Results 6,881-6,900 of 8,235 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Research and Innovation Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (16 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the presenters. I would like to go back a little bit into the language of the Bill because, of course, that is where we are in strengthening it. I can see there is excitement around the potential but the detail also matters. I will pick up on a couple of points, and in particular I want to expand upon the recommendations around head 8 and head 9, which I found very interesting....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Research and Innovation Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (16 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It strikes me that part of that leading can be not in just solely in the competitive frame but within that collaborative frame and looking to the new approach globally to pandemics and to research and ethics as areas of innovation. One thing we see that actually sets the parameter for innovation in the technology area is that those who can show they are matching up to ethical and...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 33: In page 14, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “Report on adequacy of payment for health services to relevant persons not ordinarily resident in the State 19. The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on the adequacy of the payment to relevant persons referred to in...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: While I believe six months is a reasonable period, it may be, of course, for this reason the amendments do not get accepted. I am sure others in the House may wish to seek to bring forth reports after 12 months, or another period, and this may prove more acceptable. I am sure this is something we may see proposed on Report Stage. I refer to amendments looking to different periods of time,...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief. This is a general payment in respect of days. It is not a payment designed in terms of experience. That is a choice that has been made. The issue of the waiver is concerning. The Minister indicated that he would come back to me in writing but what was then looked for, and not solely by me but indeed by Government Members and Senators, was for the whole House to hear...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 34: In page 14, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “Report on provision of additional payments to those who experienced forced family separation 19.The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on the potential to make provision for supplementary payments, in addition to any...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 35: In page 14, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “Report on top up payments for those in receipt of inadequate settlements 19.The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on the potential to provide for supplementary payments for relevant persons referred to in section 18(6)...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 36: In page 14, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “Report on creation of support fund for those with additional needs 19.(1) The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on the potential to make provision for a support fund for persons who developed additional needs as a...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 37: In page 14, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “Report on extension of eligibility for general payment under Scheme 19.(1) The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on the potential to extend eligibility under section 18(1)for a general payment to all relevant persons...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: By way of correction, amendments Nos. 37 and 38 do not require a full overhaul or examination of the whole scheme. They relate to specific provisions within the Bill and the specific provisions in the Schedule to the Bill in respect of the 180-day and 90-day requirements, respectively. I do not accept that the change proposed would be as substantial as the Minister suggests. I give notice...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Poverty: Discussion (23 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the witnesses for their interesting presentations. Looking at a few points highlighted by Friends of the Earth and other groups, in terms of the national retrofitting plans and the scheme, under which it is planned to upgrade 500,000 homes to a B2 energy rating, I understand that the plan is that only 36,500 of these homes, or less than 10% of them, would be local authority-owned...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Poverty: Discussion (23 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: A sum of €40 million of public moneys from the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility has gone into the de-risking of loans. That really points to the need to have that trickling through on loans. Perhaps our guests, when answering other questions, might reply to my question about the exit from gas boilers and the need to ensure we are not locked into the price volatility of gas.

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With respect, they are quite different things. It is one thing to say that a person is driving in a manner which is dangerous or likely to be dangerous because that is an action which is taking place. We are talking about a vehicle. Legislation is a reasonable place to have that point because if people are driving in a manner which may prove to be dangerous, such as driving all over the...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Again, I would say that where it has been used, we will not have an objection to that-----

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Of course.

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 7: In page 47, line 27, after “bicycle” to insert “, or cargo bicycle,”. This suite of amendments simply seeks to include explicit reference in the Bill to pedal cargo bikes. There was some back and forth with the Minister on this issue during the Committee Stage debate. The placement of these four amendments varies slightly from that of...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We have the concern in terms of how it is interpreted. At this point, we will need to go with the Minister's interpretation. However, I note that perhaps it is important that very clear signals are sent to accompany the roll-out of cargo bikes and that they are covered, if not by the provisions we have suggested, then by the Minister's message that he believes and is confident that they are...

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 8: In page 47, line 29, after “bicycle” to insert “, or cargo bicycle,”.

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 9: In page 48, line 2, after “tricycle” to insert “, or cargo tricycle,”.

Seanad: Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (24 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 10: In page 48, line 4, after “tricycle” to insert “, or cargo tricycle,”.