Results 8,001-8,020 of 8,235 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am speaking on the section. These are all issues that could be addressed in this section. I have not spoken about a single issue which does not relate to the categorisation of the designated institutions of higher education. To be very clear, I am looking here at line 16. While my proposal - my specific amendment - may not be in order, my opinions regarding the definitions and their...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Senator can still speak to the definition of higher education institution.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: What about the question on the level of qualification?

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Minister-----

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It seems to me that the reason for the narrowness of the interpretation of "graduate" relates largely to the size of the constituency that will already flow from the definitions put forward in section 3 but, of course, the Seanad Bill 2020 addressed this issue. We will have a situation where six seats will be elected by a potential constituency of up to a million electors, as was highlighted...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 14: In page 7, line 28, after "entitled" to insert "and registered". Amendments Nos. 14, 22 and 61, and indeed some other amendments that will be ruled out of order, relate to the transitional arrangements for the creation of the new register and the danger that its creation may lead to the disenfranchisement of many who are currently entitled to vote. It would be a...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: A reduction in the register is perhaps a better way to put it.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for his comments on amendment No. 22. As I said, it is not something that is contained within the Bill. I will take the bona fides of the Minister regarding the intention in respect of contact. That is going to be crucial. As the Minister will be aware, the other amendments and proposals we have made in this area were not solely for the full transfer of the NUI and...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 22: In page 8, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: “(4) During preparations under subsection (3), the central registration authority shall contact all persons registered as electors in the former National University constituency and former Dublin University constituency to seek consent for their inclusion in the first register of electors.”.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have spoken to the issues already and I will not repeat them at length. My concern relates to the proposals I put forward on carrying forward those who are currently on the register, such as those who voted in the past one, two or three elections. As I said, the Minister and I disagree on that matter and I am noting that.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These are the same principles. I believe in how it is worded that it could be carried through in that persons who had registered to vote would be considered as having made a claim to register to vote in the new higher education constituency. While I recognise it is a new constituency, it is not simply a matter of merging the two but, rather, that as the beginning point for the new...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have been reminded of one amendment, namely, amendment No. 61, which may have fallen between the stools when the Minister was addressing the others. It will be coming up shortly. One area that does not arise is the idea of the automatic transfer. This is no longer about the NUI or TCD constituencies, but whether, for all the institutions covered by this new constituency, the practice...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 32: In page 15, to delete lines 20 and 21 and substitute the following: “(a) 3 persons from amongst persons nominated by each designated institution for that purpose; (b) 1 person from amongst persons nominated by student unions of each designated institution for that purpose;”. I will be brief because we have a number of amendments to get through....

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There probably are key competencies that students can bring in terms of what will or will not be effective in encouraging persons to exercise their franchise. I doubt there is any marketing expert who can compare with what the student unions often have to bring in terms of engaging that constituency. Sadly, this is an area in respect of which a signal is needed centrally because without...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister. I think we have the same intent. Nonetheless, I will press the amendment.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 33: In page 15, to delete lines 20 and 21 and substitute the following: “(a) 2 persons from amongst persons nominated by each designated institution for that purpose; (b) 1 person from amongst persons nominated by student unions of each designated institution for that purpose; (c) 1 person from amongst persons nominated by trade unions representing staff...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 35: In page 16, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: “(d) the level of participation in elections in the Higher Education constituency, including the collection of quantitative and qualitative data in relation to voters and their preferences,”. Again, I will be quite brief because we still have a number of amendments to get through. The...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 38: In page 16, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “(2) The Commission shall, after each electoral event to which this Act applies, prepare and publish (in such a manner as the Commission may determine) a report on the administration of the electoral event concerned. (3) Where the Commission prepares a report under subsection (2), the report...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 39: In page 16, line 38, after “register” to insert “including measures to increase the level of voter registration in the Higher Education constituency, including a mechanism for the automatic enrolment of qualified new graduates of designated institutions in the register of electors”.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief on the section to discuss those amendments. I will come to the issues with section 40, but these were technical amendments on the key issues in section 40 which concern the new proposals for a replacement list system. This is a fundamental problem with the Bill which I really urge the Minister to address. It is a fundamental step back for democracy. We know that,...