Results 721-740 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: National Shared Services Office Bill 2016: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: For once, I will be brief.

Seanad: National Shared Services Office Bill 2016: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister. I congratulate him on his new portfolio and look forward to working with him. There are many strong, commonsense aspects to the national shared services office, as have been put forward. I note that the Citizens Information Board, CIB, was recently debated in the committee on social protection. The citizens information service, CIS, and the Money Advice and...

Seanad: National Shared Services Office Bill 2016: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Literally 50 seconds.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will second the amendment in due course.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am delighted to second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator McDowell, to require that provision be made for Committee Stage of the Seanad Bill 2016 to be debated in Government time in the forthcoming autumn term. We had a debate on this issue on the first day of this Seanad, when it was the first matter brought before the House. Many of us stood on the plinth to...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join other Members in commending the Cathaoirleach and all staff of the Seanad on their stewardship during the past term and I look forward to working with them in the temporary premises in the autumn. I echo some of the points made by Senator Byrne in respect of the Higher Education Authority report published today which shows the lamentably slow progress being made on gender equality in...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Senator's colleagues will be able to verify that Fianna Fáil Senators were invited. We invited Senators from all parties who wished to do so to attend and in all of our press releases on yesterday's very important Bill, we have acknowledged the cross-party support, without which it would not have been possible. I do not take support for granted. A powerful aspect of this...

Seanad: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his constructive engagement on the issues we raised and his recognition that the questions we raised are important ones. We appreciate the genuine discussion and engagement. Members of both Houses could seek to ensure across all areas of our investment that we act in a way that is consistent with our principles and with environmental, human rights and other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special Meeting of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs meeting with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence and the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement
Engagement with Mr. Guy Verhofstadt MEP, European Parliament Brexit Co-ordinator (21 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome Mr. Verhofstadt and the commitment to support the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, but one part has been neglected slightly, that being, the commitment to human rights equivalence. I am not referring to citizens' rights, which have been discussed at length. Human rights equivalence is a pillar of the agreement. I would appreciate Mr. Verhofstadt's thoughts on how it can be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Special Meeting of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs meeting with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence and the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement
Engagement with Mr. Guy Verhofstadt MEP, European Parliament Brexit Co-ordinator (21 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome Mr. Verhofstadt and the commitment to support the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, but one part has been neglected slightly, that being, the commitment to human rights equivalence. I am not referring to citizens' rights, which have been discussed at length. Human rights equivalence is a pillar of the agreement. I would appreciate Mr. Verhofstadt's thoughts on how it can be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Special Meeting of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs meeting with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence and the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement
Engagement with Mr. Guy Verhofstadt MEP, European Parliament Brexit Co-ordinator (21 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome Mr. Verhofstadt and the commitment to support the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, but one part has been neglected slightly, that being, the commitment to human rights equivalence. I am not referring to citizens' rights, which have been discussed at length. Human rights equivalence is a pillar of the agreement. I would appreciate Mr. Verhofstadt's thoughts on how it can be...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join in the thanks to all who have facilitated this temporary move of the Seanad Chamber, including the Office of Public Works, the National Museum and the staff of the Oireachtas, who played a key role. Of course I also thank the Cathaoirleach himself for his work in that regard. I would like to make an appeal that this temporary movement of the Seanad Chamber be accompanied by long...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I note that this Bill has not completed its journey, given the large number of Government amendments and that we know it is going back to the Dáil. Perhaps the Minister of State might indicate if he would seek to pursue something such as an amendment of the Schedule of relevant bodies in the Dáil. I am sure we would be able to expedite a return to the Seanad to confirm that. I...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This amendment relates to the satisfaction with section 6, as it stands. If the amendment proposing that deletion of the word "may" and its substitution with the word "shall" is not made, we have a concern this section would only provide that the victims may be referred to appropriate supports. While we do not want to have a lengthy debate on this, perhaps at the next interval when the...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I understand but the Minister of State can perhaps still address the concern that is at the heart of the amendment even if the amendment cannot be debated. Perhaps he can do that briefly, as I appreciate we do not have much time.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will the Minister of State ensure resources are allocated to this area?

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for that.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I appeal to the Minister to consider this amendment carefully because, as my colleague rightly described, this is an area of crime in which there can be a revictimisation and very negative experiences and insinuations made. If, for example, the reason a prosecution is not proceeding is a purely technical one or relates to evidence or some other legal reasons, it gives people peace of mind if...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his last response in which he looked a little more deeply at this. He said he would expect people to get the information they need, but what we hear is that people do not. We must listen to the voices of victims who say that the letters they receive are generic. We are happy to try to find a legislative approach on that and a wording that will work but...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With respect to the Minister of State, there is a blurring of lines in that what he has described is not what the amendment is putting forward. It is very clear in the amendment that it is a question of the outcome rather than the reasons for the assessment, about which we have just had a debate. It is simply a matter of whether the person needs protection. The decision is made by a...