Results 841-860 of 4,037 for speaker:Jennifer Whitmore

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement: Discussion with Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (26 May 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Tánaiste for being here for this debate. It is important that we have this debate. The move prior to Christmas to have the vote following a 55-minute debate was the wrong choice. It is important that we have an opportunity to discuss this issue. As part of that discussion the information needs to be on the table so that the public understand what will be voted on....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement: Discussion with Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (26 May 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Some of the experts that we heard from previously gave a considerable list of examples of where this has happened, such as in Romania. A consideration of where the ICS has operated differently from in the previous examples would be useful. In the absence of that type of analysis, we would need to take a precautionary approach on this. That is because the risks as outlined by many of these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement: Discussion with Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (26 May 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: That is absolutely not the case. What I am saying is that we should allow national courts to provide that arbitration, rather than setting up a secondary or alternative system whereby a corporation can pick and choose which it wishes to use while not affording governments the same right to pick and choose.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Five of my amendments have been ruled out of order because of a money message or because they are outside the provisions of the Bill. Should we discuss those before we get into the amendments in this group? How I vote on the amendments which follow will be determined by the discussion we have regarding the amendments that have been ruled out of order.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: We are about to discuss the Minister's amendment regarding the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960. One of my amendments was ruled out of order because it relates to that Act. Is it within the scope of the Act or not? I ask that question because I imagine this issue will impact on the Minister's amendments as well.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Surely if my amendment was approved to extend this legislation to include the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, it would not be outside the Bill's scope.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: With all due respect, it was the Chairman who signed the letter ruling my amendments out of order. I do not understand how bringing the target date forward from 2050 to 2045 could be deemed to warrant a money message or to incur an additional cost on the Exchequer. Bringing the date forward by five years would not cost the State any more money.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 5: In page 6, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “Objective of Act 3.The objective of this Act is to ensure that the State does its fair share, on the basis of equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 6: In page 6, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “The target-setting criteria 3.(1) In this Act, the “target-setting criteria” are— (a) the objective of not exceeding the fair and safe Irish emissions budget, (b) European and international law and policy relating to climate change (including the United Nations Framework...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: It might be a good idea at this point for the Minister to indicate his intentions regarding the amendments we have yet to consider. Is he open to accepting any of them? If not, and if Government members are going to vote against each of them, I have other things I could be doing today and on the two days scheduled for this debate next week. It would be good if the Minister could clarify...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I find that to be really disappointing. This is the first Committee Stage debate I have been through. When we started out in the committee, and started reviewing the climate Bill initially, the recommendation from the Minister and the Department was that we would not have pre-legislative scrutiny. We pushed back against that and had very extensive pre-legislative scrutiny. The Minister...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I will be moving it.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Will the Minister elaborate on the rationale as to why a reference to social and economic exclusion cannot be included? In order to define how people are vulnerable, we need to acknowledge there will be social and economic vulnerabilities globally and it will be the poorest people who are most impacted in that regard. If the Minister is not open to taking the more definitive amendments, he...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 15: In page 6, to delete lines 26 to 30 and substitute the following: "'climate justice' means the requirement that decisions and actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the effects of climate change shall, in so far as it is practicable to do so, safeguard the rights of persons vulnerable to social and economic exclusion and endeavour to...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I also think this is one of the most important conversations on the Bill we will have. The reality is that climate issues are not just about the environment. They are part of a much broader issue and we cannot separate them out. If we start dealing with environmental or climate issues separately to the economy, inequality and people's living standards we will not achieve what we need to...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: The Minister is arguing that just transition is a difficult concept to define. However, the Scottish Government has defined it. There are a number of examples where other, similar countries have embedded it in their legislation. The unions have come together and agreed a concept and principles, as have community organisations. There is an onus on the Minister to reflect that in this Bill....

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Like my colleagues, I would ask that the Minister take all these amendments back and consider which one he is comfortable with. We are all saying the same thing. I saw earlier that one of the civil society groups wants the UNFCCC commitment mentioned in the Bill. Perhaps that is something the Minister can take on board. My amendment is a simple addition, which emphasises that it will be...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Today the Government published the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. It is also Global Day for Parents. That is ironic because despite the €915 million being allocated in the economic plan there does not appear to be a single additional cent set aside for investment in early years and childcare. That is despite childcare being a fundamental foundation for the economy and for...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: There is no additional money in the budget for childcare.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Grant Payments (1 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: 79. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the efforts he is taking to address the long waiting list for SEAI warmer homes grant; the extent which Covid-19 has impacted on the waiting list for retrofitting of homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29430/21]