Results 8,141-8,160 of 8,235 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy National Plan: Statements (20 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will pick up a little where the previous speaker left off. It will be really important as we move forward that the plans around the CAP intersect and that we have intersection between the multiple plans. There is a question, which I will come to in a moment, regarding some of the critiques that have been made about Ireland's plan. It is important to ensure that this plan works in...

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy National Plan: Statements (20 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My final point relates to the native honeybee. It would be good if there were schemes to more directly support our pollinators, particularly the native honeybee, in the CAP scheme.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In speaking today, I realise that I missed World Poetry Day last week, which is important. The theme I want to address, Gaza, which is one we have called for a debate on previously, is sometimes best addressed through poetry. I am not going to read the poem by Dr. Refaat Alareer, "If I Must Die", which is a famous one, where he speaks about "If I must die, let it bring hope" to a child,...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 6: In page 10, line 8, after “experience” to insert the following: “including, but not be limited to, environmental expertise and expertise in search and rescue operations”. The amendment relates to the investigations and investigators of incidents. It would specifically name environmental expertise and expertise in search and rescue...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would slightly quibble with that. I do not believe mentioning areas of expertise that are needed will dissuade individuals because it is needed across and we have this in a lot of other legislation. We have it, for example, in terms of the Climate Change Advisory Council. I can list off legislation in which we recognise that a range of expertise is needed across the entire team. It does...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 13: In page 20, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following: “(3) Where a person requests that a direction under subsection (1) be given in writing, an investigator must provide that direction by such means.”. Section 25 outlines the powers an investigator has but I am a little concerned about the lack of clear checks and balances in terms of the...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With respect, what is in fact created by the current wording is ambiguity. It is not just a matter of a person at a site; it could be a person in the vicinity of the site. There may be an issue over language, for example. If, for instance, someone is simply engaged in an animal rescue after a disaster or accident, the direction might not be clear. There does not need to be a delay. My...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On this section, I am surprised by the rulings regarding the amendments tabled by Sinn Féin but it would be useful to clarify, with regard to the core issues of the section, why these amendments cannot be considered at this time. This section is one where there is the possibility to address the core issues, which relate to co-operation with other authorities and how that works. It...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I understand completely.

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes.

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Perhaps we can come back to this on Report Stage but it is useful to get the back-and-forth in order that we can refine the meaning. The question as to that exchange of information becomes an issue with regard to co-operation between different bodies and to international co-operation, so I wanted to signal that that may be something we need to come back to. It would be good if on Report...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This is one of the key pieces. The Minister of State will be aware of the many recommendations arising from the committee pre-legislative examination of this legislation and others. I understand that what is ruled in and out of order is not the Minister of State’s decision but I regret the House’s decision on matters like the tribunals of inquiry and the safety checks and...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am a little more concerned now than I was when I first spoke. The Minister of State indicated that there is nothing to preclude the MAIU from engaging but then outlined something that seemed to suggest it would be precluded. I do not believe this is the intention of the directive. The coroner's court looks into causes of death. I do not believe this should be considered to be at odds...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Does the Minister of State have an expectation that there would be such engagement?

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 20: In page 31, line 13, to delete "may" and substitute "shall". I thank the Minister of State for his correspondence on these issues and for his engagement with me since the debate on Second Stage. He indicated that offshore service vessels are those vessels that engage in the development of offshore renewable energy, including offshore wind energy, and that to...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is somewhat of a contradiction there because, on the one hand, we are talking about wanting to abide by international best practice and the SOLAS Convention but, on the other, we have twice been told that it "may" not be practical to apply the convention. Are we applying the international best practice standards or are we not because we do not think it is practical to do so? I am very...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 21: In page 31, line 30, to delete “may” and substitute “shall”.

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 22: In page 31, line 32, to delete “may” and substitute “shall”.

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 23: In page 31, line 35, to delete “may” and substitute “shall”.

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (25 Mar 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 25: In page 32, line 15, to delete “may” and substitute “shall”.