Results 6,541-6,560 of 8,468 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill 2019: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (20 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Indeed.

Seanad: Progress in Relation to Climate Change: Statements (14 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am delighted to see the Minister back in the House. It was a good decision by the Leader and others to ensure that we get a good conversation with each Department. We all felt that the sitting in December was not very satisfactory in terms of looking at climate action in each area. It is good, therefore, that we will have separate discussions with the various Ministers. I will pick up...

Seanad: Progress in Relation to Climate Change: Statements (14 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To clarify, I am not against the planting of trees. I was referring to what will accompany the planted trees. It is important to be clear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Bogus Self-Employment: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank Professor Doherty for his presentation of such interesting topics, some of which have been raised by other members. When we debated the question of the definition, it has become clear, as the professor noted, that it is about not simply the definition but also who decides or interprets the definition. In general, the default interpretation seems to favour the employer in how it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Bogus Self-Employment: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: They have scope under the European directives to place whatever ratio of price to quality they wish.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Bogus Self-Employment: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is also an issue in public procurement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Bogus Self-Employment: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The loss to the State is not simply about the individual's experience. Sectoral orders are a way to ensure that whatever way he or she is categorised, the person can access the basic provision. However, there is a loss to the State. We know this from the radically different PRSI contributions that are coming through from those who are self-employed and those who are not. I refer again...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Bogus Self-Employment: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If one wants a continuum of employment or delivery.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Bogus Self-Employment: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: What about sectoral orders and the compatibility of what used to be JLCs with the labour machinery of the State. While that is the labour machinery rather than a set of laws, is it something we can cement around an expectation of due diligence on the part of the State as a funder of projects and with regard to the way in which its resources are used?

Seanad: Loneliness Task Force Report: Statements (13 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I commend Senator Swanick on the report. I found it incredibly interesting reading. In his introduction to the report, Senator Swanick paid tribute to Jo Cox, the MP who was notable for speaking about the fact that we have more in common than what divides us. She was one of the first to consider the idea of a commission on loneliness and I...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Rehabilitative Periods) Bill 2018: Second Stage (13 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I commend my colleague, Senator Ruane, those who have worked with her in civil society, and her assistant, Seb McAteer. I know this Bill comes very deeply from many years of experience working with and supporting people to chart pathways forward for themselves. That is really reflected in the way the Bill looks at the different aspects of the experiences and addresses some of the many...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Today, our MEPs will vote on an EU-Singapore trade agreement and the associated EU-Singapore investment protection agreement. I raise this issue because the House voted to express concern about the prospect of an investor court system that would allow corporations to sue states for lost future profits when new regulations are introduced by elected representatives in response to the needs of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Statement of Strategy 2019-2021: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Chairman for allowing me to join the committee today. I thank the Minister for speaking so eloquently on the issue of history. He displayed a very deep understanding. He may be aware that I and my colleague, Senator Kelleher, and others have put forward proposals on Traveller history in education, and I believe that the National Council for Curriculum Assessment, NCCA, is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Statement of Strategy 2019-2021: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Statement of Strategy 2019-2021: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We have had one on the issue of disability.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Statement of Strategy 2019-2021: Discussion (12 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The initiative pointed to the obstacles that exist when people move between seeking employment and education.

Seanad: Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (6 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join with others in saying I am very happy to see Committee Stage of this Bill being taken. I hope we will see Report Stage being taken very soon. This is an issue that has been pressed for a long time and I commend all of those in civil society who pushed for it. I recall it being one of the issues we fought for when I was on the National Women's Council. I thank Deputies...

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (6 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Am I right that the four amendments on the supplementary list are to be discussed subsequent to the other groupings?

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (6 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The grouping is predominantly technical and deals with the issue of what may be included, the language and so forth. Some of the concerns in the supplementary amendments will arise on group 3. I had one question on amendment No. 24 in respect of the digital signature but I have had clarification from the Minister of State's officials, which I am sure he will confirm, that this is only a...

Seanad: Data Sharing and Governance Bill 2018: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (6 Feb 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I recognise that the exclusion of special categories of personal data as defined under Article 9 of the GDPR is a concession the Minister of State has made following our debate in the Seanad. I was very happy when he was able to accept the amendments in the Seanad and I, of course, had concerns when I saw they were being revised. The removal of the phrase "and compliant with Article 9 of...