Results 4,701-4,720 of 8,220 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Disability Services with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With absolute respect for the Minister of State's commitment, I waited through the four-year term of the last Oireachtas for the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, which we were promised at the very beginning of that term. It only just happened at the end and that was also with a Minister who was committed to the area. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Disability Services with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will not talk more on that issue except to add that, when cases are taken under the protocol, that does not represent a failure of the State. It shows progress in moving forward.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Disability Services with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: However, there are certainly areas in which action can be anticipated. One of the key ones has been touched on. I refer to the scale of the move from congregated settings and the fact that there has had to be prioritisation in respect of the new residential places rather than all who need them being accommodated. The transition of those who are in situations we know to be inappropriate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Disability Services with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will make two brief follow-up points, the first of which has to do with something I did not get a chance to mention. I am concerned at the idea of it taking a year to arrive at a definition of "personal assistance". According to everyone we have heard from, it is one of the most crucial elements. We should aim for a definition by June. Will the witnesses clarify whether disabled persons...

Seanad: TRIPS Waiver: Motion (15 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move: “That Seanad Éireann: notes with concern: - the ongoing global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic; - the lack of equitable access to vaccines for many countries in the global south, particularly African countries; - that it is an injustice that only 5.88% of people living in Africa are fully vaccinated and only 27% of healthcare workers across Africa are fully...

Seanad: TRIPS Waiver: Motion (15 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I sincerely thank colleagues from across the House for their engagement on this issue. I thank them for their heartfelt, genuine and intellectually rigorous contributions. So many of the points I wanted to make about why compulsory licensing does not work were made extremely well by others, including Senator Garvey. This is a crucial...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty and Energy Security: Discussion (23 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On the margins.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty and Energy Security: Discussion (23 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am conscious of the interpretation of the arbitration panels with regard to the previous Achmea ruling and potentially this ECJ ruling. I am familiar with the ECJ ruling but I wanted to get the intersection with the arbitration panels.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty and Energy Security: Discussion (23 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: What I really wanted to go to is the question of enforcement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty and Energy Security: Discussion (23 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: What I really I wanted to go to is not the mechanisms per sebut the fact that an enforceable order can be enforced in a local court in other places. We have seen cases of this. As Dr. de Boeck said, it is interesting that it is only in the case of New York state that public policy has been used as a defence and again, this is the defence by states or by public bodies that are being sued by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty and Energy Security: Discussion (23 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Would Dr. Saheb like to comment on how Europe approaches the Energy Charter Treaty? From a climate perspective, the treaty is a global issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty and Energy Security: Discussion (23 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Apologies, I came from another meeting.

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 4: In page 97, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “Locus Standiin environmental MAC cases and in proceedings to which Part 2applies 110.For the avoidance of doubt where the applicant for judicial review under this Chapter, or under Part 2, is— (a) a body or organisation (other than a State authority, a public authority or governmental...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The amendment covers similar ground to amendment No. 3, which was ruled out of order. In that amendment, we attempted to suggest some solutions but they would affect the cost, which is why they were ruled out of order.The problem being identified is linked. There are serious concerns in respect of the Bill. Although we heard from the Minister on Committee Stage about all the engagement...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is not accurate.

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The concerns are greatly exacerbated now. I have huge respect for the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, and we have engaged constructively on other issues but in this regard, this feels like we have had a good-cop, bad-cop piece because we had a Committee Stage debate during which we were reassured that environment, marine planning and protection and such factors were so deeply...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 5: In page 97, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “PART 5 COSTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL MAC CASES UNDER PART 4AND IN RESPECT OF JUDICIAL REVIEW UNDER PART 2AND PART 5 CHAPTER 1 Consultation and report on Judicial Review under Part 2, 4...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will not speak at length to this amendment. It outlines the need for the Department to conduct a report on all those issues I have already spoken about. We do not need to go over the ground again, but I suggest that the Department may wish to conduct a report in the next two to three months to re-examine the legislation and effect of the Act on all those issues we highlighted concerning...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I just cannot accept the analysis that claims that people's rights on environmental decision-making under the Aarhus Convention are constrained to areas where the State would like to use those rights. It is very clear that environmental decision-making, not just planning, comes under Aarhus. It does not just kick in at a certain point. Things that affect the environment, and maritime areas...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to make a point on class K contributions, but I will first make a general point. It is unfortunate that we are taking Committee Stage and Report Stage together and on the very last sitting day of the year. There is a lot of emergency legislation and legislation that comes through with short deadlines attached, but the Social Welfare Bill is predictable and something we can plan for....