Results 1,481-1,500 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Crosscare Emigrant Support Service: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Have the witnesses experienced an increase in people from the UK using their service in recent times? I just wonder whether that is intensifying post Brexit.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Crosscare Emigrant Support Service: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Not yet.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Crosscare Emigrant Support Service: Discussion (28 Jun 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is not turning into a greater caseload at the moment.

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 22:In page 34, line 25, to delete “Regulation.” and substitute the following: “Regulation, and(c) view information about any data breaches where their personal data may have been affected and information on how to request further information.”. I thank the Minister of State for addressing those issues and for indicating that he is willing to...

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I refer to amendments Nos. 22 and 22a. On necessity and proportionality, I think that these have been addressed. I will return to them and I hope that the Minister of State will return to them as well on Report Stage. I take necessary and proportionate on board but it may need to be reworded. In that context, I will not press the amendments.

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will withdraw the amendments but I reserve the right to return to the issue on Report Stage.

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 22a:In page 34, line 36, to delete “information” where it firstly occurs and substitute “only such information as is necessary and proportionate”. This is the key issue of necessity and proportionality. I have one question for the Minister of State. He had indicated he was willing to reflect that more and it was an issue that came up in...

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is amendment No. 22a on necessity and proportionality.

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 22b:In page 36, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following:“(2) Of the members of the Board, an equal number shall be male and female.”. I am speaking to amendments Nos. 22b to 24a, inclusive. Amendment 22b and amendment 24a both relate to the data governance board. This a major concern I have with this Bill. We have heard at length that there is a...

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The crucial issues are amendments Nos. 23 and 24. Amendment No. 23 suggests that membership of the board should be advertised through the Public Appointments Service, PAS. It is standard and good practice to know there is an independent body adjudicating as to who is qualified and appropriate to sit on this board. Members should be appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of PAS,...

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I take the Minister's point that it may not be possible to advertise all the ex officiomember positions through the Public Appointments Service but it would be important that there is clarity around what proportion of the appointments will be external and advertised through the Public Appointments Service. Also, if the Public Appointments Service is to provide board members it should not...

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his willingness to engage on the Bill. I look forward to further engagement on it with him between now and Report Stage. On the issue of a maximum and minimum balance, I believe a balance of more external members and independent members will be crucial to this board having credibility. On the issue of job specifications, I do not think the criteria needs...

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 24b:In page 36, after line 37, to insert the following: "(5) Each committee, not later than 30 June in each year, shall prepare and submit to the Board, a report on its membership and the performance by it of its functions in the immediately preceding year, or in the case of the period from the date the Board is first appointed to the next following 30 June, that period....

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State very much. He makes a valid point as there are of course short-term ad hoccommittees. In that regard, I would be very happy if he wanted to simply set a maximum term and to allow for more flexibility. That maximum terms could be two or three years or whatever is deemed to be most useful or appropriate. That is absolutely fair enough. In that context, I will...

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In that context I am happy to accept the Minister of State's expression of willingness to look at this issue again. Am I to understand that there is no objection to the principle of amendment No. 24d, but rather that the Minister of State intends to move a similar amendment on Report Stage?

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State very much.

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Many valid points have been made. Perhaps a declaration of interest might be a way of addressing any concerns.

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is useful that declarations of interest have been raised. Of course, such declarations are implied in the State guidelines but perhaps they might be more robustly reflected. As Senator Conway Walsh stated, county managers can also have concerns and conflicts of interest, particularly where a large number of private bodies will, in effect, be included as public bodies under the Bill and...

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 25:In page 39, line 29, to delete “notice.” and substitute the following:“notice, and(v) a deadline for submissions not sooner than two weeks from the date of publication of the notice.”. This section relates to the public consultation on a data-sharing agreement, the publication of a proposed agreement and an opportunity to engage in it. My...