Results 761-780 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Schemes (4 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I might follow up in terms of specific recommendations with the Minister. Can the 19 hours per week be addressed as well?

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: While the Civil Engagement group has not produced an alternative budget such as others in this House have done, we have today issued a statement highlighting five principles which we believe should underpin the budget and should be considered very carefully by the Government. Budget 2018 should deliver joined-up thinking for sustainable development. Addressing Ireland's many urgent...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be contributing to them. The fifth principle is that budget 2018 should meet international standards and commitments, not just our fiscal targets but our commitments to the convention on disability and to climate change. We need to resource those areas as well as delivering rhetoric. I look forward to the budget debate and to teasing these issues out and testing budget 2018 against...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement on the Future of Europe (Resumed): European Movement Ireland, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Assocation and Macra na Feirme (4 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Chairman for allowing me to contribute. When I was out of the room I followed the debate with interest. I have one suggestion on which I would love to hear the thoughts of the delegation. There is a danger in considering Junker's five scenarios as our frame because we would lose focus on what actually needs to happen in Europe. Much of his focus and the focus of his...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement on the Future of Europe (Resumed): European Movement Ireland, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Assocation and Macra na Feirme (4 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the delegates for their presentations in which a number of really interesting points were raised. Luckily, Deputy David Cullinane picked up on some of them. There are one or two areas in which we could probably have a disagreement, but this is not the place in which to do so. I may have had different views from those of the delegates on the habitats and birds directives which have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement on the Future of Europe (Resumed): European Movement Ireland, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Assocation and Macra na Feirme (4 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There was a question on trade.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I understand that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join in the praise for Irish Aid. It makes an extraordinary contribution to the world and Ireland's reputation overseas not just in terms of the level of aid, but also the thought that goes into how that aid is provided and Ireland's championing of untied aid. I would appreciate it if the witnesses commented on the importance of the untied aid aspect of Ireland's contribution. Other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2017 to 2020: Department of Defence (5 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would like to note very positively the fact that the human rights and equality duty has been highlighted in the draft strategy. That is something that all Departments and public bodies should place at the centre of their work. I will touch on some of the same concerns raised by my colleagues here, but I would like some more specific detail in the responses to some of them. Neutrality is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2017 to 2020: Department of Defence (5 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: An observer member.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2017 to 2020: Department of Defence (5 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is very important to be clear that the policies of effective multilateralism and military neutrality are both in force. There is not a hierarchy placing one above the other. They are complementary policies that work very closely together. Ireland's policy on military neutrality allowed it to play a key and effective role in pressing for multilateral initiatives on disarmament and in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2017 to 2020: Department of Defence (5 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I asked a question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2017 to 2020: Department of Defence (5 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am not advocating against weapons.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2017 to 2020: Department of Defence (5 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Can we get the statistics for that aspect?

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (12 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I did not have the opportunity to debate the budget with others when it came through for comment in these Houses on Tuesday but I wanted to highlight two particular issues related to it. I am sure the Leader will not be surprised because I have indicated this clearly before. The gender inequality-proofing of the budget which has been promised and which I was gratified to see mentioned in the...

Seanad: Future of Europe: Statements (12 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will the Chairman let me know when I have three minutes left?

Seanad: Future of Europe: Statements (12 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the opportunity to have this debate. As Senator Richmond said, it is an opportunity to highlight that it is not a polarised debate which we often see, of being for or against Europe. There are many of us who are passionate about Europe. I worked for many years with the European Women's Lobby, the European Anti-Poverty Network, and with others in civil society across Europe. Now...

Seanad: Future of Europe: Statements (12 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am glad the Acting Chairman rang the bell. Lastly, I note that Europe's credibility is also being damaged internationally. When Europe is seen to have a militarised and securitised response, for example, to the migration crisis, it diminishes our capacity to step in with regard to the huge global movements of people in crisis, for example, in Myanmar or, in the past, in places such as...

Seanad: Future of Europe: Statements (12 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We need to have public confidence in their ability to influence their future. This leads me to my final concern, which is trade. Far too often we have the simple narrative that a person is either for or against trade or has an open or a protectionist position. We must listen to citizens who say that they want international trade but that it needs to be done well. Some of the models put...

Seanad: Future of Europe: Statements (12 Oct 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Acting Chairman has the patience of a saint.