Results 261-280 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Progress on Sustainable Development Goals: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will pick up on one of the places where the discussion had left off. The discussion was about the small things making it visible. Sometimes, the very big things are what make it easier to communicate the many small changes. If the SDGs are downstream people may feel that it is all on them. Mention was made of the very good example from Wales making quite a different decision and naming...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Progress on Sustainable Development Goals: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: While we focused a great deal on communities and how we can get them to do more, I believe it is about the big actors and being willing to ask the corporates and big capital to do things differently as well. There is an idea that it makes it easier to talk about how we want to put in green energy and wind energy if we do not also see a massive data centre or a big terminal for fracked gas,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Progress on Sustainable Development Goals: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is quite shocking when we look at the failure to deliver on-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Progress on Sustainable Development Goals: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We are literally throwing fuel on the fire, or money on the fuel on the fire.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I also want to indicate my support for these constructive amendments from Sinn Féin. It will be useful to have no fewer then one member with lived experience. The lived experience of those who have experienced gambling addiction is very important. Equally important is the experience of those who have been impacted by harmful gambling behaviours. As Senator Wall said, we could all...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be brief.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will. I make these comments with respect, especially for Senator O’Reilly, who has done a great deal to highlight this issue for years, but it is important to clarify what we are seeking in these amendments. They are not about making the Bill more prescriptive or narrower. Rather, they are meant to widen the authority’s mandate and ensure that it does not run up against...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I regret that the Minister of State is not able to accept these amendments. I think they are all really constructive and they are amendments coming from people across the Houses who have looked to highlight these issues. It has taken a long time to get to the point of having a gambling regulator and it is absolutely appropriate that people would try to offer constructive proposals to make...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To be very clear, I have never suggested the Bill is not about prevention. I have said that is the purpose of the Bill and I know it is being introduced because there is a recognition of this issue. I am sorry if that is how my contribution was construed. That is exactly why we have the Bill and it is what it is trying to do. I am saying, however, it should be named in the functions of...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 48: In page 25, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “(b) to monitor trends in gambling activities in the State,”.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 49: In page 25, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “(b) to take measures to reduce or eliminate compulsive and problem gambling,”.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 52: In page 25, line 38, after “activities,” to insert the following: “including the harms and dangers posed to individuals, families and communities by problem and compulsive gambling,”.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 53: In page 26, line 5, after “activities,” to insert the following: “having particular regard to the harms associated with excessive and compulsive gambling,”.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 54: In page 26, lines 5 after activities, to insert the following: “and emerging trends and technologies in the gambling industry,.”.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 55: In page 26, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following subsection: “(p) to monitor international best practice in the licensing and regulation of gambling activities,”.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 57: In page 26, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following: “(b) the need to ensure that persons recommended to the Minister under subsection (2) are not affected by conflicts of interest, ”.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move Amendment No. 58: In page 27, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: “(e) data protection,”.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 59: In page 28, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “(c) shall not be in receipt of pecuniary benefits from gambling licence holders.”.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 61: In page 31, to delete lines 36 to 39. Amendments No. 61 and 62 are very simple. They seek to delete provisions from the Bill which would prevent the chief executive of the new regulatory authority from questioning or expressing an opinion on Government policy in the context of a joint Oireachtas committee. We believe this is an unnecessary and incredibly...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I disagree. I believe the functioning of these authorities and the effectiveness of the goals of these authorities is undermined by their inability to be fully accountable to public representatives. Again, it may well be that it is standard Government policy, but it is a poor Government policy and one that diminishes accountability. Ultimately, it has the cost of diminishing the quality of...