Results 7,561-7,580 of 8,235 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Public Private Partnerships: Discussion (19 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It just strikes me that it seems very similar to what the IMF said, namely, we should be looking at direct expenditure from the Exchequer. That would be one form.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is heartening that the technologies, as a collective set, are there. That is clear. It is clear we are not hearing an obstacle. Mr. Smith said in his opening statement that while any one of these solutions might not meet the storage needs, there is a portfolio of relatively sustainable technologies that together can combine. That is very important in the context of something this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On the emerging technologies aspect, the witnesses said they are liquid air, compressed air and the new batteries piece. Is that also an investment element?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It strikes me that, as Mr. Smith said, the cost of gas has been so high that this would have been an insurance policy. Back in the day, however, we had the national oil reserve idea and we perhaps need to look to something equivalent in the form of a sustainable energy reserve.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is important that does not replace the other parts of youth work, which was the mistake in the past. It all became about the job and not the person.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am delighted to substitute for Senator Ruane who would like to be here herself. I am delighted that the committee is having these sessions on the sustainable development goals. It is really important, given the key role Ireland played in their negotiation, that we also give leadership around their implementation. Again, 2030 is coming very quickly. I want to pick up on a few of the...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These are important discussions to have. I lead the Civil Engagement Group in the Seanad. We are a group of four Independent Senators: Senators Frances Black, Eileen Flynn and Lynn Ruane and me. While we are Independent, we have a number of principles in common. One of the key ones - it brought us together, in fact - is the desire to strengthen links between civil society and politics and...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I was asked about the hotel tax which, it is important to note, is different from a tourist tax. That was one example. An even more important example was the issue of the vacant and derelict sites tax. If that had been revenue that was coming directly to councils and that councils were able to ring-fence in order to reform and address dereliction that would have been very significant....

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There are some new outlets such as the Dublin Inquirer which is a really positive example of something new happening in that regard.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These questions are very important. They are not about criticising any individual. Our task as a committee is to identify what is going to work and what is going to happen. We cannot take gambles because there is far less space now. We hear concerns about the profit margin and development. There is far less leeway in the space we have to address our climate crisis. We have no leeway....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is it better than price only?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is the question because, sometimes in certain areas, public delivery can be in a position such as, for example, where for a long period of time the State has had access to finance on perhaps a more favourable rate than the private sector. There is certainly scope there in terms of being able to do this without going through the market and where it would actually be more expensive to do...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have two more questions. Will I put them now so that they get answered, instead of going back to everybody twice?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have two specific questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It saves the need for everybody to come in twice. This is around planning issues. We talk about housing but actually what we see in the city centre is many empty office blocks. I live in the city centre in Dublin and we are surrounded by empty office blocks. There is that question and there is talk about reusing and repurposing them. There is also the question of appropriate use of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is not quite on circularity but it relates very much to the environmental footprint of buildings and their design. It relates to that question. I was really answering the point that Mr. Ryan made about the belief that if you build higher, it will automatically be better. In fact, repurposing a development at a mid-level can sometimes be better in terms of light, which has an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is interesting that Mr. Impoco mentioned the Dutch model, which is what my procurement legislation is based on. It is still about value for money but it is framing value for money within a wider lens.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On that storage piece, I am wondering-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My apologies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That was very useful. I just wanted to highlight something. I was going to ask about the methodologies, but that is what the Chair asked about. Has there been engagement around the development of methodology? Has the council or the federation had any engagement with the Government on the question of the new methodologies being formed? How has that gone? What kinds of points have the...