Results 5,341-5,360 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We are putting it.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 8: In page 5, to delete lines 13 and 14. This relates to the transit of goods through a territory, as I understand it. We have engaged with the Department on concerns that this could breach other rules. Again, we are looking for a moment of leadership from Ireland. However, I understand the constraints on the matter and that the derogation would not allow for it at...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, in the interests of strengthening the hand of a Minister.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 10: In page 5, line 30, to delete “or” and substitute “and”.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 11: In page 5, line 31, after “and” to insert “reuse, recycling or”.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The amendment fits with the changing culture that we are aiming towards, as mentioned by the Minister. I am sure he would acknowledge that our amendment contains a better wording because it includes a wider framing and would send a signal because, increasingly, when we talk about the life cycles and journey of products we are having to move towards life-cycle monitoring, cost and tracking....

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 12: In page 5, after line 37, to insert the following: “(7) Any regulation made under subsection (3) shall be valid for a period of two years unless renewed by the Minister in accordance with this section.”. My amendment seeks to insert a new section.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The amendment suggests that the regulations that would be made by this will "be valid for a period of two years unless renewed by the Minister in accordance with this section." The goal is to ensure that we could have a strengthening and an ongoing review. It is part of the same spirit of renewal and strengthening. Section 3(6) states "Every regulation made by the Minister under this...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I accept the Minister's concern and acknowledge there is the issue of revocation. As we are on Committee Stage, I ask the Minister to clarify that he does not foresee, for example, exemptions being made and remaining unreviewed for very long or prolonged periods, as science or others things evolve. The Minister has quite wide powers to exempt a product through regulation. Can he clarify...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Sunscreen.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I accept the Minister's argument. We may have, in subsequent legislation, an opportunity to address any inadvertent danger of a long-standing regulation or exemption. I appreciate and am heartened by the fact that the Minister is not currently planning to make wider exemptions in terms of industrial cleaning products. It is in that context that I withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 13: In page 10, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following: “(2) The Agency shall produce a report on the implementation of these Regulations after the first 12 months of their operation and lay this report before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The report shall include an overview of implementation including any exemptions granted with details thereof,...

Seanad: Microbeads (Prohibition) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We are satisfied with the response from the Minister and in that context we will withdraw the amendment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Forestry and Climate Change: Discussion (11 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Are the negotiations not happening now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Forestry and Climate Change: Discussion (11 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: A number of interesting questions have been asked. They have given rise to more questions that I would like to ask. However, I will try to focus on a few clear points. While I do not wish to contradict Mr. Hendrick directly, it is important to clarify that when the UN talks about material substitution, sequestration and bioenergy, it is not talking about the same tree. The need for large...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Forestry and Climate Change: Discussion (11 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On a global level, the issues we have heard are how we can make access available for farmers with smaller holdings, linking in biodiversity and ensuring that it is not simply large-scale commercial calculation of carbon in a way that is detrimental in the long term. Those are issues internationally. In terms of the regional economic development, RED, funding, and under the UN funding, we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Forestry and Climate Change: Discussion (11 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is a single sentence. This issue is very important. I have just returned from the UN Climate Change Conference, COP. One of the most bizarre comments I heard was from a well-meaning business leader who said that the best invention we ever came up with is a tree. I think he thought they had invented trees because they had finally found a business use for them and a natural service. It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Forestry and Climate Change: Discussion (11 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----that we are working with nature and not simply a case of nature working for us.