Results 2,321-2,340 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I again thank the Minister and her officials for engaging with this issue, which was raised by Members right across the House including ourselves and Government Senators. She will be aware that our amendment No. 40 goes a little bit further in that it specifies some of the areas in which the online safety commissioner could potentially have duties or responsibilities. I know that there will...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Government's amendment No. 11 deals with the "socio-economic" issue and addresses a number of concerns about linguistic rights that my colleagues and I highlighted throughout the debate. I would have liked to have seen a specific reference to Irish Sign Language but I welcome the recognition of linguistic and socioeconomic diversity and the reference to gender diversity. I note that my...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome amendment No. 12. Again, it concerns the key issue of participation, which we have debated back and forth. I am really glad that this key issue has been taken on board. Of course, participation is not the same as representation and vice versa. They perform in different areas. The Government amendment is constructive and is in the spirit of the audiovisual directive and...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 16: In page 19, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: “(ia) support equality, human rights and participation in cultural,”.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am conscious that the Minister may table amendments later that come at this matter from a different angle. Amendment No. 16 sought to ensure that equality and human rights are imbedded at an earlier stage in the powers and functions of the commission. As the Minister will be aware, I tabled multiple amendments to embed equality and human rights, given the public duty to equality and human...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 17: In page 19, line 17, after “change” to insert “and environmental considerations”.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is my fault. I steered her wrong.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes. Apologies, I had extended the grouping there.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We will come to that issue in a moment. These amendments on the Irish language are important. It is fundamental that we recognise the importance of access to the Irish language and encourage its use by communications media that operate within the State. That is part of that same principle of the positive role underpinning the audiovisual act, which is not just about protection but also...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome this set of amendments. There are two issues here, namely, the media literacy issue and the question of the wider reach that is being proposed. When we look at it solely through the educational lens, we are perhaps thinking of the educational skills space but we are leaving aside the fact that this online media permeates every single aspect of society and that everybody needs to...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: While I am glad that a reference is being made to gambling in the legislation, which was a major concern for us and for Senator Wall, who is not here but pressed this issue, I have concerns. The Minister might address this in her response. While the Department of Justice has a role relating to gambling, I think the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has a role...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Regardless of who it comes from?

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Okay. that is fine.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 40: In page 22, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “(2A) Of the members of the Commission, one or more of them shall be designated by the Minister as the Commissioner(s) with responsibility for Online Safety, to be known as the Online Safety Commissioner(s), who shall oversee the regulatory framework for online safety, including, inter...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 41: In page 22, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “(3A) In performing their functions under subsection (3), the Public Appointments Service and the Minister shall seek to ensure that the Commission has an appropriate balance of knowledge of, and expertise in, the following: (a) arts and culture; (b) data protection and digital...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These amendments seek to address two sets of concern. One related to membership of the commission, a set of measures to ensure there would be a diversity in the membership which represented the diversity in society. The other concerns were that there would be appropriate skills and an appropriate balance of those skills among those constituting the commission. We highlighted a third issue...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 42 does not set the bar as a hard requirement but rather "endeavour to ensure". There are a number of ways that could be addressed that would not require the advertisement of a position solely to men or women. An endeavour might apply in a situation where there might have been a majority of members of the commission who were of one gender that the Public Appointments Service...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 42: In page 22, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “(3A) Where recommending to the Minister persons for appointment as members of the Commission, the Service shall endeavour to ensure that among the membership of the Commission there is an equitable balance between men and women.”.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief in welcoming the Minister's acceptance of what was a constructive point. The words "effective", "efficient" and "economical" are all doing very different work and bring different considerations to bear. The word "effective" is probably one of the most important. I am really happy that it has been inserted. I thank the Minister for taking that point on board in good...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for taking on board. It is appropriate in terms of amendment No. 62 that such agreements would go before the joint committee. I particularly welcome amendment No. 60, which strengthens our proposal in that we had looked to the strategy being laid before a specific committee. Under the Minister's proposal, it may be laid before such committees. Again, it may be the...