Results 5,081-5,100 of 8,235 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To clarify - I would be satisfied if it were clear - a person who has a contract of a service provided with the commission will effectively have an obligation in terms of disclosure of his or her interests, where such interests exist, not specifically in respect of the contract but, rather, with regard to his or her interests. That must be disclosed appropriately. If the latter is the case,...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In that context, I am happy not to press the amendment.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 90: In page 44, line 27, after “Minister” to insert “and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media”. This is a similar amendment in that if there is a register of media providers, a copy of that register would also be provided to the Oireachtas joint committee. It would be appropriate that if there is a copy...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will speak to that because it is important.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I know but it relates to-----

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be bringing amendments in respect of the exception culturelleand listed sporting activities that are recognised as cultural assets to the State in the future and that they are broadcast. It is a bit different to the very wide provisions in amendment No. 89 because there is already a requirement that those would be available to citizens. I will come back and discuss that on Report Stage.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It would be my preference if the information was shared with the committee. Nonetheless I accept the point that it is in the public domain and can be accessed. In that context, I will not press the amendment, although I would prefer an ongoing dialogue between the Parliament and the Executive. However, I know we have the discussion on "laid before" and "shared" and so forth, so in that...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 91: In page 48, line 21, to delete “€2 million” and substitute “€500,000”. The concern here is that in respect of the relevant media service provider, the threshold is quite high in that it is only those with annual sales of greater than €2 million that are considered to fall under this remit. I propose that the annual...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is this €2 million threshold applied in other jurisdictions? Ireland differs from countries that may have a very large market and a very large population.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I still have a concern on this issue but I wish to inquire into how it has been dealt with elsewhere. I appreciate that there are other categories under which persons can become relevant media providers. I am not going to press the amendment at this point but I will return to it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 92: In page 49, to delete lines 14 and 15. I understand that the intention here, an intention that is shared by many of us present, is to address through the legislation certain matters. I have highlighted the issue of harmful content and, as the Minister will be aware, I have also advocated for addressing harmful conduct. There are concerns, however, in respect of...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister has described her concern that amendment No. 93 would have too wide an application but, as worded as the moment, the language has that potentially very wide application. There is no indication in terms of what will be determined as reasonably causing harm or offence. Would harm include harm to interests? Would a documentary that exposes bad practice by a particular actor or...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I accept that.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I withdraw amendment No. 92.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 93: In page 49, to delete lines 14 and 15 and substitute the following: “(a) anything that may reasonably be regarded as causing harm to a group of persons, or a member of a group, based on any of the grounds referred to in Article 21 of the Charter,”. I will withdraw the amendment and reserve the right to turn to the issue on Report Stage.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 94: In page 49, to delete lines 27 and 28. This is a concern I have in terms of the wideness of the language. Section 46J(1)(e) prohibits the broadcast of, "anything ... tending to undermine the authority of the State". That language is extremely wide. I know it is taken from the Broadcasting Act 2009 but we are making new legislation. The language was not...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister outlined what might be the appropriate language. In the Constitution, this language is very carefully caveated. That is what I meant by taking a small section, but out of context. The Constitution realised the risk of an over-interpretation of the undermining of the State clause. It therefore has the language which says: "preserving their rightful liberty of expression,...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 95: In page 49, to delete lines 27 and 28 and substitute the following: “(e) anything which may reasonably be regarded as an offence under the Offences Against the State Act 1939.”.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 97: In page 50, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “(4A) Subsection (1) should not be interpreted as constraining a broadcaster or a relevant media service provider from appropriate examination, investigation, interrogation, debate or questioning in respect to news or current affairs which— (a) concerns public policy, or (b) the...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My concern remains. This is about the treatment of current affairs. I object somewhat to the framing of current affairs in such a narrow way. That is a concern, even culturally, in that current affairs is framed as the fight of the moment. I accept the Minister's caveats in respect of the Broadcasting Act, but I am concerned that we are missing the opportunity to strengthen and improve...