Results 2,461-2,480 of 8,768 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 5: In page 6, to delete lines 9 to 16. Amendment No. 5 seeks the deletion of section 3(b), which amends section 104 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 to allow the Minister to appoint additional ordinary members without placing a limitation on how many he may appoint, removing any existing limits on the proportion of the board that can be appointed by the...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have not objected to the appointment of additional members. I have talked about the process by which additional members are appointed and I have objected to the imbalance in that the Minister appoints all of them, which is contrary to the spirit of section 30. I have asked for a very simple check and balance such that the Public Appointments Service be involved in identifying new members...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: The debate is on Committee and Remaining Stages. There is no separate Report Stage. There is no spirit of proper engagement on Committee Stage, with the Minister of State listening to what we say and undertaking to come back with proposals on Report Stage. That is not happening and it means there is not a proper scrutiny process. It does not matter if we have a 900-hour debate; the fact...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: The point is that the Minister is removing a requirement to check with the Oireachtas before increasing the board numbers. That is a poor decision and it decreases accountability to the Oireachtas. That is just factual. I have not suggested the panel system is perfect. I suggested it was designed in a very good way but the issue with it is that bodies that should not have been eligible...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 6: In page 6, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: "(c) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (2): "(2A) Such orders made by the Minister under subsection (2) shall require approval by motion of both Houses of the Oireachtas.".".

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 9: In page 6, to delete lines 18 to 30. This amendment deletes section 3(d) of the Bill, which states that: ... where the Minister is of the opinion that one, or more than one, additional ordinary member should be appointed as a matter of urgency due to the number of applications, appeals, referrals or other matters ... the Minister may, ... appoint, from persons...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will point out the word "vetting" because it is being used often. We should really think about the word and not use it. The term is undefined and vague and is being used problematically recently. The idea that because somebody has applied for a public service job, he or she is already suitable for absolutely any job gives the lie to the section we were just discussing a minute ago, which...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 11: In page 6, lines 27 and 28, to delete “or employees of the Board”.

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 17: In page 7, lines 7 and 8, to delete “or employees of the Board”

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 18: In page 7, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: “(1A) Notwithstanding subsection (1), an individual who is or within the preceding 1 year was employed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage shall not be eligible for appointment under subsection (1).”. Amendment No. 18 seeks to add a caveat to the proposed section...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 19: In page 7, to delete lines 16 to 19. The purpose of this amendment is to delete section 105A(4), which states that a person appointed to be the chairperson under this section who ceases to hold office, either due to an expiration of his or her one-year temporary term or because the chair is permanently appointed, may be reappointed by the Government for a second...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will not press it. There may be an argument for one extension and it may then just be a case of ensuring that this is limited. Perhaps that matter can be addressed in the Dáil.

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: This amendment is not grouped with any others, but I believe that one of the later amendments proposes something similar. Amendment No. 20 relates to the panel system. The reason the panel system exists is because it was recognised, as a point of principle, that the planning system is meant to be independent and separate from the Department. The function of the Department is in respect of...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 23: In page 7, to delete lines 22 to 32.

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 25: In page 7, line 23, to delete “, in so far as is practicable,”.

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 28: In page 7, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following: “(b) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (1)— “(1A) The Minister shall ensure that at least one ordinary member appointed under this section is a person who, in the opinion of the Minister, has satisfactory experience, competence or qualifications as...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I support amendment No. 29. I too have several amendments in this grouping. I do want to be pointlessly combative and insist on corrections of the record but we need to stop saying things that are not in the Bill. For example, the Minister just said it is going to be an open application process where everyone can apply. That is not in the legislation. Let us not call it an open system to...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: On a point of order, the phrase "open, competitive process by which any member of the public can apply" is not in the legislation. I was very clear. I did not challenge the Minister of State on this earlier but-----

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I must ask that the record be corrected----

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: Inaccuracies are being stated repeatedly.