Results 4,841-4,860 of 8,435 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Industry might also need to develop at least one pathway that does not involve hydrogen because that is a likely direction and it is important to note in order that we are all prepared for all scenarios. The level of ambition is only rising internationally.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Like a rainbow.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have a new question. Mr. Douglas touched on one part of it because I was going to ask about the community projects. I do not know to what extent the association engages with community projects and sustainable energy communities, which are beginning to engage. That is a positive measure. Do the witnesses have a comment on that and on how the association is engaging with those projects or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Does Mr. Lynott wish to comment on embodied energy? I noticed him nodding as I was asking my question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I had another question but I did not want to cut across others. Could the witnesses comment briefly on the Energy Charter Treaty? I had a question on that in terms of the situation whereby some companies are entering the renewable electricity market but they have a previous identity. I ask the witnesses to comment on the tensions that have been discussed, for example, in respect of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We might need to demonstrate a little preference to some technologies. A technology-neutral approach does not always encourage the best innovation. We must look to rewarding new technologies and similarly, with energy options we must look to potentially ring-fencing preferences. There is a hierarchy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We may need to squeeze the industry on that 30% assumption and the policy choice. Maybe it will be about industry innovating faster if we go to 5%, 10% or zero from 30%. It is likely we will need to squeeze industry on that. It could be squeezed on the demand side or in terms of innovation. I hope it can happen with storage on the supply side. I would not think it is a safe assumption...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Some very interesting research was mentioned by the witnesses and colleagues would love to see it if it could be forwarded to the committee.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is correct to say we need to take a stand on human rights. There are human rights issues on several levels in the news today. We have heard about the human rights violations in Cork, where a young girl has talked about living in an abandoned place that people forgot about. A member of the Traveller community has spoken about the absolutely unacceptable circumstances in which Travellers...

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, line 27, after “concerned” to insert “and such conditions may include social and environmental criteria”. This amendment proposes that the conditions attached to the agreements which the State may sign with banks in respect of loans under this scheme may include social and environmental criteria.I do this cognisant of the fact...

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In case I do not get the opportunity to speak to that section, given I have to critique-----

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----and the fact that this is a 30-minute debate. We are making decisions in respect of a €50 million fund, with potentially €29 million of State liability in a 30-minute debate which is inadequate. It would be appropriate and I hope that the Minister of State will indicate that he does intend to produce a report to deal with how these various environmental and social...

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I agree. Many SMEs have shown incredible adaptability and have been making very significant changes. They are transitioning and we need to support and fund that. One of the problems is that people often get loans only for what they are doing already rather than what they can and want to do, and that is something we need to examine. We also need to examine our procurement policies and how...

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, to delete lines 15 to 20. This amendment relates to mid-caps. I know that it is a small part of this fund, but it is a concern for me. I know too that there are issues because some of this is targeted.

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, it is 5%. My concern is around the SME focus. I understand from engaging around this issue, that it relates to agri-businesses on the Border and so on, but I am concerned still about where the loans will go. It relates to the point I made earlier about whether our SMEs are getting the loans. In other words, will small businesses get access to these loans? I am also concerned that...

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Certainly. I was just going to say that I believed there were already environmental and social criteria from the European side. We would simply be matching those. That might be the appropriate approach.

Seanad: Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We came back to the Seanad during the election period. It was not, in fact, this Seanad but the previous one, the 25th, that passed the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act. This is the first time that this Seanad has had the opportunity to scrutinise that legislation but that opportunity is being deeply curtailed by an inadequate...

Seanad: Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We spoke about leadership. One thing that will affect whether we extend in November is whether we have a TRIPS waiver so that the world can be vaccinated. Let us be very clear.

Seanad: Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We are not passively in a situation, we can choose to accelerate the vaccination of the world and minimise the risk of new variants by supporting a TRIPS waiver and I hope the Minister will champion that. I know some of his colleagues have.