Results 7,281-7,300 of 8,768 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Section 31(2) refers to "any matter that is or has been or may be the subject of proceedings". The Minister of State mentioned "ongoing" legal proceedings. Which is it? Is it something that "has been"? Is it the case that if a matter "has been" dealt with and that proceedings are now finished and not ongoing that the subject matter is eligible? What I understand is standard is "ongoing",...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This matter needs clarity. Maybe a "'without prejudice to" clause could be added. I totally agree in respect of live, imminent or ongoing legal proceedings even where they are in a gap, for example, between a case and an appeal. However, historic matters, for example, should not end up being closed off. Later I will discuss amendments that deal with ethical issues that may arise...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I may table amendments on confidential information where there is an issue in respect of representation. There may be caveats in situations where information is obtained by a member of a board. To make it clear, it is notwithstanding areas where there is a public good that may be required in respect of a disclosure. I will come to that on Report Stage.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 78: In page 31, line 19, after “appropriate” to insert “and in a manner which is accessible”. The amendment is relatively simple and requires that the agency when it promotes and disseminates "information concerning funding schemes" would do so "in a manner which is accessible". It has been emphasised that the Bill does not deal...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 83 would impose an additional duty on the CEO when considering how decisions made by the agencies in respect of their assessment of applications would receive the appropriate balance in terms of disbursement of funding. The amendment provides that the CEO, in making a consideration, would have due regard to the need to uphold and advance the principle of parity of esteem...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To be clear, we have heard it multiple times that parity of esteem is woven throughout and underpins the Bill but it is not anywhere in the Bill because it is very vague and I do not believe it is clear enough. There is a significant contradiction. We are constantly told that parity of esteem is here but it is nowhere to be seen. Not only is the phrase "parity of esteem" not found anywhere...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I quoted the same section.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I read out the same section exactly to emphasise the point. Yes, it says all areas are included. What it does not say, however, is that they will all be treated equally or, if not equally, close to equally, or that there will be a balance in how they are treated. I acknowledge that no one thing is elevated in the Bill, but the concern is that one or two may be elevated in practice, and...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 79: In page 31, line 20, after “independent” to insert “, impartial”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 80: In page 31, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “(7) The Agency shall ensure that in the allocation of resources and the design, disbursal and administration of schemes that the principle of parity of esteem between fields of activity and disciplines is upheld.”. I will withdraw the amendment and bring it back on Report Stage for...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 81: In page 31, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “(7) The Agency shall have due regard to the need to ensure that the range of schemes put in place under this Part includes schemes of differing scales and purposes, including smaller schemes and targeted schemes which facilitate good quality outreach, research networking and education...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 82: In page 32, line 26, after “independent” to insert “, impartial”. I am moving this amendment but the Minister of State previously made strong points on a similar amendment around the language of “impartial” versus “independent”, so I signal that I will withdraw it. The argument the Minister made was strong...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 84: In page 33, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “(iv) the employment conditions of researchers at the applicant body,”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 85: In page 33, after line 41, to insert the following: “(g) to ensure that persons carrying out research funded under this Part are in receipt of attendant employment rights and protections, in line with the Salzburg Principles,”. I withdraw the amendment and reserve the right to introduce it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 85a: In page 35, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(6) The Board shall make regulations regarding conditions of funding and a process for withdrawal of funding from research projects which may contribute to contravention of international law, including contraventions of rulings of the International Court of Justice and the European Court of...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I report progress.

Seanad: Europe Day: Statements (9 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join in congratulating the Minister of State on her new role and I look forward to engaging with her on the many dimensions of her new role. Usually when I speak about the European Union on Europe Day or at European events, I speak about its extraordinary benefits and how important it was for Ireland to be part of the Union. I speak about the progressive laws and progress that we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Draft National Energy and Climate Plan: Discussion (14 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank our guests. I am joining remotely. It has been an interesting discussion. I got a sense in the letter we received from our guests about how Ireland's targets and the need for it to achieve its goals fits into the wider picture. Concerns have been expressed about whether or not we are on track to achieve the emissions reductions required by our carbon budgets and under the Act, in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Draft National Energy and Climate Plan: Discussion (14 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Okay. I apologise if it has been addressed in detail. I was just struck by what Ms O'Neill said around losing time in this regard. Since this issue has apparently been addressed, I finish on a different point. One or two areas have been mentioned where we are losing time. These are areas where we could make a hard choice in this context in the next five years that would perhaps be better...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Draft National Energy and Climate Plan: Discussion (14 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I apologise. I am just going to say that I had asked about the next five years and Ms O'Neill gave a couple of good examples of areas that could be focused on. I was going to ask as well about whether there is an area where we need to stop doing things in the next five years. There is the low-hanging fruit or the thing that delivers most, which is one question, but the other question,...