Results 4,941-4,960 of 8,445 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Housing Policy and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (30 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This is not a slight on the Minister of State. He answered a number of my questions but there were a few others, specifically around Traveller accommodation, that might be followed up in writing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Housing Policy and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (30 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister of State might follow up in writing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement on the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement: Mr. David O'Sullivan (30 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Chairman for accommodating me and I thank the presenter. I have two sets of questions. The first is on this question of renegotiation. Mr. O'Sullivan mentioned that CETA was a test, and things do seem to have moved in a different direction since then. When we talk about an example, he referred to the EU-China deal and the EU-UK deal. All of those have maintained dispute...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement on the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement: Mr. David O'Sullivan (30 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I was not suggesting that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement on the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement: Mr. David O'Sullivan (30 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Whether Governments regard it as a chill, we know that it is regarded as a chill by legal companies because they talk about it assisting lobbying efforts to prevent regulatory change. So there is a chill effect. We know that the Morris case did not just have an impact on the Australian Government as it eventually won. The case was used as an example of expensive litigation in a number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement on the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement: Mr. David O'Sullivan (30 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Renegotiation is surely difficult once we have agreed to ratification with 20 years of the existing law set in stone.

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (29 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister is welcome. It is important to emphasise that vaccination cannot be our only plan. I worry that so much now is focused on the end goal of vaccination that we do not have as much emphasis as we need on the many preventative and other measures we will need to use in the months ahead. With all due respect to the Minister, it was unhelpful for the Tánaiste, Deputy Varadkar,...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have tabled a number of amendments to this section. I am happy to yield my amendments, which seek an extension to October, in favour of the amendments put forward by Senator Warfield, which seek an extension to December. There are three key points on this. One key concern I have in terms of timing is that this is the fourth Bill in this regard, again rushed through the House in an hour...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, line 5, to delete “12 July 2021” and substitute “13 October 2021”.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 3: In page 4, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “(b) in section 10, by— (i) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1): “(1) This Part applies in relation to a tenant in relation to the tenancy of a dwelling where— (a) he or she is a relevant person, and (b) as a consequence thereof, there is a...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is a pity I am not in a position to report progress. I hope that next time we have this debate we will be able to report some progress in terms of how we approach these issues.

Seanad: Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: As a proud anti-racism campaigner, I------

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, is very welcome to the House. I thank him for his engagement on this legislation. As many colleagues across the House will be aware, procurement is an issue with wide implications. To give a sense of the Irish position, in 2019 we spent €12 billion on public contracts for goods, services...

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will second it when I respond.

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I formally second the amendment. While I am glad to see the Government supporting the Bill passing Second Stage, I would rather that it would be deemed to have passed after six months rather than one year. That is important because, as we have heard, the decisions are going to be made in respect of that €116 billion in the next two to three years. I do not want us to have spent...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Decarbonising Transport: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the witnesses for their extremely interesting presentations. It strikes me that it is about a huge shift. So much of the transport focus has often been on reducing journey times when in fact this is about reducing journeys and thinking in terms of emission miles. Whether the target be 6% or 20%, the committee needs to set targets down to the level of emission miles and not just in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Decarbonising Transport: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am conscious that there is not that much time left so perhaps I could get a written answer to the question about port and rail freight.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector: Engagement with Bank of Ireland (23 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have been struck by a couple of points. In Ms McDonagh's responses she talked about the money the Irish public contributed in the bank bailout being repaid. It is really important to be clear that while the money may have been repaid, the cost of the impact of austerity, the impact on people's lives - young lives - and five or ten years of missed opportunities and lost services has not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector: Engagement with Bank of Ireland (23 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The CEO has prompted me to add a few more questions in case I do not get to come back in again. She referred to the past three months and today. We are in a unique situation where those who would normally access physical services may not be accessing them. The percentage will, therefore, shift. In terms of Covid, I am concerned that this year is distorting perceptions as regards the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector: Engagement with Bank of Ireland (23 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It would be great to get a written answer.