5 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There would be a remuneration incentive-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (resumed) (5 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----rather than a regulatory restriction-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (resumed) (5 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----in terms of-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (resumed) (5 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would appreciate that, as a risk analysis society-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (resumed) (5 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am happy to take a written comment on the question of the Energy Charter Treaty as well.

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2021: Second Stage (6 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This Bill had a great deal of scrutiny in the previous Oireachtas. The proposed legislation was championed by former Senator, Terry Leyden. It is an example of good faith legislation and an attempt to improve the lives and deaths of people, and to make those processes better. It has been subject to detailed debate and scrutiny. I have no doubt that it will be subject to further debate and...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (7 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will speak briefly. Later, we will discuss amendments dealing with how humanitarian assistance is treated under legislation. The definition that we have proposed is based on the European Parliament's report. It relates to fundamental rights and, in the wider sense, human rights. We have gone with a definition that has been used and that has strong agreement, but the core of our argument...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (7 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be brief because we will come to the points the Minister of State was making later regarding the adequacy of a defence approach. We will have an opportunity to go back and forth on that. I do not agree that a defence versus an exemption is an adequate approach or, indeed, an approach of leadership when, as we have heard, seven countries have given a full exemption. We will have an...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (7 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I support the amendment.