Results 721-740 of 8,766 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Amendment to Seanad Standing Orders: Motion (23 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am sorry, but I just say that we will be supporting the motion.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I support these proposals by Senators Gavan and Warfield. In the context of the EU directive on work-life balance, the minimum for parental leave is two months or nine weeks. Nine weeks is the narrowest interpretation of two months. Of course, that is supposed to be the absolute minimum standard but Ireland should be doing better than the minimum required standard under the directive. We...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I knew any amendments to this section would not be eligible because they affect money. I am sorry I was not here for the Second Stage debate. I wish the Minister well in her next endeavours. I have serious concerns about this section that I hope the Minister can address. As I understand it, the section will increase the amount that will be cut from not only jobseeker's benefit but...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I hope the Minister will address the fact. I am very concerned, especially given the previous record of concerns about how personal progression plans are applied, that we may have situations whereby we see cuts that affect people's ability to feed their family and keep their houses warm. I say that simply because the stakes can become very high. There is a very significant power imbalance...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 9: In page 10, after line 35, to insert the following: “Report on extending Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment 19. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options to extend access to the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment until a youngest child reaches 18 years of...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The answer the Minister has given, with respect, is simply to say exactly what I have said. She has told us what the policy is but the point is the equality issues. She mentioned that only 5% of claimants are receiving a qualified adult payment but how many are receiving qualified child payments? It would be useful to have that percentage in order to be clear on the number of persons who...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 10: In page 10, after line 35, to insert the following: “Report on Pay-Related Benefit 19. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options to extend access to qualified child and adult payments for recipients of the Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit Scheme.”.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief. I support the amendments. The work on minimum essential standards of living involves some of the best and most solid and significant research that has been supported by the Department of Social Protection. Given that 2,000 goods are examined in the process, it is probably one of the best examples of addressing the cost of living, rather than some of the broader brush...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Why we probably need a new pension commission is that there was a fundamental gap. The terms of reference of the Pensions Commission excluded the tax relief on private pensions, so we had a situation where we were told that the cost of a universal State pension as recommended by the women's council and others would be €3 billion. That would be extortionate, but we know that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Chair. I want to come in on a few of the issues. I understand it is very important that Ireland will have this responsibility in having a key role in some of the finance aspects that are to be discussed and with regard to adaptation in particular. I have a couple of questions about the NCQG. As I understand it, this is one of the big issues that will be discussed - the idea...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: What of the loss and damage subtarget?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister mentioned €225 million as our share, but our share of the $100 billion has been estimated to be in excess of $400 million. We have a situation where a loan given to a developing country is required to be repaid in full whereas the debt as regards moneys promised but not delivered - Ireland should be giving $400 million per annum as part of the original $100 billion...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Are others indicating to come in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will come in for another round, if I may.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister mentioned the polluter-pays principle. That often seems to be somewhat at odds with some of the narrative on de-risking. I recall there was tension at the COP between de-risking versus loss and damage, on the basis that de-risking often involves the routing of public finance into exactly the private actors, for example, very large energy companies and banks, that had driven and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To be clear, should it include military emissions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have to come in on two issues. On the question of de-risking, it is a matter of how public moneys are used. It is not whether there should be action in respect of private finance but how public money is routed towards private companies, which is a slightly different issue. It is not about de-risking nationally. There is a factual issue I have to come in on because there was a suggestion...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----that factually, there are measures in the Act that are available to commercial actors. That is not the same question as whether the State chooses to develop its own terminal. The fact is that any actor can avail of the provisions in the Planning and Development Act, which are there in black and white.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is what is in the legislation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on COP29 (22 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister mentioned a suite of measures relating to carbon markets. It is anticipated that there will be progress on the rules on carbon markets at the next COP. I know there is much concern that they may be weak rules. Will the Minister indicate how he plans to engage in the discussion on the carbon market rules that may be coming into place?