Results 7,501-7,520 of 8,235 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On the point on the tools, the amendments do not add more but outline what all the areas that the Minister referred to, including river health, should be checked against. The Paris Agreement is not another agreement that the fund might have to comply with; rather, delivering on it is an important check concerning how we invest the fund. Similarly, the sustainable development goals are not...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for his engagement.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 5: In page 16, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “(g) the achievement and implementation of policies which— (i) facilitate a just transition, (ii) further the principles of climate justice, (iii) further the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, (iv) further the achievement of the targets set out in the...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 7: In page 21, between lines 37 and 38, to insert the following: “Report on external investment managers 29. (1) The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining how the use of external investment managers for the FI Fund, the ICN Fund and any other funds controlled by the Agency...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 8: In page 22, line 17, to delete “15 per cent” and substitute “1 per cent”.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 8 seeks to amend section 31(2) by removing the provision that the agency can invest moneys from the fund where "such indirect investment is unlikely to have in excess of 15 per cent of its assets, or such lower percentage as the Minister may prescribe by order" as part of a fossil fuel undertaking and replacing it with a provision whereby 1% is the maximum amount allowable. ...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To be clear on amendment No. 8, the amendment moves the percentage, that upper ceiling, as the Minister described it, of the assets of something we invest in that can be in fossil fuels. That upper ceiling is now 15%. I suggest that it be lowered to 1%. I believe that still allows space for inadvertent error or something further down in a company's portfolio that people were not aware of....

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 9: In page 22, to delete lines 20 to 33.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 10: In page 23, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following: “Prohibition on investment in undertakings operating without a legal basis 32. (1) (a) Assets of a relevant Fund shall not be invested in undertakings carrying out business in a territory where there is not a legal basis to do so. (b) Where the Agency becomes aware that an undertaking in...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 10 seeks to insert a new section into the Bill which would provide that the assets of a relevant fund shall not be invested in undertakings carrying out business in a territory where there is not a legal basis to do so. Where the agency becomes aware that an undertaking in which the assets of the relevant fund are directly or indirectly invested is, or becomes, an undertaking...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am aware of the discussion that was had in relation to the divestment Bill and the reference to other tools but, to be clear, my core point has not been addressed. "Occupied territory" can be defined "with reference to", as the committee report on Deputy Brady's divestment Bill suggested, rather than "according to". That would address the question of the UN list of relevant undertakings....

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 11: In page 23, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following: “Obligations under Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Act 2008 32. (1)The Agency shall ensure that assets of a relevant fund are not directly or indirectly invested in a manner which would contravene Part 4 of the Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Act 2008.(2)Where the Agency...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Consumer Durables: Discussion (18 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Let me pick up on that. One of the discussions has been on community engagement. With respect to the community-led approach and the kinds of initiatives we have been hearing about, such as social enterprise and community-led initiatives, I agree there is almost a co-benefit, as has just been described. It is seen as a positive and as something connected to a community. That is slightly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Consumer Durables: Discussion (18 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There are VAT measures that could be looked at in terms of incentives in relation to that. I did want to pick up on the paint piece as well and on procurement, but I might come back to that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Consumer Durables: Discussion (18 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On the procurement piece, there are a couple things. We mentioned the paint project as a very good example of Fingal explicitly putting out a tender for recycled paint. However, in procurement we could have a price-to-quality ratio approach rather than a lowest-price model one. Reuse could be identified and named as a quality factor that gives advantage when tendering for any project. If a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Consumer Durables: Discussion (18 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Could I just put one question? I do not need to get an answer, but it is just if the witnesses are sending us supplementary information. It is the question around the co-benefits of community, social or locally-led enterprises. That could be pooled risks and pooled supports with things like insurance while having that community or social enterprise. If there are co-benefits to scaling up...

Seanad: International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Motion (19 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister. There has been much discussion of what this pact does and does not mean for Ireland, but first we must look at the much broader context in terms of modern migration and asylum and the deep roots of the current inequality and injustices that are leading to asylum seeking and migration. We have historical injustices and oppression. War displacement and injustice are...

Seanad: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 3: In page 11, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “Report on care 6. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining the measures taken to ensure that those who engage in care work outside the labour market are supported to ensure equitable access to, and outcomes...

Seanad: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister's answer points exactly to the problem which is that the Commission's examination explicitly excluded consideration of the tax relief. It is not necessarily even about removal but reform of the private pension tax relief, which is currently set at a marginal rate. This means that a higher earner gets 40% tax rate relief. Low-income earners only get 20% tax relief. Not...