Results 5,701-5,720 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: In one of those caveats, Professor FitzGerald mentioned that natural gas is a suitable alternative back-up technology. However, we are now looking at importing LNG and, wherever emissions happen, they affect the global emissions piece. The Professor will know that if that becomes a project of common interest, PCI, it will come with expectations, for example for higher priority access to the...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: Economically speaking, can we get out of the commitments that we make under a PCI without extra costs?

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: If a PCI commits Ireland to the import of LNG, does that make it more difficult to reverse the emphasis-----

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: We are considering a terminal for its importation.

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: In that regard-----

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: Would it be more difficult for us to shift our economic focus if we commit to a PCI?

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: It seems that most of the research in this area has happened over the past decade and that matters are evolving.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Climate Change and Land Use: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Deputy Stanley has touched on some of the issues I will raise. I will group my questions and then ask one follow-up question on a different issue. Perhaps Dr. Haughey will respond on the nitrates issue as we have heard mainly from the Department. In the IPCC report, one of the most significant changes in land use in the past 50 years has been the 800% increase in the use of nitrates. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Climate Change and Land Use: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I was surprised when I heard that figure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Climate Change and Land Use: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My apologies for my mistake. Under the Heritage Act, where persons cut hedgerows for road safety reasons, they no longer have to report doing so to a local authority. Has that affected the accuracy with which we can measure hedgerows? Is it anticipated that, under CAP, the measurement of the carbon sequestration role of hedgerows will be done alongside their habitat role? Will we have a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Climate Change and Land Use: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My problem is that we do not know as much about hedgerow coverage as we used to because hedge cutting for road safety purposes is no longer reported to local authorities. Biogas has been specifically mentioned. I see a potential tension in the future. When methane was discussed last week, we heard that it acts faster. There are concerns that methane, in particular, may need some capping...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Climate Change and Land Use: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am happy to follow up on it. The question of rewetting peatlands was not answered. Are peatlands currently designated for agriculture or forestry to be restored as peatlands environments? We know that greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands are higher when used for agriculture and forestry. Will Teagasc rewet them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Climate Change and Land Use: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is the rewetting of forestry land that had been peatlands and was drained on the agenda?

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 9:In page 4, line 3, after “maintaining” to insert “raised”. This is the same core issue we have discussed repeatedly, of which I hope there is reconsideration happening, namely, the inclusion of blanket bogs in what was originally envisaged, designed and prepared as legislation in respect of raised bogs.The 12-year period of consultation and...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: What the Minister of State has described in terms of public consultation and consideration of our European obligations is a process that may happen regarding the effects on the environment of proposals arising from a review. All of the processes – the consultation, the consideration of our European obligations and so forth – concern proposals that arise from a review. They do...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 10:In page 4, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following:"(b) assessing of the role and potential role of selected bog habitats in carbon sequestration, biodiversity and pollination;". This amendment addresses the issue which the Minister of State acknowledged somewhat in his accepting of amendment No. 4 and partly addresses in the first lines of his amendment No....

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: A number of core questions have again arisen. While the Minister of State envisages a fuller process, envisaging is not the same as ensuring. Given the debate we had on Committee Stage, it is curious that section 16(6), which has the benefit of listing specific concerns including "scientific interest for one or more species, communities, habitats, landforms or geological or geomorphological...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I appreciate that.

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I recognise that.

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (15 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: First, I have a technical question for the Minister of State. Am I also to understand that, with the Government amendment inserting a new section 18A(3)(b) and changing section 18A(3)(c), any review will involve section 18A(3)(a), (b) and (c)? Is that correct?