Results 2,441-2,460 of 8,768 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of the Media and Communications in Actioning Climate Change: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is a great diversity of perspectives within rural Ireland of course as well. Some very large lobby groups can tend to be the go-to in that regard, when we know some of the strongest climate activists one can find are in rural Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of the Media and Communications in Actioning Climate Change: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is that question of the different cogs in the machine. We have focused a lot on self-regulation, which of course is the ASAI, but the key focus, and what we need to examine is the regulations. They are, of course, a harder and a stronger tool in that regard. We have discussed a ban on fossil fuel advertising and certain forms of automotive advertising and I am very sympathetic to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of the Media and Communications in Actioning Climate Change: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My question is for the representatives of both Purpose Disruptors Ireland and the ASAI. When we seek to have new media codes, self-regulation should surely be ahead of what is required. If we raise the bar on all the hard regulation, do we then need the industry to be steps ahead so it moves almost beyond the law, with incentivisation beyond the legal requirements?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of the Media and Communications in Actioning Climate Change: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We have focused on the lifestyles but, at other sessions on communications, we heard about the focus on the individual as opposed to the focus on the collective.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of the Media and Communications in Actioning Climate Change: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Maybe I could get an answer on the other question. How do we move to a systemic change from the individual narrative?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of the Media and Communications in Actioning Climate Change: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Could the delegates respond later on the collective narrative by comparison with the individual narrative, if there is an opportunity?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of the Media and Communications in Actioning Climate Change: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I do not need a response, I have my own questions now. That was just a suggestion. Another, which, if it cannot be answered, could be followed up in writing is around production. If the experts before the committee today are involved in content, production may not be their area of expertise. I would like to know about things like the Albert carbon calculator and what efforts there are in...

Seanad: Cuimhneachán ar Chothrom Céad Bliain an Chéad Suí de Seanad Éireann – 11 Nollaig 1922 - Commemoration of the Centenary of the First Sitting of Seanad Éireann – 11 December 1922 (12 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: A Chathaoirligh, a Thaoisigh agus a cháirde, from the social, cultural and ecological contribution of Members of the first Seanad, such as Jenny Wyse Power and Eileen Costello, through to the work of the many former Senators who join us today, the Seanad has shaped national policy through a thematic lens, often identifying possibilities and challenges beyond any specific geographic...

Seanad: Statements on COP27 (8 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Prior to discussing COP27, I echo the points made by Senator Chambers on the western rail corridor. The climate committee in our transport report was very clear that the form of cost-benefit analysis used to justify removing it did not reflect climate, the environment or all of the benefits that accrue.Especially given the world's limited supplies of lithium, we cannot think that we will...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief because this issue around sunset clauses has arisen before. Members will be aware that we have brought proposals related to this to the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight, CPPO, to amend these Standing Orders. They are acting as an inappropriate constraint in the House. When any Minister comes to the House to propose legislation, they ask the...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I understand that.

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have brought the point to the CPPO and-----

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: ----- I look forward to discussing it at our next meeting. However, I want to make a point to the Minister of State.

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is a relevant point to make to the Minister of State as well, which is that, basically, if the Government is treating legislation as emergency legislation, it should be willing to accept a sunset clause.

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to speak to the section and I will speak to the policy point that I was seeking to address, which effectively builds on the extremely relevant point that I was making.That point is that we are told this is legislation to respond to an emergency and that it is urgent. In fact, the only aspect of this Bill which can constitute urgency is the appointment of an interim chair. I proposed...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: With this, I would say that we would have a more productive discussion-----

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----if we were solely discussing section 5.

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: With absolute respect, section 30 has been substantially chipped away. The Minister of State will recall the debate we had when sitting in the other House's Chamber a few years ago about the previously sacrosanct section 30, which stated that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage would not interfere when the functions of heritage were blended into the Department....

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am a co-signer of amendment No. 4. I will speak on the group now. This is an attempt to ensure that the right balance is properly maintained in the board. It comes out of a concern, which we will come to later, about appointments to the board. There is currently a requirement to have two persons with environmental expertise. That is no longer guaranteed in the new way that the balance...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: The new section 6 does not provide a guarantee of a member who will have environmental expertise, which we had under the previous legislation. In that regard, it is a backwards step. The Minister of State is right there are very important laws in place, such as Fit for 55. There are more than 200 pieces of legislation coming through, including a lot of new legislation in respect of...