Results 6,921-6,940 of 8,482 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will withdraw it and reserve the right to resubmit it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 35:In page 13, to delete lines 4 to 6 and substitute the following:"(2) The members of the Commission shall select a chairperson from among its membership who shall be a lay person. In making their selection the Commission shall endeavour to ensure that any such chairperson selected has both a strong legal understanding and a proven capacity to communicate in a clear and...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am not referring to the Minister but I would ask other Senators to look at this amendment because I believe my proposal may provide a compromise.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 39:In page 13, to delete lines 34 and 35 and substitute the following:"(e) commerce, finance, administration, civil society, and trade union activity; (f) relevant areas of academic research including the law, or social policy;". I will withdraw the amendment and reserve the right to reintroduce it.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 40:In page 13, to delete lines 34 and 35 and substitute the following:"(e) commerce, finance, administration, civil society, trade union activity and academia;". I will withdraw the amendment and reserve the right to reintroduce it.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 43:In page 13, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following:"(f) relevant areas of academic research including the law, or social policy;". I will withdraw the amendment but reserve the right to reintroduce it.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 26:In page 11, line 22, after "expenses" to insert the following:", including expenses for such training as might be appropriate to the functions of the Commission,". Personally I would have seen these amendments as being somewhat connected in a potentially complementary way.Amendment No. 26 seeks to ensure that, inasmuch as expenses are being provided for, there are...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 29 relates to the question of external supports, so both amendments relate to that question. However, I will not divide the House.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If we wish to take them separately I am happy to do so.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If that is the preference of the House.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 26 is designed to ensure that lay members who may be appointed to the commission are given and have access to the supports or training they may need in respect of the delivery of their functions within the commission. This is to ensure there is a mechanism which, while recognising that lay members appointed by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC, may have...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the support I am hearing from across the House for the amendment. I will make a couple of points of useful clarification. It does relate to lay persons, in response to Senator Norris's question, because where my amendment is inserted is subject to subsection (2) which sets out the exclusion of a number of members who are effectively not lay person members. My proposal in terms of...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will quickly address one or two of the points. On the question of the independence of the commission in recognising its functions, that maybe applies anyway. My amendment is very much in the framing that is already there in respect of expenses paid by the commission for a level of such expenses that the Minister may determine. My amendment does not in any way take from the independence...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister said he intends to come back with a proposal in respect of the training. Of course, it needs to be the commission that determines that, but the commission needs to be given the flexibility to respond to individual needs as well as facilitating, for example, group training in things like the GRECO guidelines and so on. I will not press the amendment further at this time but I...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to speak in favour of the amendment.While I have been supportive of the Government in a number of the votes, and in respect of aspects of the Bill, and I have not always been in agreement with my colleague, Senator McDowell, I believe he is completely correct that this amendment is of deep concern. It has to be revisited and I very much urge the Government to agree to its removal and...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I echo the comments made by Senator Lombard about the cessation of a transatlantic flight from Cork Airport. The move made the airline is a classic example of bait and switch. His call for action is very appropriate because Norwegian Airlines handled the matter in a disgraceful manner by making false promises. I want to speak about the increase in the number of racist attacks. I am...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2018: Second Stage (5 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join with others in welcoming the Bill. It is a small but significant recognition of the work of care in our society and the fact that the care given in so many homes across Ireland is a contribution to the State and to our shared common good. The State bears a responsibility to acknowledge and support carers in their work. There are many positive elements in the Bill. That is why it is...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2018: Second Stage (5 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am into my final time.

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2018: Second Stage (5 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With my colleague, Senator Dolan, I had the opportunity to co-host a joint meeting of the Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Joint Committee on Education and Skills and Joint Committee on Health. It was an opportunity to bring together persons with disabilities. The medical card system was brought up as a real concern and a fear for those seeking to access...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To speak briefly, I very much welcome the passing of the Bill. I commend the Minister on one point he made just there and indeed in his initial speech, when he spoke first of respite care and also on the question of personal assistance.It is very important that carers recognise that in the case of the person being cared for, even though he or she is being cared for at home, the State has a...