Results 5,321-5,340 of 8,445 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (14 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to clarify that I refer to the 2030 targets that Ireland signed up to, not the programme for Government.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (14 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: People have spoken about the language. Has consideration been given or could it be given to separating out some of these things we hear about in the long list? I worry there might be an implied equivalence, for example, the stronger language Senator O'Reilly and others mentioned that might be attached to the specific points in terms of our obligations and whether it is appropriate we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (14 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would like this clarified because it has been stated. Will Mr. Carroll clarify there is nothing in the legislation that locks in these targets? He spoke about the programme for Government but with regard to the legislation there is nothing that locks in the targets. Is this correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (14 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes. My point is to clarify two factual things. One is that there is nothing precluding us from setting an interim target of, for example, 55% by 2030, within which the budgets should operate. It does not matter whether we say it is compliant with the EU and so forth. There is nothing, however, to stop us from setting that hard figure. There is no hard guarantee percentage, however, in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (14 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Minimum targets would not have that legislative problem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Election of Vice Chairman (14 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I also sit on the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach. They made the decision to have a Vice Chairman who is a Senator and a Vice Chairman who is a Deputy. They act as joint Vice Chairmen. That may be another option available to the committee.

Seanad: Ireland-China Relations: Motion (8 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Senator Black will begin our group's contribution and then we will share the remaining time.

Seanad: Ireland-China Relations: Motion (8 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: As others have said, this issue is not new but it has intensified with very serious evidence of hundreds of new detention camps being built over the last two years. I commend the Senators on tabling the motion because it is exceptionally important, at a time when we have the coronavirus and other crises, that we do not lose sight of fundamental human rights principles and the importance of...

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State. It is very important that we clarify for the record that the decision to which he refers was made by the previous Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach. As a member of the current Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach I would say that no decision has been made by the...

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Was there cross-party engagement?

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The previous committee.

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am happy to hear that answer.

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It might be useful if the Minister of State could provide us with information on the job creation potential before the next Stage because a lot of this seems to be around a different product that investors can buy. I think he hit on the nub of it when he mentioned other products that are available elsewhere. It is not around new industries being created, it is effectively around new...

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I do believe that it is a valid query that has been put and I would suggest that it relates to the amendment because the OECD base erosion and profit shifting guidelines came out in response to a lack of public trust in respect of how financial services were regulated and their impact on society. That is the context of the OECD BEPS guidelines, and other related financial transparency measures.

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I think it is a legitimate response. Nobody is saying the Minister has to provide a response here and now. I appreciate he was not informed that this issue might arise, but it would be very useful for us to get a response when we do resume Committee Stage or in the interim because it may even provide complete assurance on lots of issues if we know what lobbying documents there are. We have...

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If that is the case then perhaps the Minister of State might be able to release it to those taking part in the deliberations. That might be a useful element, certainly for those of us seeking to deliberate. Given that the deliberations are under way, it might be a good starting point if we had access to documents that are considered relevant to the deliberations. It is either not relevant...

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have a particular concern about section 7. I will probably table amendments to the section on Report Stage. My particular concern relates to the extension of section 6(4) of the Act of 1994, which will allow for the participation of limited partners on advisory committees. They will also be allowed to serve on boards and committees of investment limited partnerships and to appoint, elect...

Seanad: HSE Winter Plan: Statements (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I warmly welcome the Minister of State to the House. In her previous term in the Oireachtas, she showed real and genuine commitment to health, and mental health in particular. I was delighted to see her take up her current role. When we started discussing these issues in March, April and May, much of the focus was on flattening the curve. I remember thinking about how I could be of...

Seanad: HSE Winter Plan: Statements (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----but we cannot do the same in respect of a health crisis. I call on the Minister of State to please not let a bogus argument be set up between the health of the nation and its economic well-being. They are certainly linked, but we need to prioritise health. The other issues can be addressed through borrowing and intensive spending, all of which we have the remit to do.

Seanad: HSE Winter Plan: Statements (7 Oct 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My apologies for straying.