Results 8,021-8,040 of 8,768 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Remit and Legislative Agenda: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (28 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is this accepting also the decision of-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Remit and Legislative Agenda: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (28 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Through the Chair, will the Minister comment on the concern that this is not a routine and operational matter and that it is a matter of policy direction? If it is a disagreement, so be it. The concerns of the Comptroller and Auditor General were also looked at in our report and the concerns do not direct towards this particular restructuring option, as expressed by the Comptroller and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Remit and Legislative Agenda: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (28 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I agree with the Minister that we need a joined-up approach and I hope we will move towards ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCPRD. That is crucial. I note that the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has access to very important research that it has supported around those costs and that information could be shared with other...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I support Senator Boyhan. Training so that the practice that we have matches the policy is crucial. We have already heard today about how sometimes something in policy seems fine and clear if one reads it but that the experience victims have is that the interpretation and understanding of those who enact that policy is perhaps not what it could be and should be. All of those involved...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My colleague, Senator Kelleher, had hoped to speak on this area and I will be very brief. Some concern has been expressed. Most of the amendments are very practical and make a lot of sense and I am very happy to support them. However, perhaps the Minister of State could elaborate on the change in language in amendment No. 31 because concerns have been expressed that there may have been...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is fine and it is a positive amendment. However, based on feedback Senator Kelleher and I received I understood that the original formulation was perhaps a little better. In the absence of Senator Kelleher, I will not oppose the amendment.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Unless another Senator wishes to do so, I will speak to it because Senator Kelleher hoped to speak on it but is not in the Chamber. I have not co-signed the amendment and, therefore, do not feel I can speak to it.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With due respect, these amendments do affect children because if people are children when they go to make a complaint to An Garda Síochána, that is when they are initiating their concern around a potential criminal action against them. In respect of the experience of children as they seek to navigate our legal system and our courts, we see a huge fall-off where people drop out of...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With respect to the Minister of State, there is a blurring of lines in that what he has described is not what the amendment is putting forward. It is very clear in the amendment that it is a question of the outcome rather than the reasons for the assessment, about which we have just had a debate. It is simply a matter of whether the person needs protection. The decision is made by a...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his last response in which he looked a little more deeply at this. He said he would expect people to get the information they need, but what we hear is that people do not. We must listen to the voices of victims who say that the letters they receive are generic. We are happy to try to find a legislative approach on that and a wording that will work but...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This amendment relates to the satisfaction with section 6, as it stands. If the amendment proposing that deletion of the word "may" and its substitution with the word "shall" is not made, we have a concern this section would only provide that the victims may be referred to appropriate supports. While we do not want to have a lengthy debate on this, perhaps at the next interval when the...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I understand but the Minister of State can perhaps still address the concern that is at the heart of the amendment even if the amendment cannot be debated. Perhaps he can do that briefly, as I appreciate we do not have much time.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will the Minister of State ensure resources are allocated to this area?

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for that.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I appeal to the Minister to consider this amendment carefully because, as my colleague rightly described, this is an area of crime in which there can be a revictimisation and very negative experiences and insinuations made. If, for example, the reason a prosecution is not proceeding is a purely technical one or relates to evidence or some other legal reasons, it gives people peace of mind if...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I note that this Bill has not completed its journey, given the large number of Government amendments and that we know it is going back to the Dáil. Perhaps the Minister of State might indicate if he would seek to pursue something such as an amendment of the Schedule of relevant bodies in the Dáil. I am sure we would be able to expedite a return to the Seanad to confirm that. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join in the thanks to all who have facilitated this temporary move of the Seanad Chamber, including the Office of Public Works, the National Museum and the staff of the Oireachtas, who played a key role. Of course I also thank the Cathaoirleach himself for his work in that regard. I would like to make an appeal that this temporary movement of the Seanad Chamber be accompanied by long...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special Meeting of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs meeting with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence and the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement
Engagement with Mr. Guy Verhofstadt MEP, European Parliament Brexit Co-ordinator (21 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome Mr. Verhofstadt and the commitment to support the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, but one part has been neglected slightly, that being, the commitment to human rights equivalence. I am not referring to citizens' rights, which have been discussed at length. Human rights equivalence is a pillar of the agreement. I would appreciate Mr. Verhofstadt's thoughts on how it can be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Special Meeting of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs meeting with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence and the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement
Engagement with Mr. Guy Verhofstadt MEP, European Parliament Brexit Co-ordinator (21 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome Mr. Verhofstadt and the commitment to support the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, but one part has been neglected slightly, that being, the commitment to human rights equivalence. I am not referring to citizens' rights, which have been discussed at length. Human rights equivalence is a pillar of the agreement. I would appreciate Mr. Verhofstadt's thoughts on how it can be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Special Meeting of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs meeting with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence and the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement
Engagement with Mr. Guy Verhofstadt MEP, European Parliament Brexit Co-ordinator (21 Sep 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome Mr. Verhofstadt and the commitment to support the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, but one part has been neglected slightly, that being, the commitment to human rights equivalence. I am not referring to citizens' rights, which have been discussed at length. Human rights equivalence is a pillar of the agreement. I would appreciate Mr. Verhofstadt's thoughts on how it can be...