Results 721-740 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would like to continue.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Sure. With regard to references to our past debates, I am bringing a new urgency. I have been talking about the occupied territories Bill for many years, but right now I believe this is urgent. It is urgent to ensure we do not have the kind of investment in question. What the Minister of State said raises two further areas of concern. He mentioned that a future Government might have...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I do not accept the two arguments relating to future discretion. It is simply not enough to say that the NTMA has offered clear guidance because the decisions made by the NTMA - which it was very comfortable with until it was eventually directed or encouraged otherwise by a Minister - allowed for the State to invest money in illegally occupied territories. We cannot say it will not happen...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

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

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 7: In page 12, line 30, to delete "commercial" and substitute "financially, socially and environmentally sustainable". Section 15(1) states: The Agency shall hold or invest the assets of the ICN Fund on a commercial basis for the benefit of the ICN Fund, so as to seek to secure the optimal total financial return, as to both capital and income. This amendment...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My amendment states: “financially, socially and environmentally sustainable”. Perhaps if I had said “financially, environmentally and socially beneficial” or “the maximum financial, social and environmental return”, it may have contacted the sense of expansiveness the Minister of State is hoping for with the fund. I genuinely believe it is poor...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 8: In page 13, line 4, to delete “held or”. I will withdraw my amendment and reserve the right to resubmit it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 9: In page 13, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “(3) In developing the investment strategy for the ICN Fund, the Agency shall act in a manner consistent with obligations under— (a) the Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Act 2008, and (b) the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act 2018.”.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 10: In page 13, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “(3) In developing the investment strategy for the ICN Fund, the Agency shall ensure that such a strategy prevents the investment of public monies into undertakings operating within occupied territories.”.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 11: In page 13, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: “(4) The Agency shall, in determining and reviewing the ICN Fund investment strategy, consult with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform and Taoiseach and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action.”. Amendment No. 11 seeks to...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 12: In page 15, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following: “(6) For the avoidance of doubt, the Minister may not make a proposal for the purpose specified in section 14(2)(a) in respect of the ICN Fund where such funds would be utilised to provide financial relief to companies with an annual turnover of over €1 million.”. The amendment...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I accept there may be difficulties with regard to where the Exchequer may spend it. I indicate my intention to come back with this amendment on Report Stage. There can be criteria around the circumstances under which we allow money to be redirected from these funds and we may look again at those criteria. In the case of a simple deterioration in the economic or fiscal position of the...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 13: In page 15, line 40, after “State” to insert “or internationally”. I do not believe the amendment is worded correctly and I am not happy with my own wording of it. Effectively, what I wanted to indicate was that the important thing when we think about greenhouse gas emissions is that we think about reducing them internationally and...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State. It is great to have a detailed response on the sustainable development goals. We rarely see detailed commentary on the latter. Regarding just transition and climate justice, this is not the only measure but it is probably one of the best-funded measures. In that context, I will press the amendments. That is not to say that all the money needs to be...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No 14: In page 16, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “(f) the implementation of policies which will facilitate a just transition for workers and communities,”.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No 15: In page 16, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “(f) the implementation of policies which further the principles of climate justice,”.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No 16: In page 16, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “(g) the implementation and achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and associated targets and indicators,”.

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No 17: In page 16, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “(3) In this section, “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals” means the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 1 to 17 set out in the document entitled “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, published by the UN Department of Economic...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No 18: In page 16, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “(3) In this section, “just transition” means bringing together workers and their trade unions, communities, employers and public representatives in social dialogue to develop, agree and drive the plans, policies and investments needed for a fast and fair transition to a low carbon...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Committee Stage (29 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No 19: In page 16, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “(3) In this section, “climate justice” reflects the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change commitments on equity and “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities” and requires that the decisions and actions taken to reduce...