Results 5,921-5,940 of 8,553 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We can come to it shortly. I accept the intent of the legislation. The Minister of State referred to an appropriate and transparent process. That language was not included. I imagine it was the intent but it is not included. I will not dwell further on it. The concern about excessively widely-framed language is more significant with regard to the next section. I will probably not press...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am not clear what is happening. What is the position with amendment No. 45?

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 46: In page 18, lines 21 and 22, to delete from and including “(1) The” in line 21 down to and including line 22 and substitute the following: “(1) The Minister may give a direction in writing to An tÚdarás, following consultation with the Board of An tÚdarás, for any purpose relating to this Act and concerning—”....

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The majority of the amendments in this grouping relate to the functions of an t-údarás, the next section of the Bill which flows after the section concerning the objects of an t-údarás. In respect of the really important section concerning the objects of an t-údarás, the body which will oversee higher education across this State, I put forward 14 amendments and...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These amendments seek to address the manner in which the Minister may give direction to an t-údarás. Amendment No. 46 seeks to specify that in giving a ministerial direction, it will be done in consultation with the board of an t-údarás. Amendment No. 47 seeks to delete section 11(1)(b), according to which the Minister may give a direction in writing to an...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to come back over a number of these amendments. I thank the Minister for his response. I still have a concern. I note that in the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science report and scrutiny of the general scheme of the Bill, one of the key recommendations was that the legislation should ensure there is a strong and...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I worry that there is a perception of equivalence. We do not operate a winner-takes-all type of politics in Ireland. It is the case that State agencies have their own mandate, which may span across a number of periods of government. Similarly, in the context of the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature, when we are giving powers to the Minister, especially powers around...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will withdraw it.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 47: In page 18, to delete line 24.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 50: In page 19, to delete lines 6 and 7 and substitute the following: “(4) The Minister shall publish guidelines issued by him or her undersubsection (1)in an accessible manner and shall lay such guidelines before both Houses of the Oireachtas.”.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 51: In page 19, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: “Advocacy role of An tÚdarás and designated higher education institutions 15. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as preventing An tÚdarás, or designated higher education institutions, from freely expressing its views on matters concerning higher education.”.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 52: In page 20, line 25, after “Minister” to insert “, following a recommendation from the Public Appointments Service,”.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 52 is an important provision. It relates to the concern about the very high level of discretion that is afforded to the Minister in making appointments to the board of an t-údarás. The amendment would require that any persons who were proposed to be appointed to the board would have to be recommended by the Public Appointments Service for such potential appointment....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join in the expressions of thanks to staff. I acknowledge the incredible work that people do and have done, especially as business intensifies. I thank all of the staff of the Seanad Office. I thank the staff of the Bills Office who I know must work overtime. I do not believe they should have to work so late because we should not rush legislation through in the way that we do. I...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief because Senator Ruane has outlined our concerns in this regard. There are specific amendments and specific approaches outlined but although we make suggestions for specific definitions, the crucial question is one of there being a definition. In an ideal scenario the Government would bring its own definition and make it clear in legislation. In its absence I urge that...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I accept the Minister's point in terms of emergency legislation in general. That is why we endeavour to have clarity. It is emergency legislation, but emergency legislation that is responding to that lack of clarity. That is why we were seeking to be constructive in trying to nail down that clarity. I accept the point in terms of case law. It is important for the Minister to give that...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: While we acknowledge the case for the previous amendments was really strongly made, I still have concerns. I am thinking of amendment No. 4 in particular. It was asked what would happen if the Minister did not make regulations. That would be an issue for the Government, including the Minister, in that it would have failed to make them, but the point is that we are being asked to give the...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Geolocation or GPS?