Results 2,241-2,260 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I accept the Minister's point in terms of emergency legislation in general. That is why we endeavour to have clarity. It is emergency legislation, but emergency legislation that is responding to that lack of clarity. That is why we were seeking to be constructive in trying to nail down that clarity. I accept the point in terms of case law. It is important for the Minister to give that...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: While we acknowledge the case for the previous amendments was really strongly made, I still have concerns. I am thinking of amendment No. 4 in particular. It was asked what would happen if the Minister did not make regulations. That would be an issue for the Government, including the Minister, in that it would have failed to make them, but the point is that we are being asked to give the...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Geolocation or GPS?

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: While it is useful to reference the principal Act in respect of amendment No. 11, in terms of a "revenue offence", I feel quite strongly about amendment No. 8 and, indeed, the principles in amendments Nos. 9 and 10. An offence as constituted in that section is potentially extremely wide. We do not want a situation where there is a suspicion that a minor offence will become a justification...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Are we not on amendments Nos. 8 to 11?

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I apologise. I will come to them in a moment.

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I accept the argument that there is a clarification to a degree on what constitutes a “revenue offence” in other legislation. However, in terms of the powers of An Garda Síochána in this section, I think that including the word "serious" as a parameter when describing an offence is an important safeguard in accessing data. I would not want a situation whereby a very...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is a disjoint. I understand that the Minister is addressing the court ruling, but we are also addressing what we believe to be good and best practice. I still have concerns in respect of this issue. I am especially concerned in the context of surveillance in the State, as was mentioned. There have previously been some very bad ideas floated in terms of what might be done in that...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is important to be clear that our amendment specifically states that we want to add the word "serious". Our amendments are not in respect of whether serious offences would be a basis. Our amendment specifies that it would be "serious" offences. I note that the word "criminal" is not referenced in the Bill but the term "an offence" is. So we think that "a serious" offence is a...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I share the same concerns as my colleague. We have raised our concerns when discussing other matters like the use of CCTV cameras. It is that idea of "preventing, detecting, investigating or prosecuting offences". We have tabled two amendments regarding "preventing". Perhaps the Minister might clarify what is meant by "detecting". Amendment No. 9 seeks to delete the word...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We have not sought to remove the phrases pertaining to investigating or prosecuting offences. Where an offence is being investigated, of course it is appropriate that the data can be accessed. What we have addressed is the question of prevention and detection. It needs to be seen alongside the wide definition of "offences" that is given here. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 11: In page 8, line 33, after “a” to insert “serious”.

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 12 In page 8, line 36, to delete “preventing,”.

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be delighted to anyway.

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With regard to the question on the definition of "journalist", the Minister is aware that as recently as last year Opposition Members in the other House have proposed legislation on the protection of journalists and clarifying exactly the definition of a journalist in law. They asked whether we should look to the National Union of Journalists for a definition or look at international...

Seanad: Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I echo what has been said. The Minister of State has acknowledged that this is a really important set of suggestions. During the year I spent on the Joint Committee on Disability Matters, this came through again and again. If there are 40 children in an area who need supports at primary school, we should know that, X number of years ahead, we will have the same number of children needing...

Seanad: Night-time Economy: Motion (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I start by welcoming the Minister to the House and indicating my support for the motion. I add my voice to that call. It was a pity to see a Government amendment to the motion being put forward, given that so much of what we have heard has been in agreement. Senator Warfield's motion opens by directly acknowledging the positive elements in the Government motion. It literally opens by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Summer Economic Statement: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There are a number of issues I want to focus on, including the overlap between the medium-term challenges and climate and the report on wages produced by IFAC in May. The report on wages raises a question on the approach of using tax measures as opposed to other measures. There is also the need for an increase in the minimum wage to living wage levels because of inflation. This has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Summer Economic Statement: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Housing is an example of public investment, but it is routed through a short-term mechanism in terms of leasing. Under Housing for All, quite large amounts of money are being directed towards a leasing model. It has been well documented that a flood of investors are seeking to capitalise on the 25-year social housing contracts that are more costly to the State in the medium to longer term....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Summer Economic Statement: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (13 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Perhaps it is an area that needs a specific inflationary analysis. Could that go on the long-term research agenda?