Results 6,381-6,400 of 8,235 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mother and Baby Homes (14 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: As the Minister of State will be aware, a new planning application was recently lodged for an apartment scheme on the former Bessborough mother and baby home site in Cork city. This application is one of a number of live planning applications for developments across this estate. This recently lodged application for a 92-unit scheme was lodged by the same developer who had previously been...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mother and Baby Homes (14 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Institutional Burials Act failed Bessborough. We talk about general provisions but we are also talking about specific sites. Bessborough was known to be one of the areas where concerns have been raised about inappropriate burials and where we have more than 800 children unaccounted for. These children are known to be dead but are unaccounted for. Choices were made in this regard....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join in the expressions of concern about what seems a relentless attack on the democratic aspects of our planning infrastructure. I always tell people that policy-making and politics are about the decisions we make about how we want to live together. An important aspect of the decisions about how we want to live together is that people have a say in their local development plans and in...

Seanad: Appointment of Ordinary Members of An Coimisiún Toghcháin: Motion (14 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State. I join others in welcoming the nomination of the four new members of the commission. I congratulate them on being successful in achieving these nominations. They bring a good and diverse range of skills which will assist the work of the electoral commission. To highlight one question, I am aware that Professor Fennell brings a particular expertise in...

Seanad: Tailte Éireann Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to contribute on the back of that amendment in respect of the Land Registry. My point relates to a matter we discussed previously. The Minister of State will be aware of the key role that the PRA was likely to have played if, as planned, it had moved ahead with the proposal to have any rights of way or profits à prendrenot registered with it expire automatically last autumn....

Seanad: Tailte Éireann Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have not tabled any amendments to this section because the matter I am raising has been provided for. My concern with regard to the transfer of functions from Ordnance Survey Ireland, OSI, relates to the fact that a new board structure will come in. There will be many new ideas. There will be huge pressure in relation to property registration, in particular. Things like zoned land will...

Seanad: Tailte Éireann Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The transfer of land and other property comes up in a couple of places in the Bill. The Minister of State has heard about the value of the physical archive, and we will come to the content of the paper archive in a minute. The records are one piece. However, there are things that are not necessarily records. All archival material should be construed within the definition of "property"....

Seanad: Tailte Éireann Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In respect of the transfer of staff, I welcome that the rights, terms and conditions of the staff will be maintained, including their superannuation, pension rights and so on. That is appropriate. I am concerned that we need to ensure that pension rights will be properly maintained. I am looking at the intersection of subsections (4) and (5) in that regard. The Bill seems to state that...

Seanad: Tailte Éireann Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister of State identified this section as relating to records. Records can be interpreted in a very narrow or wide way. Documents, maps and files are records, but the source documents which may have been involved in the creation of Ordnance Survey maps and materials input are also relevant. In many cases there is a huge historical archive in the process of mapmaking that OSI has...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare (Dogs) Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I want to begin by commending Senator Boylan on the Bill. It is well drafted and thought through. It shows the sign of somebody who has been passionate and thoughtfully engaged in issues of animal welfare throughout the time I have known her into Seanad and far beyond that. It is something that would make a significant difference. The Bill contains concrete and practical proposals. We...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join in expressing condolences to the young peacekeeper who lost his life and the peacekeeper who was injured in the service of the UN and a more peaceful world. That is a very sad thing. He was undertaking very important work. It is wonderful to hear such pride in the Seanad and what it has been historically. This year's Seanad 100 events have given us a chance to look at what it has...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his response to my amendments. I would have liked more elaboration on the Government’s amendments because the proposals that the Government is putting forward will have significant consequences. While my amendments to the amendments have been addressed, but when the Minister of State has the opportunity to come in again, he might elaborate on what...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: No, we are probably slightly more than that. Amendment No. 11 seeks to insert a new subsection after subsection (3). I have mentioned that in regard to Part XAB. Amendment No. 12 relates to the "mays" and "shalls" that we often come to in this House, but which can be so significant. There is a reference to the fact that the Minister may make regulations providing for "all of the following...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Specific questions were asked on specific amendments. It would be useful to have answers to decide whether to push them. I ask the Minister of State to address them.

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Serious concerns about An Bord Pleanála have been flagged for a long time. We have heard a lot about the Government learning from things. I welcome the inclusion of a use it or lose it requirement in the section. We looked for such a requirement when SHDs were going through and we were not given it. We flagged concerns on SHDs back in 2016 and they were not listened to. That is why...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is very dangerous and that is the kind of situation that happens when people almost want to take advantage of people's other commitments and the fact they must schedule their time. Again, it leads to bad decisions. I am not looking to remove the provision of remote conferencing but I am saying that if there is a remote meeting, 72 hours' notice should be given. That is very...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 1: In page 10, line 18, after "time" to insert ", where notice of such a meeting has been provided not less than 72 hours in advance,".

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 2: In page 10, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: "(8A) Where a meeting takes place using remote video or telephone conferencing facilities or other means of communication provided for under subsection (8), the quorum for such a meeting shall be 5 members.".

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 3: In page 11, line 6, after "can" to insert "practically".

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 4: In page 11, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: "(fa) for the avoidance of doubt, any land or portion of land which is owned by a state authority but is not zoned exclusively for residential use, shall not be relevant under this section,".