Results 2,421-2,440 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would have preferred my specific provision on the time period and final closure, but I will withdraw my amendment pending how the use of those clauses work out, which the Minister has outlined. It would have been my preference to have a clear time period.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 15: In page 50, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following: “(2) The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 12: “Protection of reporting persons 12A.For the avoidance of doubt and without prejudice to natural justice, any investigation carried out under this Act shall not involve a person named in...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister has indicated he will address it in terms of the definition of "impartiality", and it will be important to be clear in that regard, even in a small organisation. If the case involves a small organisation where three or four persons are named, in certain cases an external investigator may be required, but I appreciate that others may be named but not be the core focus of the...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 17: In page 57, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “Public information campaign 31. The Minister may, subsequent to the passing of this Act, hold an accessible public information campaign in respect of the role of whistleblowing in the advancement of the public good and the mechanisms by which someone may make a protected disclosure and the...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank Senator Buttimer for picking up on an important aspect of the language in my amendment, namely, accessibility.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is worth noting that not all protected disclosures are made by lawyers or people who have read the legislation. In some cases, the person may not even be aware of the legislation. The reason I regret that the amendments concerning managers were not accepted is that it is often people at a lower level in organisations who have a strong personal ethical sense. That comes at every level...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is why people should be allowed to make an anonymous disclosure and focus on where it should be, which is on the subject matter that is being raised. I look forward to engaging with the Minister of State, even if he cannot support my amendment.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 5: In page 22, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: “(3) Where the Commission enters into contracts or appoints persons as consultants or advisers, a record of such contracts and consultations shall be kept and laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on a bi-annual basis.”.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The amendment inserts a new subsection in, section 15 which requires that where the commission would enter into contracts or appoint persons as consultants or advisers, a record of such contracts and consultations would be kept and laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on a biannual basis. The amendment is about transparency. When the body responsible for elections and referendums in a...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: While there are measures relating to spending on consultants and advisers, the concerns do not solely relate to financial transparency; the concerns relate to who the consultants and advisers are, who is giving advice and what factors are in play. It should be borne in mind that such consultants and advisers, while not being public employees in the full sense, may well be providing...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I believe we are authorised to move Senator Moynihan's amendment.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Okay, that was obviously yesterday and not today.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 7: In page 24, line 39, after “time” to insert “, but only once”.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The amendment seeks to limit the term of a chief executive to be renewable only once. Currently, the Bill provides that the chief executive can have a five-year term and may be reappointed, but not for more than ten years sequentially at a time. This amendment would seek to only allow two terms to the chief executive and no more than that. I spoke earlier about accountability and...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I appreciate that the consideration was given. I will not press amendment No. 7. I will withdraw it.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 9: "In page 25, line 10, after “section” to insert the following: “, having due regard both to the desirability of the appointee possessing knowledge of, and experience in, electoral matters, and obligations as set out under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 10: "In page 27, line 19, after “office” to insert “with a record of such representations to be kept”."

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I second the amendment.