Results 4,421-4,440 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: As previously discussed, we are talking about a model whereby investors are able to cash out when the minimum period has expired. A recent article in the Business Post looked at the fact that Ireland has done a lot of work to, effectively, de-risk the market for investors. There is probably no safer investment than that of an investor who knows that tenants are, effectively, guaranteed. A...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am concerned about a phrase used in the response regarding the access to the land being the value that the State has contributed at the beginning. That signals to me that this is envisaged as being the giving of access to public land. The State's relationship with the land is envisaged as being solely at the beginning of the cost calculation. I do not believe that approved housing bodies...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 30: In page 40, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following: “41.When there is public land which is made available for the purposes of the development or provision of cost rental dwellings, following the termination of the cost rental period, such property will revert to public ownership.”.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 32: In page 43, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: “(4) Where there is a more than five per cent inflation in the price of dwellings in the State recorded in any given year, this section shall be suspended for the following calendar year.”.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In moving the amendment I will note that it is strange, to say the least, that an amendment might be in order on Committee Stage but then-----

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Nonetheless, I will speak to my amendment. The other amendments were looking to avoid the mechanism of shared equity. My amendment is a compromise in which I am seeking to insert an internal break mechanism within this portion of the Bill on shared equity. With regard to the idea of shared equity and of the State taking an amount and paying an amount to bridge the gap and allow persons to...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On the question of who builds houses, the answer is not real estate investment trusts. I live in the city centre and see their offices. They are not building houses. Builders build houses but sometimes that middle tier is what we mean when we talk about developers. In many cases, we are talking about investment funds. I see many things being built. When we are driven by the policies of...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to state that I support the amendment. It is immensely sensible. We had previous debates on the issue. One of the first Bills brought forward by the Civil Engagement Group and a Green Party Member at the time concerned the issue of vacant sites. We sought to increase the vacant site levy at the time. We were told that it was not possible on the advice of the Attorney General, but...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 34: In page 44, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: “Report 45.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining supports that are available to local authorities, the Housing Agency and other State bodies under national or European Union financing mechanisms for the...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This amendment addresses the fact that the fiscal context has changed, as we have been flagging for a long time. More financing is available to the State, other public actors and the European Union.This is a question of finance from the European Union and from others. A number of my amendments suggesting specific mechanisms that might be used were ruled out of order. This amendment...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Votáil.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Ratification of Optional Protocol: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the three witnesses. I am glad we seem to be narrowing down on the issue of a timeline for the optional protocol. It is welcome to hear we are not waiting for an external process in terms of the UN but that an internal set of factors, which are within the control of the State, will determine the timeline for ratification of the optional protocol. Given the Department is looking...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Matters: Discussion (16 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the speakers for sharing their experiences and strongly speaking about an ethical vision of what the finance industry should be. A few areas struck me. Mr. Butler mentioned the pressure on people to reclassify themselves, to be pressed into inappropriate financial instruments and loan structures that do not match their needs, and the abuse of power. It is striking that only a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Matters: Discussion (16 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It strikes me that we are at a very vulnerable point right now, with banks leaving and loans that should be matters of negotiation or dispute being recategorised as non-performing loans to facilitate an exit or divestment from----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Matters: Discussion (16 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Even though it may in a case such as Mr. Lawlor's involve a very legitimate dispute and legitimate-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Matters: Discussion (16 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: No. I thank the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Apologies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I want to begin where the witnesses previously finished, which was with regard to the nitrates directive. I agree with Ms O'Neill, who stated that ultimately the emissions are the key measure and we should begin with them. The nitrates directive was mentioned as an opportunity. As I understand it, the fourth programme is due to expire at the end of this year. Is this the moment for...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will try to reduce to six minutes to allow time. I am sure we are keen to hear the Minister's response to the issues raised. I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for bringing this Bill. It is also appropriate to thank Senator Bacik. Fundamentally, this piece of legislation is part of a suite of legislation looking at the intersection between gender equality and employment...

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment) (Non-Disclosure Agreements) Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Jun 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am very proud to second this Bill introduced by my colleague, Senator Ruane. I commend her and her assistant, Sebastian McAteer, on the work they have done in introducing an important piece of legislation, one that is needed internationally. It has been really remarkable to note the level of distress caused by them and the concern around the abuse of NDAs internationally that has arisen...