Results 2,221-2,240 of 8,482 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: While it is a one-stage process and that is appreciated, it is a one-stage process that may or may not apply, and may or may not be acted upon. I do not think there is a contradiction between the Minister of State's intent in terms of it being a one-stage process and the intent of these amendments, which would ensure it is a one-stage process which shall be applied.

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes. It will make matters worse. Things have been pretty bad. Let us be clear on that.

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is very interesting. We have had this again and again and we have raised concerns about An Bord Pleanála. One would not think there had been any problem with An Bord Pleanála for the past few years because everybody in the Government has talked constantly about how wonderful it is, how nobody should ever challenge a decision it makes and how terrible it is that people would...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 52: In page 10, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 150 of Act of 2000 11.The Act of 2000 is amended in section 150 by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (2): “(2A) Such codes of conduct described in subsection (2) shall require any member of an authority or the Board to disclose— ...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would ask the Minister of State to return to and examine the issue because at the moment there is a requirement that there is a code of conduct, and there is a list of issues that the code may address, but this does not necessarily include these requirements. We saw how the internal regulation and self-monitoring systems of the board failed to address the issues that arise and got into the...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 53: "In page 10, line 16, after “subsoil” to insert “to a depth of 30 feet”." This amendment relates to another part of the Bill on the foreshore. It seeks to amend the definition of "foreshore" in section 13 of the Bill to clarify that, as was the case in the 1933 Act, the foreshore is considered to include subsoil but to a depth of 30 f....

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am quite alarmed. In the briefing, I had asked if the 30 ft. issue would be affected, and I was told that it would not be. I was looking for reassurance in the House that it would not be affected, but the Minister of State has now told us that will be affected. Effectively, this has begun to look like another land grab by persons who may be given licences of particular kinds. It is...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to speak to amendment No. 55, which is in the same grouping. My amendment No. 55 has a similar purpose to amendment No. 54. It seeks to insert a new section into the Bill, notwithstanding anything in the definition of the foreshore in section 1, and the powers of the Minister to grant a licence under section 3. This is without prejudice to the view that the Bill already provides an...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 55: In page 10, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: “Provisions in respect of foreshore licensing requirements for certain surveying activities 14.The Act of 1933 is amended by the insertion of the following after section 3: “Obligations 3AA.Notwithstanding anything in the definition of the foreshore in section 1, and the powers of the...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 56: In page 11, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: “Amendment of Act of 1933 15.The Act of 1933 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 8: “Rights of way 8A. For the avoidance of doubt no provision of this enactment shall be construed as limiting or infringing upon public or private rights of way or any...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 57: In page 12, after line 20, to insert the following: “Amendment of Act of 1933 18. The Act of 1933 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 13AA: “Regulations on undersea noise and sonar 13AB.Any licenses or leases issued in respect of the foreshore and the associated column of water shall include conditions and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I formally object to the Order of Business and in particular to the sitting arrangements for Thursday. That is in respect of the-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, it is tomorrow but the motion is being taken today. I formally object to the inclusion in the Order of Business of the motion in respect of the sitting arrangements for Thursday. I will object to the motion on the sitting arrangements in due course. This is in the context of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022, which is being pushed and rushed through. It...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move recommendation No. 6: In page 66, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “Report on wealth tax 25.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the potential revenue raised from, and distributional impact of, a wealth tax of 1 per cent on all households with assets of over 10 million...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for his response. I will continue to pursue the issue because it is significant. I am glad we are getting more data. That is progress. I am aware that our transfer system does redistributive work regarding our extraordinary high levels of income inequality. In this regard, there is a discussion to be had on the Social Welfare Bill, which is touched upon. I would be...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move recommendation No. 7: In page 66, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “Report on private pension tax reliefs 25.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on private pension tax relief including: (a) an assessment of the cost to the exchequer; (b) a comparative gender analysis of tax...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes but some 70% of the benefits go to the top 20%-----

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The key point is the cash, which the Minister himself mentioned. The fact is that 70% of the money - an extremely large amount of money - is going to the top 20%. The fact that smaller amounts are going to the majority of people in that scheme should not be used as a shield for what is effectively a trickle-up effect. The cap is clearly not adequate if 70% of the benefit is going to top...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of the Media and Communications in Actioning Climate Change: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is a lot of detail set out in the legislation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of the Media and Communications in Actioning Climate Change: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have a few follow-up questions. On biodiversity, I have a few nice things to say about the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin. I am often very harsh on the Government on lots of issues but, as I said, I am pleased that biodiversity has been included alongside environmental sustainability and climate change in the provisions relating to the European works scheme. Ms Craig talked about...