Results 4,901-4,920 of 8,445 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (4 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank all our witnesses and I apologise for the printing sounds in the background. I was listening to the pieces and had an idea in my head from the novel The Dispossessedwhere a person was returning to a dry planet hoping for just a picture of an animal. The natural diversity that we have is such an incredible and miraculous thing. What strikes me is the case that has been made about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (4 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My very last question is about the Heritage Act-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (4 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I ask the witnesses to comment on the loss of hedgerows due to the changes in the Heritage Act, given that that is one of the key factors leading to the devastating bird loss of which we probably all felt the effects in the broadcasting of the dawn chorus on the weekend.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (4 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I also asked about urban areas.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (4 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will one of the witnesses respond as to whether we could be using environmental impact assessments more effectively?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (4 May 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have a number of questions and I am happy to get written answers. Soil biodiversity was discussed briefly, as was the question of inputs. There were comments around pesticides and fertiliser and I am thinking of the nitrates, which will be a key climate and biodiversity issue. There are also all-Ireland questions because we are looking at the potential legalisation of certain pesticides...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Increasing Wind Power on the National Grid: Discussion (27 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is an acknowledgment that there has been an improvement and engagement, but in reinventing engagement it is important to be clear that it is not accompanied by reinventing the planning process. It seems there have been better outcomes from better engagement by the industry, and that should allow it to navigate the planning process rather than being in any sense seen as a substitute for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Increasing Wind Power on the National Grid: Discussion (27 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the witnesses for their presentations and supplementary materials. I have a few practical questions. We have heard that projects of common interest in the EU would have preferential access to the grid. Is that the witnesses' understanding? What measures will ensure that renewable energy will have preferential access? I am concerned about the context of the four options. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Increasing Wind Power on the National Grid: Discussion (27 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The actual ecosystem was a key part of my question in terms of marine protected areas. Not just the most economic solution, but the most environmentally sound solutions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Increasing Wind Power on the National Grid: Discussion (27 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Could we just note that there were some questions that did not get answered? Maybe we could get written supplementary-----

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Yesterday, there was an informal meeting of the World Trade Organization trade-related and intellectual property rules, TRIPS, council. Next week, there will be a formal meeting at which the WTO will decide on a proposal for a temporary TRIPS waiver of intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines, which would allow global south countries...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The intellectual property right that needs to be waived under the existing TRIPS structure is not simply to do with the patents. It is also about the intellectual property relating to manufacturing know-how. The WHO, UNAIDS and others who have worked on previous global health crises tell us that the TRIPS waiver is needed. We must listen to them. We are all very proud of Dr. Michael Ryan...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 26 of Principal Act 2. Section 26 of the Principal Act is amended— (a) in subsection (2)(c), by the substitution of “€1,500” for “€400”, and (b) by the deletion of subsection (5)(b)(ii).”. This set of amendments...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank Senator Martin for his support. We will not agree on all the amendments and that is fine but I thank him for his support. To clarify, the concern is not just what is being counted against one's income in a personal insolvency case. The problem is access to the PIP. The very point of access is that once one's income goes over €60 per month, having paid reasonable living...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am partially reassured but I ask the Minister of State to clarify a couple of points. There is one social welfare payment explicitly mentioned, namely, children's allowance. Why is that payment specifically mentioned but others are not? Am I to understand from the Minister of State's description - because it is not in the Act - that, in calculating net disposable income, social welfare...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be delighted to hear this is being dealt with in a place other than this section.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister. That deals with my concern because the matter is being dealt with in a different place. However, I may introduce an amendment on the qualified child payment on Report Stage. Children's allowance is the general payment but qualified child increase is another payment specifically around children. I will take an advisement on the calculation of net disposable income and...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 26 of Principal Act 2.Section 26 of the Principal Act is amended— (a) in subsection (2), by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (b): “(ba) any social protection payments of which a debtor may be in receipt, shall not be taken into account...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 3: In page 3, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 26 of Principal Act 2.Section 26 of the Principal Act is amended— (a) in subsection (2), by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (b): “(ba) any social protection payments which have been subject to a means test and which a debtor qualifies...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 4: In page 3, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 26 of Principal Act 2.Section 26 of the Principal Act is amended— (a) in subsection (2)(c), by the substitution of “€1,500” for “€400”, and (b) in subsection (5)(b)(ii), by the insertion of the following after “child...