Results 7,221-7,240 of 8,482 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 15:In page 22, line 29, after “policy” to insert “and procedures”.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The amendments relate to the equality statement. Having worked in a number of sectors prior to my time in the Oireachtas and participated in the development of numerous equality statements, I am conscious that there is a spectrum of practice. In the amendments we are seeking to give guidance to ensure the highest standards in the equality statements that might be brought forward. They take...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for her response. She takes these issues seriously and is committed to gender equality. As we are all aware, we are having this final debate on International Women's Day. It is important that a clear message be sent out through the processing of this Bill that academic life is one of the many sections of Irish life in which the full and equal participation of...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes. In light of the expectation that the reports will be published, I will not move amendment No. 18 either.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 24:In page 30, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following:“(l) the applicant institutes demonstrate to the satisfaction of the advisory panel that the applicant institutes have—(i) a published strategy in place on their mechanisms and procedures for compliance with both Irish and European Data Protection regulations, and (ii) a published strategy in...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This amendment relates to the area of data protection. We are very aware that the general data protection regulation, GDPR, is being discussed in the Oireachtas and that there are very serious requirements in respect of data protection. This area is not very much reflected in the Bill. I know that in the wider data protection Bill all public authorities and the universities will have...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Of course the GDPR will be the law of the land, but my point is about ensuring that there is appropriate discussion across the sector, not just on how the letter of the law is fulfilled but in terms of driving good practice, perhaps even above and beyond the GDPR. Will the Minister of State indicate whether she expects that these universities will be publishing clear strategies that students...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: No. I will withdraw my amendment but I hope that I can engage further with the Minister of State on this area.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 25:In page 30, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following:"(l) at least 4 per cent of students have entered the applicant institution with no higher than a NFQ level 4,".

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This amendment is almost at the opposite end of some of today's discussion because it suggests that at least 4% of students would enter with an ordinary level leaving certificate. Institutes of technology provide multiple avenues for access to education. I worked for a long time in the south east with young people who were unemployed and many had poor leaving certificates. For example, one...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Does the Minister of State expect those issues to be reflected to some degree in the equality statements she would receive from universities?

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On that basis I will not press the amendment.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It was extraordinary.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will echo that. There are many positive aspects of the Bill, so it makes me sad that there was a clear mindset from the beginning that the Bill was to be pressed through without amendment. Those watching will see all of these Report Stage amendments, but it is not usual to have so many. There were so many largely because clear and constructive proposals had not been taken on board. For...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: EU Employment Legislation and JobPath: Discussion (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: A number of issues have already been covered so I will focus on one or two in particular. Before talking about JobPath, I have a few questions for Ms Murphy about the directive. I note that one of the aspects of the directive that has been very much welcomed by the European Trade Union Confederation and others is protection for trade union workplace representatives and for collective...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: EU Employment Legislation and JobPath: Discussion (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will not come in again but there is one other area where the Minister was very clear. The Minister, Deputy Doherty, told me that people should be able to take the personal progression plan away from a meeting, seek advice on it and come back to suggest amendments. What is the information on this? Are there many examples of people who have suggested amendments and who have had those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: EU Employment Legislation and JobPath: Discussion (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: First, I want to confirm that this is Department headed paper; I am looking at it. I think the problem is not a number of individual cases because it should not fall on individuals and individual representatives - we need to move past clientelist politics - rather it is a question of where patterns are emerging. That is what we have asked Mr. Conlon about, namely, where there are patterns...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: EU Employment Legislation and JobPath: Discussion (8 Mar 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I want to get an answer to them.