Results 3,301-3,320 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is not written in the Long Title of the Bill. This is simply an assertion of the Seanad Office. I appreciate the Minister has not made this decision.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is a decision that the Government is assuming it wants permanence of all powers to make regulation when it is made, that it is assumed and should not be challenged by way of legislative amendment. It is a very concerning precedent. It is fine, as it will be addressed further. We will take it up next week.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: By way of an interpretation of that standing order, which we need to clarify. Amendment No. 12 relates to a number of amendments. I thought the other amendments in this area were going to go forward but they have not. This amendment is about the Schedule of native tree species. Perhaps this needs further consideration but I am sure the Acting Cathaoirleach will be very aware of this...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am discussing the native Irish pine and its insertion into the Schedule.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am talking about the insertion of the-----

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Sure. The native Irish pine is one tree, but the question is the context in which it sits, which is the Schedule. I would like to know what is the mechanism whereby the native Irish Pine, or other trees excluded such as the hawthorn, may be included in the Schedule in the future?If it is the case that trees are included in the Schedule - perhaps that is where the native Irish pine should be...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I had included them in an amendment on Committee Stage but, unfortunately, it was defeated.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am just asking, for the purposes of information, what the procedure is.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In one way it would be lovely for the native Irish pine to get its own recognition and not just to be treated as a subsection of the Scots pine, but I am also pleased that it is covered. There is a valid point that we do not want to see all pines in any of the plantings, and that is the case with the restriction of 25% that is set out in section 9(a)(b). There would not be more than 25%...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It has been a very interesting debate. I was looking back to the CRU’s mandate, which is to protect the public interest in water, energy and energy safety. There is so much talk about the market, market factors, market encouragements and stimulus, that the core role in the public interest and safety seems to kind of perhaps slip away a little bit. At a very fundamental level we know...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ----is very important in terms of coal. On the issue of demand reduction by 2030, it seems like the plan is for demand to continue to increase until 2030 overall. I am not talking about surge management in terms of demand, but in demand reduction overall. On coal, the Cerrejón mine in Colombia we know has huge human rights issues, but it seems that now, as we move away from Russian...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is the CRU applying it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is a public duty on equality and human rights specifically. That is in 2015 legislation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It concerns the public duty on equality and human rights, which is a legislative responsibility.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I had a number of very specific questions for Ms Connolly but perhaps she can answer when she answers Deputy Cronin's questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Challenges: Discussion (29 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Ireland can, however, set procurement criteria within the EU procurement legislation that reflect the public duty on equality and human rights.

Seanad: International Women's Day 2022: Statements (9 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Just to follow a brilliant speech from Senator Hoey, I always say it is not about getting to the table, it is about shaping the agenda and changing what is being discussed at the table. However, I think Senator Hoey’s smash-up-the-table-altogether-and-repurpose-it is taking it perhaps the necessary step forward. I think the Minister is hearing that it is about power when we talk...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank Mr. Coyle for his interesting presentation. It is good to see the scale of ambition being talked about again. Reminding ourselves of Ardnacrusha is a good way to start. Some of my questions build on Deputy Bruton's. In Denmark, these new energy islands are a state-led project. They are approximately 51% state-owned. We know, for example, that facilities like Ardnacrusha were huge...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be brief. While we are waiting for that legislation on marine protected areas, MPAs, something we heard a call for is sensitivity mapping, which would allow for better sighting of offshore wind even as the MPA legislation is still moving through.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy - Ambition and Challenges: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am a little concerned by what I have heard about the taxonomy, which is about climate tagging. It is not about whether gas or nuclear power exist or are invested in, but whether we are tagging them as climate renewable and sustainable. On their attempted inclusion, the European Investment Bank has said it will not accept it. Many institutional investors of more than €50 trillion,...