Results 401-420 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 38: In page 54, line 3, after “section 376,” to insert “any person or”.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 42: In page 57, line 29, after “application” to insert the following: “, request for a declaration, request for information, further information, notice, request for a review or a referral under that section and made before that repeal or”.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 43: In page 57, line 29, after “appeal” to insert the following: “and any such matter may be concluded in accordance with the provisions of section 5 of the Act accordingly”.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 50: In page 60, line 12, to delete “grant” and substitute “refuse”.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Acting Chairperson. I may have to change around the order of the amendments as I address them, so I will effectively begin from the end. On amendment No. 17, I am concerned about the provision as it is worded at the moment. I hope that concern is inadvertent but it could have an unforeseen consequence. The provision as it is currently worded would mean that within the scope...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 51: In page 60, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: "(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), where the licence involves an environmental impact assessment or an appropriate assessment, no deemed grant of permission shall arise where a planning authority fails to make the decision within the periods referred to in paragraph (b).".

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (24 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will speak to our amendments in this section. Amendment No. 57 seeks to place Ireland's obligation as a UN member state committed to the progressive realisation of the UN sustainable development goals within the national planning framework. It is particularly important given that Ireland played such a key role in the negotiation of the sustainable development goals and indeed in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I might put two sets of connected questions. I will get a quick answer to the first and then revert. Regarding the DMAPs, it was striking to hear that the important environmental and economic project of protecting our marine areas has not progressed during the Government’s term. It looks like all of the building and planning is going to happen even though marine protected areas...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Minister, there is nothing that precludes such a facility being commercial under the Bill. The Seanad will do what we can, but this is a Government decision. Presumably, the Minister, who has responsibility for energy, had an input into deciding that LNG infrastructure was not just a possible project, but a strategic priority that should be allowed to bypass normal planning procedures...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is being inserted under Schedule 2 to the list of strategic infrastructure -----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I know but we need to be accurate in the answers and they need to reflect the actual legislation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Sure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The legislation contradicts that. My other questions relate to Gas Networks Ireland, GNI. We mentioned data centres and the Minister mentioned his regret. Him stating he has an opinion is not the same as him using his power as a Minister and as a member of the Government and Cabinet in respect of ensuring the legislation reflects a limit to commercial energy, which it does not. In fact it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Backup generators are happening all of the time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will not come back on that issue because we do not have the time. Even though we have powers we are not using them under the Chicago convention around flight inspections, for example. I will ask a question because it is important. When the Minister answered the question about data centres, he mentioned his conversations with data centre owners. I am worried this mood music of what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is in the climate action plan, Chair.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: And to legislate where necessary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is not solely aid. Some of it is not around aid, it is a matter of our loss and damage and other obligations.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will the €225 million be in the budget?