Results 5,001-5,020 of 8,235 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is clear that the basic architecture is there, and I accept that the declaration of interests indicates that action may be taken, but there is a very different level of seriousness in respect of these measures in terms of removal. It is not enough to simply say there may be provision that appropriate action may be taken. Again, we must bear in mind that many of these actors will...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 43: In page 23, line 38, after “Oireachtas” to insert “and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media”. Where the Minister has decided to remove a commissioner from office, as well as laying before the Houses of the Oireachtas a statement on the decision and the reasons for it, and given that so many documents...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I appreciate that the statement may be laid before the Houses. Perhaps what Senator Carrigy said that rather than the laying of a statement in front of the committee, simply a notification to the Chair of the committee that such a statement has been laid, might suffice. I will not press the amendment at this point. However, as the Minister said, there is quite a seriousness and a gravity...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This provision comes through so much legislation and it probably merits a general examination because it has come through as a concern repeatedly. We know the phenomenon where many people are leaving their roles in local authorities. We also know the wages for those on local authorities are not enough that people can continue in their role. People have to choose between progression in...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 45: In page 24, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “(ha) is found to have breached section 37 of this Act,”.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The amendment builds on the concern that this regulator will be under significant scrutiny. It will have an incredibly important role in the State, Europe and internationally. These provisions are borrowed from other areas. There is a concern here. I am struck by the figure of €13,000 because I think it has been regarded as a tiny figure. However, it is a significant figure for...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Senator Byrne makes a fair point in relation to the gifts. It is quite a low amount and it is often very hard to determine the value of something that one is given and it might create an unnecessary concern as to whether an ornamental paperclip is worth-----

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Exactly, and I take that on board. It is a fair point. The issue on shares is important, though, especially in some of the more fast-moving providers. How many times have these companies split? How many times have the value of shares changed, with companies splitting four, five or six times? That question of what gets boosted in its potential, or the early actor, is a concern. We should...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This came up in the climate Bill and the change was made in respect of that Bill. There is capacity to take on board persons who are not part of the commission for consultation. It is important that those persons on a sub-committee who may not go through the rigorous process commissioners go through also make a declaration of interest. This is so someone with strong interests in a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (26 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Perhaps the Chairman will move on to Deputy Cronin while I sort out some audio issues. I will come down to the committee room in person. The sound seems to be a problem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (26 Apr 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, I regard this as the major gap in compact growth. Big tower buildings are being designed which families do not want to live in. I say that as a city centre dweller. I want families to live in, and to be able to live in, the city centre. They should be able to be at home and to have daylight.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I support the request for a debate on data protection and retention by the Department of Social Protection. These are issues that I highlighted throughout the previous Oireachtas. In addition to the concerns on travel, there are also the concerns on many of the actions and findings of the Data Protection Commissioner, which are no longer contested by the Department but which have still not...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I want to speak briefly in support of this amendment. It is not only good practice in this area in terms of the participation of youth in important decisions and decisions in areas that affect them, but it also has a strong practical purpose. Young people identify much earlier than others the new trends and what is happening in society. The Minister of State will be aware a number of our...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be brief. It strikes me that the amendment is already quite reasonably worded. It does not say that there must be a youth advisory panel for all eternity. In the Minister of State’s reply, he mentioned a particular “moment in time”. We are at a particular moment in time when a wide range of new actors are going to be regulated for the first time. In that...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 56: In page 29, line 15, to delete “shall” and substitute “may”. I will begin by saying-----

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is relevant because it relates to this section and effectively as well to this amendment which also involves consultancy. You described, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, the intersection of amendment No. 55 with section 19. Again, this does not impose, it gives the power to the commission, with the consent of the Minister to determine costs.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The freedom to make that determination and whether there would be costs sits with the commission and with the Minister. This is an issue we need to examine at the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight because of the recent inconsistent rulings. This amendment is very important. It might be inadvertent in its wording because the way it is phrased at the moment is that the...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am going to reflect on the Minister of State's response. I am not fully convinced. I can see scenarios where I would be disappointed that advice was not properly considered, but I can also see scenarios where what we have sometimes seen-----

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am considering as I speak. Certain consultant bodies manage time and again to have disproportionate influence on the actions of public bodies. I am going to withdraw the amendment for now and reserve the right to reintroduce it. I may look for that explanation or opinion in writing from the Department. It would be useful.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 57: In page 29, to delete lines 32 to 40, and in page 30, to delete lines 1 and 2. These amendments relate to the power to impose levies. Within this legislation, two forms of levy are discussed but they are not given different titles, per se. They are both referred to as "the levy" or "levy order". A number of restrictions are placed in respect of the levies...