Results 3,141-3,160 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (Resumed) (10 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If there is a chance to follow up later around recycled materials or re-graded, recertification of materials around refurbishment-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (5 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I might work backwards and pick up on a couple of the issues that have been raised and move further on them. The Minister has heard that the issue of lone parents is a significant one. While there have been small improvements, that group, which makes up a large proportion the population, tends to have particular obstacles in its way. I know that reform of SUSI will have a part to play in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (5 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the guests very much. They made some really interesting contributions. Some good strong conversations are happening in universities pressed from the higher level in terms of things like Athena SWAN and, of course, the really important crucial point of funding being linked to Athena SWAN, but also pushed from individuals within individual departments, including staff members but also...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (5 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To make a quick clarification, although I do not want to take too much time, on the KPIs, I was not thinking about each institution as much as I was thinking about departments, managers and schools within institutions. This again addresses the issue of uneven levels of performance on culture shift within different departments or schools within a university. I do not need a further answer in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I support the request for a debate on data protection and retention by the Department of Social Protection. These are issues that I highlighted throughout the previous Oireachtas. In addition to the concerns on travel, there are also the concerns on many of the actions and findings of the Data Protection Commissioner, which are no longer contested by the Department but which have still not...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I want to speak briefly in support of this amendment. It is not only good practice in this area in terms of the participation of youth in important decisions and decisions in areas that affect them, but it also has a strong practical purpose. Young people identify much earlier than others the new trends and what is happening in society. The Minister of State will be aware a number of our...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be brief. It strikes me that the amendment is already quite reasonably worded. It does not say that there must be a youth advisory panel for all eternity. In the Minister of State’s reply, he mentioned a particular “moment in time”. We are at a particular moment in time when a wide range of new actors are going to be regulated for the first time. In that...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 56: In page 29, line 15, to delete “shall” and substitute “may”. I will begin by saying-----

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is relevant because it relates to this section and effectively as well to this amendment which also involves consultancy. You described, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, the intersection of amendment No. 55 with section 19. Again, this does not impose, it gives the power to the commission, with the consent of the Minister to determine costs.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The freedom to make that determination and whether there would be costs sits with the commission and with the Minister. This is an issue we need to examine at the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight because of the recent inconsistent rulings. This amendment is very important. It might be inadvertent in its wording because the way it is phrased at the moment is that the...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am going to reflect on the Minister of State's response. I am not fully convinced. I can see scenarios where I would be disappointed that advice was not properly considered, but I can also see scenarios where what we have sometimes seen-----

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am considering as I speak. Certain consultant bodies manage time and again to have disproportionate influence on the actions of public bodies. I am going to withdraw the amendment for now and reserve the right to reintroduce it. I may look for that explanation or opinion in writing from the Department. It would be useful.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 57: In page 29, to delete lines 32 to 40, and in page 30, to delete lines 1 and 2. These amendments relate to the power to impose levies. Within this legislation, two forms of levy are discussed but they are not given different titles, per se. They are both referred to as "the levy" or "levy order". A number of restrictions are placed in respect of the levies...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am a little concerned by that because I am looking to the language in subsections (1) and (2) referred to in section 21(12). All that subsection (1) says is that: (1) The Commission may make an order (a ‘levy order’) imposing a levy on any of the following: (a) providers of audiovisual media services; (b) providers of sound broadcasting services; (c) providers of...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In that case, I ask if the Minister of State might consider the amendment I have tabled. If that is the intent, why not include the amendment that simply clarifies that nothing in section 21 should be seen to affect section 159E. If that is the intent, there is no harm in putting that in. It would certainly be clear to me.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Again, I have amendments that are deletions. I also have this amendment, which is simply to add a clarification. Is there any argument not to include that clarification? Besides saying they are different, there is nothing in the Bill that says they are different.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will withdraw.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 58: In page 29, to delete lines 39 and 40, and in page 30, to delete lines 1 and 2.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 60: In page 31, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “(12A) For the avoidance of doubt, this section shall not apply to levies issued under section 159E of the Principal Act and nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting such powers.”.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 May 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 61: In page 31, lines 28 and 29, to delete “(including money in a currency other than the currency of the State)”. This amendment relates to the power to borrow and is a response to a concern about a provision on page 31 of the Bill that allows for the commission to borrow money, including money in a currency other than the currency of the State, for the...