Results 381-400 of 8,419 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief. I support the amendments. The work on minimum essential standards of living involves some of the best and most solid and significant research that has been supported by the Department of Social Protection. Given that 2,000 goods are examined in the process, it is probably one of the best examples of addressing the cost of living, rather than some of the broader brush...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Why we probably need a new pension commission is that there was a fundamental gap. The terms of reference of the Pensions Commission excluded the tax relief on private pensions, so we had a situation where we were told that the cost of a universal State pension as recommended by the women's council and others would be €3 billion. That would be extortionate, but we know that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Chair. I want to come in on a few of the issues. I understand it is very important that Ireland will have this responsibility in having a key role in some of the finance aspects that are to be discussed and with regard to adaptation in particular. I have a couple of questions about the NCQG. As I understand it, this is one of the big issues that will be discussed - the idea...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: What of the loss and damage subtarget?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister mentioned €225 million as our share, but our share of the $100 billion has been estimated to be in excess of $400 million. We have a situation where a loan given to a developing country is required to be repaid in full whereas the debt as regards moneys promised but not delivered - Ireland should be giving $400 million per annum as part of the original $100 billion...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Are others indicating to come in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will come in for another round, if I may.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister mentioned the polluter-pays principle. That often seems to be somewhat at odds with some of the narrative on de-risking. I recall there was tension at the COP between de-risking versus loss and damage, on the basis that de-risking often involves the routing of public finance into exactly the private actors, for example, very large energy companies and banks, that had driven and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To be clear, should it include military emissions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have to come in on two issues. On the question of de-risking, it is a matter of how public moneys are used. It is not whether there should be action in respect of private finance but how public money is routed towards private companies, which is a slightly different issue. It is not about de-risking nationally. There is a factual issue I have to come in on because there was a suggestion...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----that factually, there are measures in the Act that are available to commercial actors. That is not the same question as whether the State chooses to develop its own terminal. The fact is that any actor can avail of the provisions in the Planning and Development Act, which are there in black and white.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is what is in the legislation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister mentioned a suite of measures relating to carbon markets. It is anticipated that there will be progress on the rules on carbon markets at the next COP. I know there is much concern that they may be weak rules. Will the Minister indicate how he plans to engage in the discussion on the carbon market rules that may be coming into place?

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am going to speak a little. I was going to suggest a different grouping but that is academic now, given the amendments that have been ruled out of order. Those amendments spoke to some of the key aspects of this section. As I understand it, this Bill is going to the Dáil next. That our amendments have been ruled out of order gives the lie to the indication and promise we were given...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am talking about the amendments that have been ruled out of order and the definitions of categories in the Bill. Perhaps I can clarify matters with the Leas-Chathaoirleach. All of the amendments that have been ruled out of order were to page 6, which is section 3. Is that correct?

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Do they all relate to section 3? That is what I understand.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will speak to section 3 and the definitions contained in it. We indicated the issues we saw with the section through the amendments we proposed. While our amendments have been ruled out of order, our concerns and issues remain and can be expressed. Our amendments have been available to the Minister. We are being constrained by the limits to what is allowed to be put forward. Even the...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am speaking on the section. These are all issues that could be addressed in this section. I have not spoken about a single issue which does not relate to the categorisation of the designated institutions of higher education. To be very clear, I am looking here at line 16. While my proposal - my specific amendment - may not be in order, my opinions regarding the definitions and their...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Senator can still speak to the definition of higher education institution.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: What about the question on the level of qualification?