Results 4,881-4,900 of 8,220 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 6: In page 15, line 11, after “width” to insert “, subject to such additional criteria that the Minister might set out in regulations”

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will speak to amendment No. 6. I am compelled to comment, and I believe it is a wider discussion. As the Acting Cathaoirleach may not be in a position to answer but it is something that is going to have to be examined. I am concerned on the grounds on which some of the amendments have been ruled out of order. It creates a very significant concern in regard to democracy. For example,...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have contacted the Seanad Office and I will be raising it at the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight because it is a very serious concern. The amendment relates to the very serious concern that the Bill as it is currently worded could effectively allow for strip planting in the widest sense. The definition of "native tree area" relates to spaces of less than 1 ha is one...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I regret that the Minister is not minded to accept this amendment because it is constructive. With respect, the fact that regulations may be made regarding an exemption is referenced in section 9, which the Minister spoke about, and we looked at the issue in the context of section 9(d), but I was talking about the definition. The problem is very different things are being bundled under a...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 10: In page 16, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “(vi) appropriate procedures to allow for the screening of projects in relation to Environmental Impact Assessment or other appropriate assessment, (vii) criteria and limitations that shall apply to where a woodland area is greater than one hectare, (viii) measures to protect existing...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is good that we read the reasons. Some of the reasons are particularly concerning in terms of the amendments that have been ruled out of order. Like others, I would have liked the opportunity to speak to some of those other aspects but I will focus on the amendments that are still in play. On amendment No. 10, I have combined the reasons for expediency but each of them could be their...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will utter a single sentence that will make things very clear. Much as it is proper for us to add conditions in respect of regulations that we give the Minister, it should also be proper for us to say that we do not wish to transfer power to a Minister to make regulations in terms of excluding a particular section of the Bill. The amendment refers to the powers or elements that I ask for...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am certainly looking forward to the public engagement. That is good and I hope there will also be - as has also been committed to previously - engagement directly with Members of the Oireachtas who have shown an interest in this area by the Department. However, I do still have outstanding concerns which are not really addressed. To build on what Senator Boylan has said, the context is...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No.12: In page 17, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: " Native Irish pine (Burren pine) " I was told amendment No. 11 was ruled out of order because it conflicted with the purpose of the Bill. However, the amendment did not conflict with the purpose of the Bill. It simply set out that there would be a review after 36 months....

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is not written in the Long Title of the Bill. This is simply an assertion of the Seanad Office. I appreciate the Minister has not made this decision.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is a decision that the Government is assuming it wants permanence of all powers to make regulation when it is made, that it is assumed and should not be challenged by way of legislative amendment. It is a very concerning precedent. It is fine, as it will be addressed further. We will take it up next week.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: By way of an interpretation of that standing order, which we need to clarify. Amendment No. 12 relates to a number of amendments. I thought the other amendments in this area were going to go forward but they have not. This amendment is about the Schedule of native tree species. Perhaps this needs further consideration but I am sure the Acting Cathaoirleach will be very aware of this...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am discussing the native Irish pine and its insertion into the Schedule.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am talking about the insertion of the-----

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Sure. The native Irish pine is one tree, but the question is the context in which it sits, which is the Schedule. I would like to know what is the mechanism whereby the native Irish Pine, or other trees excluded such as the hawthorn, may be included in the Schedule in the future?If it is the case that trees are included in the Schedule - perhaps that is where the native Irish pine should be...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I had included them in an amendment on Committee Stage but, unfortunately, it was defeated.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am just asking, for the purposes of information, what the procedure is.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In one way it would be lovely for the native Irish pine to get its own recognition and not just to be treated as a subsection of the Scots pine, but I am also pleased that it is covered. There is a valid point that we do not want to see all pines in any of the plantings, and that is the case with the restriction of 25% that is set out in section 9(a)(b). There would not be more than 25%...

Seanad: Support to Ukraine: Motion (30 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Fine Gael group for putting forward this motion and framing it very carefully in terms of international law. When we talk of sides and approaches, the key thing is that Ireland has been unequivocal in condemning Russia’s aggression and invasion of Ukraine because it is a breach of international law and the UN Charter, which calls on and requires countries to refrain from...