Results 5,481-5,500 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, I know, and it was reduced. In terms of the risk issues that were identified, was there a specific consideration of risks in reducing the threshold to €10 million?

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I think €10 million might be worth considering and reviewing because if there is a substantial-----

Seanad: Finance Bill 2019: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With due respect, the decisions in respect of policy around revenue and the direction of it, they actually are political decisions. Lots of decisions have been made around tax reliefs and measures and how we set the bands. I do not think we can abdicate that issue entirely to Revenue in that regard. These are not highly important people, they are high net value people who happen to have a...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Joint Labour Committees) Bill 2019: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I congratulate Senator Nash on his Bill. It is part of what has been a progressive series of progressive workers' rights Bills that have come from across the House and on which there has been co-operation across the House. I support it. Regardless of whatever incomprehensible reason there is for Fianna Fáil opposing this excellent legislation, I urge it, if it is deciding to support...

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Joint Labour Committees) Bill 2019: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Let us go back 100 years to the Democratic Programme of the First Dáil. We are celebrating that Dáil's centenary and we all attended grand events in this regard. The Democratic Programme refers to our industries and to ensuring their development according to the most beneficial, co-operative and industrial lines. It refers to the role of the national Government in promoting a...

Seanad: Provision of Accommodation and Ancillary Services to Applicants for International Protection: Statements (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I first became engaged in issues relating to the direct provision system in 2003 or 2004. I was working with the Comhlámh anti-racism project at the time. It was initially an artists' project against racism which rapidly found it had to refocus on the policies being promoted at that time. One of the resources we produced was entitled, "Myths and Facts about Asylum Seekers." That...

Seanad: Provision of Accommodation and Ancillary Services to Applicants for International Protection: Statements (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There have been extreme efforts-----

Seanad: Provision of Accommodation and Ancillary Services to Applicants for International Protection: Statements (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This is vitally important.

Seanad: Provision of Accommodation and Ancillary Services to Applicants for International Protection: Statements (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will conclude on this point. There have been vital efforts from the community. Groups such as the asylum seeker's organisation, Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, MASI and others have pointed out that some of those who claim to be against direct provision are not involved in actively finding ways to connect, support and create integration opportunities. If such people do not reach...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank everybody for their presentations. There is a strong case for E10. Mr. Cogan indicated that much of the E5 which we are currently achieving is not an achievement as it is based on the use of used cooking oil.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We are there on E10. Will Mr. Cogan clarify how this relates with diesel? For example, in budget 2020, the Government is giving a tax relief to the Irish Road Haulage Association to subsidise the use of diesel at a time we are trying to get people to move away from this. Will Mr. Cogan comment specifically on the policy on diesel, as well as petrol, E10 and ethanol mixes? I do not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Can we get palm oil out of the diesel over the next year or two? How would we do that? Diesel is the concern. As I said, diesel purchase is being incentivised in the budget.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will pass the floor to the others after this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That could be done immediately.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Professor Morgenroth referred to infrastructure in a wide sense, in the context of roads and so on. I would like him to comment on cycling, active travel and footpath infrastructure and the difference they make not only in rural areas but also in urban areas and in the context of liveability and air quality in urban areas. They are important as well. As a subsection of infrastructure, this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have one final sentence.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Regarding Dr. McGrail's composites presentation, I am wondering about public procurement. If we were to see, in terms of either the technical specification or quality criteria for public procurement, a greater emphasis on quality materials and the use of a life cycle costing within procurement, would that make a significant difference from his perspective? Does anyone on the panel wish to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is life cycle costing, following through on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: As we are constrained in terms of time, we may have to revisit some of these issues down the line.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Developing Ireland's Sustainable Transport System: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Department of Health is missing. Its policies very much intersect with a number of these climate policies. I ask all the witnesses, when replying, to talk about the public duty in respect of equality and human rights and how that intersects with their work on climate change. Regarding the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Ms Hanlon gave some detail in her presentation but...