Results 5,681-5,700 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: As carbon sequestration and pollination have been addressed at another point in the process and the issue of biodiversity is covered in a new section in the Bill introduced by the Minister, I am not pressing the amendment.

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 35a:In page 5, line 31, after “features” to insert “, having regard to matters referred to in section 16(6),”.

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 36:In page 5, to delete lines 34 to 38.

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I should not have agreed to the amendments being grouped. Amendment No. 36 is a straightforward proposal to delete the inclusion of blanket bog. This is possibly the last place in the Bill where we can constructively remove blanket bogs. The Bill was originally designed to deal with raised bogs, as we have discussed previously. I am seeking to ensure that with the small number of natural...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am glad the Minister of State is looking to engage but it is a very troubling formulation at present. There are many local communities which are very keen to protect their natural heritage areas. I have spoken to people in areas from Clare Island to Carna and elsewhere who really care about the natural heritage areas.

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: They really care about the natural heritage areas.

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am not speaking to or about anybody in this House. I am speaking about communities. I am saying that there are those in communities who really value the natural heritage areas that are located near to where they live and to which they go. There is a danger that a natural heritage area, which might be extremely important to people in a particular region and that might be a natural...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am responding specifically on the issue of the comparator mechanism, not the amendments put forward by others. My point is that if there is a natural heritage area in a community which people want to continue to be protected and it is used in a comparator mechanism with another area of protected peatland in different community, it should not be the case that a natural heritage area valued...

Seanad: Traveller Culture and History in Education Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I speak in support of the Bill. I am incredibly proud that the Civil Engagement group has been able to push it forward. I commend Senator Kelleher, in particular. I also commend Mr. Oein de Bhairdúin who worked with her, the advisory group and others who have moved the debate forward. As Senator Kelleher said, they have opened up the debate on multiple fronts and begun important,...

Seanad: Traveller Culture and History in Education Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I hope the Minister will be able to champion it. The Minister mentioned a money message. Regardless of whether a money message is required, it is effectively meant to be an administrative formality. It is not a matter of a condition affecting whether a Bill can pass. If the Minister says he wants a money message produced, he can push for one to be produced. A money message was originally...

Seanad: Sustainable Tourism: Statements (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will not avail of the allotted time.

Seanad: Sustainable Tourism: Statements (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would love to stay to hear the full debate but I must attend a meeting of the Joint Committee on Climate Action that is taking place. I will look back on this debate with great interest. I will highlight a few specific issues. They include sustainability of the industry, which has been mentioned already, and the quality of employment. Part of recognising and valuing a quality tourism or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: They are in two sets. Could the Chair indicate when I am halfway through my time and I will switch to the other set? My first questions are brief and relate to economic matters. Like others, I have been struck by the fact that €90 million is peanuts. Given the many strong cases being made about areas that will need transition support, I have been struck by the difference between...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is all on that matter. I will move to a different topic.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is the professor referring to all of it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Building on that and in light of the environmental externality argument, the tax applies to carbon, but does it not also apply in respect of other greenhouse gases that are part of the fuel mix, for example, to methane, which is a large component of shale gas? The costs relating to methane as a greenhouse gas are being carried socially and environmentally by society and that should be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am specifically referring to other greenhouse gases that are parts of fuel. Does the same environmental externality not apply to them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Partially.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Its carbon content is one thing. This is a core issue. The UNFCCC has said that 1 tonne of methane is equivalent to 34 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Professor Howarth made a very clear point to the committee last week. It is interesting that the EPA does not measure carbon dioxide in its national emissions inventory, it measures carbon dioxide equivalent. Should we be measuring other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The levels do not seem to match. We are adding 75 cent on natural gas at the moment, versus the increase in carbon tax. If that is the case, I accept that. I will come back to Professor FitzGerald. I was very surprised about the letter the council sent to the Department. I was not just surprised by the content of the letter but its timing. The council is an independent body...