Results 4,161-4,180 of 8,212 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 55: In page 11, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “(iii) develop and maintain social consensus through engagement with workers, trade unions, communities, non-governmental organisations, representative of the interests of business and industry and such other persons as the Minister considers appropriate;”.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 56: In page 11, line 28, after “economic” to insert “, environmental,”.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 57: In page 11, between lines 39 and 40, to insert the following: “(s) the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”. This amendment concerns the United Nations sustainable development goals, SDGs. It is yet another reminder of the importance of reflecting and incorporating those goals in this Bill. We must show that we are serious when we talk...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 58: In page 11, between lines 39 and 40, to insert the following: “(s) the Aarhus Convention.”.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 59: In page 11, between lines 39 and 40, to insert the following: “(s) emissions of greenhouse gases into the Earth’s atmosphere attributable to the consumption of products or utilisation of services in the State.”.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 60: In page 11, between lines 39 and 40, to insert the following: “(s) the amount of emissions produced by registered companies within the State and accountability mechanisms in respect of such emissions.”.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 61: In page 12, line 10, after “Government” to insert “and the Government of Ireland”. In a recent High Court case, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications successfully argued that the Government is not bound by section 15 of the 2015 Act we are amending with this legislation. The argument the Department successfully...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: For clarification, it comes after "Minister of Government" or "Government of Ireland". It is not changing "Government" to "Government of Ireland". Rather, it is adding "Government of Ireland" after "a Minister of the Government".

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Section 3(3) states that the Minister and Government shall carry out their respective functions in a manner that is consistent with the UNFCCC, mitigation or adaptation commitments entered into under the European Union and Articles 2 and 4.1 of the Paris Agreement. It does not state that the Government is required to do what was at issue in the High Court case. Section 15 states that a...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will withdraw the amendment because I would like to support the amendment moved by Senator Bacik. I may bring it back on Report Stage.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 62: In page 12, line 10, to delete “, in so far as practicable,”. I will bring the amendment back on Report Stage.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 63: In page 12, line 11, to delete “his or her” and substitute “their”. These are consequential amendments related to the other amendments. It would simply correct the grammar if the change was to be made.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I may reintroduce amendments Nos. 63 and 87. I will do so in combination with the other amendments.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 64: In page 12, line 28, after “Government” to insert “of Ireland”.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am moved to strongly disagree with the Minister of State. In fact, I believe the Minister of State has made the case for these changes to be necessary. We are talking about Ministers retiring as if we are chasing. I am reminded of when people are talking about mother and baby homes. They say the nuns are all gone and ask who we are chasing after. The point is not whether Ministers have...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 69: In page 14, line 5, after “Council” to insert “and approved by the Government”. This amendment builds on the previous point I made. I will not rehash the points I made on foot of amendment No. 60. I will deal with them when we reach amendment No. 70, which addresses the question of who should be properly doing things and what the...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The piece that is crystal clear is the proposing by the advisory council but the approval is subject to amendment by the Minister or the Government, which is the problem. It is why I have proposed and there should be clear interim targets in the Bill that stand alone. The political commitment should be there and as an agreed point it should be in the law. Instead, as part of the muddying...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is around the fact that there is a provision for what the proposed carbon budget would be but after that proposal there is a long process that must be gone through. I would prefer if the 51% target were attached to the output point, which is the approval by the Government, as well as the initiation point, which is the proposal by the advisory council.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 70: In page 14, line 8, after "is" to insert "at least". This again points to the fact that the specific target shall be 51% in the specific year. As it stands, the Bill does not set any trajectory or guarantee a reduction of emissions all along. It could be argued that this is required but it may allow emissions to rise as we go along. What was so clear from all...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am speaking about the advisory council having greater ambition.