Results 7,501-7,520 of 8,482 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

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...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is a potentially significant overlap here in the context of the green schools initiative. The green schools programme includes sustainable transport officers who have been working with children, highlighting issues and making a big difference. I was speaking recently to Róisín Ní Ghairbhith, one such sustainable transport officer who told me that 500 children cycled...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: Cycling is key. We really need to re-evaluate formal physical education, PE, so that we are not simply focusing on competitive sports. I am one of the many people who sat out PE classes because I was not on a team in a competitive sport. Acrobatics, dance, cycling and so on are physical activities that allow children to celebrate physical movement and it is important to provide a diversity...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There are many questions and issues on this topic but many of them have been covered by Deputy Brady, which is excellent. I thank all the witnesses for their presentations. They were very strong and there is even more in their written submissions, which I am sure will be incorporated when we come to put together our report. There is a huge body of evidence behind all of the points the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Would it be possible to make available information about that high support model the university piloted because it might be useful to the committee?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to make a quick point. The conference in 2016 Ms O'Donnell mentioned seems particularly relevant. Perhaps she might forward links to it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am conscious that this is a point we did not get to touch on much but I will follow up on the question of those who may be outside the system. They are not in any part of the system because of the means test. They kind of disappear from the system. Any follow-up thoughts from the speakers would be great.

Seanad: Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture: Statements (24 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister and congratulate her on her new brief. It is an exciting one. Through culture, we touch every pulse point of society. It is one of the ways through which we can most strongly and immediately feel the concerns, ideas and thoughts of the nation. Culture is a powerful and important thing. While I am proud of Galway being chosen as the European capital of culture for...

Seanad: Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture: Statements (24 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will conclude now. The power of spectacle is something all of us have seen in moments like those created by Els Comediants or Macnas. I know we are excited about extraordinary spectacles such as the Gilgamesh proposal which is on the cards for 2020. As well as splash and spectacle, however, we also need lasting supports and a sea change in terms of the resources that are available. We...

Seanad: Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture: Statements (24 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: One of the projects proposed is Hope It Rains. People in Galway have made great use of the city's outdoor spaces. It is a matter of serious concern if we are to clamp down on street performers and buskers, on which I have made a lengthy submission which I am happy to share with the Minister. That is crucial but we also need some indoor spaces. Let us protect the streets but also build new...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Protection of Employee Tips) Bill 2017: Second Stage (24 Jan 2018)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome this Bill and congratulate Senator Gavan for his work on it. I also congratulate Senator Ó Clochartaigh who did important work around the research into the realities of the experience of workers in the Galway area. I know he has also highlighted other workers’ rights concerns in that area. I welcome the representatives of SIPTU and others to the Gallery. I will be...