Results 7,221-7,240 of 8,212 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (6 Feb 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Okay, I will adjourn but only on the-----

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (6 Feb 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I had to redirect my speech because we did not have the debate that we had been promised and I did try to address the Minister of State's brief, out of respect to him.

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (6 Feb 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: However, I note that we will be returning to PESCO and we will need clear assurances as to how the Minister addresses the use of those weapons and military equipment which Ireland jointly purchases. It is a very clear question. There is no mechanism to deal with it.

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (6 Feb 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will the implementation on PESCO-----

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (6 Feb 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is a concrete question. Will the implementation plan on PESCO be published-----

Seanad: Foreign Affairs: Statements (6 Feb 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----and will it be brought to these Houses and voted upon? That is my final question.

Seanad: Order of Business (31 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I echo what Senator Swanick said about the Michael Davitt Museum. It was a very well made point. It is an extremely important resource. It is a national resource in terms of the contribution that was made to our history. The assistant of my colleague, Senator Grace O'Sullivan, is a descendant of Michael Davitt and he would certainly echo that point. Senator O'Sullivan also sits on the...

Seanad: Housing: Statements (31 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We have had enough slander of the homeless without attributing that those who are on the street are all part of an organised campaign. Let us be clear about that.

Seanad: Housing: Statements (31 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If I do not come in now can I speak the next time?

Seanad: Housing: Statements (31 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will let Senator Dolan speak.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I acknowledge the extensive work of the Minister of State and her staff as well as successive Ministers on the Bill and thank them for it. It is important that consultation has been held with TUI, IMPACT, USI and the Technological Higher Education Association. I was glad to see the Minister of State accept a number of amendments in the Dáil. Some of them were very constructive and...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will skip ahead to all of the areas of concern around the Bill. I have discussed with the Minister of State and others the amendments that I will probably table. First, a students' union needs to be recognised as a students' union and to include "other student representative body" is not adequate or acceptable and this cannot be allowed go through. Any of us who have worked in a union...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will conclude on this. A key concern is that the Bill provides for "at least one and not more than 2" students on the governing board of a technological university. What about where we have three campuses? For example, there may be a campus in Galway, Sligo and Mayo. It is important that a student from each institute of technology feeding into the process would be part of the governing...

Seanad: Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has asked for time, having told us he is committed. I believe, as many believe, that he is committed to moving forward on this issue. That time is not indefinite. I understand the Minister has spoken to my colleague, Senator Black, who is leading on the Bill and has stressed that he needs some more time to pursue his diplomatic approach and to...

Seanad: Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----for concrete and reasonable proposals. I will now discuss the reasons this is a good Bill. We are giving Members the space to examine the reasonable proposals but I believe that on examination they will see their concerns do not stand up. Let us also be clear that in acceding to the request for time and space, it is not a neutral or in-between position to be where we are now. As was...

Seanad: British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (Committee D) Report on Childhood Obesity: Statements (25 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is always a pleasure to meet associates of Senator Lawless. The discussion on the report on childhood obesity is welcome. I congratulate Senator Noone for raising this issue consistently and all of the members of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly who in bringing their perspectives have contributed to the development of the report. Many of the health impacts of obesity have...

Seanad: British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (Committee D) Report on Childhood Obesity: Statements (25 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I know that-----

Seanad: British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (Committee D) Report on Childhood Obesity: Statements (25 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I do not disagree. I know that Senator Noone-----

Seanad: British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (Committee D) Report on Childhood Obesity: Statements (25 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Regardless of whether one opts for lycra, I know that Senator Noone did not-----

Seanad: British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (Committee D) Report on Childhood Obesity: Statements (25 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, it is hard to out-train a bad diet. Nonetheless, cycling is key and influential. That is something that came across very strongly in our visit to Amsterdam. The Netherlands has a very good record in terms of cycling facilities and is the comparator in this report. In the Netherlands, two thirds of children cycle or walk to school. In Ireland, the rates are far lower with one...