Results 5,321-5,340 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins
- Seanad: Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: That is not a point of order.
- Seanad: Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Vótáil.
- Seanad: Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, but I am also proposing-----
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Second Stage (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister to the House and broadly welcome the legislation. It is important that we move forward on it. As was mentioned, it is important that when issues are identified by any party in the Oireachtas we need to be able to listen to each other, engage with each other and hear the ideas of others. In 2016 the former Senator, Grace O'Sullivan, put forward legislation. I was a...
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, to delete lines 8 to 11 and substitute the following: “ “plastic” means a synthetic polymer that can be moulded, extruded or physically manipulated into different shapes;”. The amendment proposes to delete lines 8 to 11 and insertion a definition of plastic as being "a synthetic polymer that can be moulded, extruded or...
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: As the Minister acknowledges, there is a question if we are considering a microplastic fibre, for example. Will the Minister indicate if this is an issue we will monitor? I hope we do not have to wait years but I know we may not be able to deal with this within the legislation. We will need to monitor this. Part A acknowledges the capacity of a polymer to be manipulated into different...
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: We are concerned that there could be an inadvertent loophole. We are simply looking to have a narrower framing of the concentration and the water-soluble element. There may be products containing a high concentration and where the plastic would not be water-soluble. There are cosmetic products that are water-resistant and which could inadvertently fall out of consideration. There is the...
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: I am glad the Minister is indicating the Government plans to be an advocate on these matters. Not everything is removed by wiping and there are also products that are, in effect, removed by another product. For example, there is the example of micellar water, "washing" waters and cleansing "milks", etc., that are used. In many cases these products do not necessarily involve wiping but they...
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister is referring to those cleansing products or "washes".
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: We will withdraw the amendment but we look forward to updates on how the discussion is going.
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 3: In page 4, line 23, after "soluble" to insert "and/or fat soluble". These are quite similar and the amendments address the same matter. The first set of amendments looked to remove conditionality and the other amendments make an addition. The addition is "fat soluble". If a product is soluble and by its nature is being dissolved, it usually implies the...
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes. That would be an example.
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: There are other versions. Soap is an example.
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 4: In page 4, to delete lines 25 to 27 and substitute the following: "(2) A person shall not manufacture or place on the market a cleaning product that contains microbeads in excess of the permitted concentration.".
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 5: In page 4, line 26, after “soluble” to insert “and/or fat soluble”.
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: What happened to amendment No. 6?
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: This came quicker than we thought. I know this issue was raised in the Dáil. It is a real concern for us. Protection from sun is important but we believe that few sunscreens on the market would be affected by being included. We are looking mainly at certain products with glitter. I know there are other products. I know there is a question over some brand sunscreens that may contain...
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: As the issue is pursued further, I have a suggestion for the Minister. I accept that there are concerns relating to the medical perspective but we will have a separate discussion on the single use plastics directive when that legislation comes through. The sooner we see meaningful legislation rather than levies, the better. The sooner we see proper legislation on prohibitions relating to...
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Thank goodness.
- Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)
Alice-Mary Higgins: It may be an opportunity to open this up.