Results 8,041-8,060 of 8,768 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join other Members in commending the Cathaoirleach and all staff of the Seanad on their stewardship during the past term and I look forward to working with them in the temporary premises in the autumn. I echo some of the points made by Senator Byrne in respect of the Higher Education Authority report published today which shows the lamentably slow progress being made on gender equality in...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Senator's colleagues will be able to verify that Fianna Fáil Senators were invited. We invited Senators from all parties who wished to do so to attend and in all of our press releases on yesterday's very important Bill, we have acknowledged the cross-party support, without which it would not have been possible. I do not take support for granted. A powerful aspect of this...

Seanad: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his constructive engagement on the issues we raised and his recognition that the questions we raised are important ones. We appreciate the genuine discussion and engagement. Members of both Houses could seek to ensure across all areas of our investment that we act in a way that is consistent with our principles and with environmental, human rights and other...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will second the amendment in due course.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am delighted to second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator McDowell, to require that provision be made for Committee Stage of the Seanad Bill 2016 to be debated in Government time in the forthcoming autumn term. We had a debate on this issue on the first day of this Seanad, when it was the first matter brought before the House. Many of us stood on the plinth to...

Seanad: National Shared Services Office Bill 2016: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: For once, I will be brief.

Seanad: National Shared Services Office Bill 2016: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister. I congratulate him on his new portfolio and look forward to working with him. There are many strong, commonsense aspects to the national shared services office, as have been put forward. I note that the Citizens Information Board, CIB, was recently debated in the committee on social protection. The citizens information service, CIS, and the Money Advice and...

Seanad: National Shared Services Office Bill 2016: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Literally 50 seconds.

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I regret very much that we did not have the opportunity to debate this before the motion passed in the Dáil. It is a very important discussion and decision. It is also important to be clear that a new decision has been taken today. In case a false impression be given, this is not the continuation of the very important humanitarian...

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have two final points. They are very important. There are questions around peace, neutrality and Ireland's role. The Minister of State stated that "Ireland will only participate in those aspects of Operation Sophia which are authorised in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions". Does he anticipate that aspects of Operation Sophia will not be in accordance with UN Security...

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will finish now. The Libyan coast guard has been mentioned. How can we justify supporting a coast guard which has used military fire against vulnerable people in this project, especially in light of conditions in detention centres? A crisis is not less of a crisis because we seek to hide it on other shores.

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Irish Naval Service has still performed disproportionately well in terms of rescue.

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The issue of the Libyan coast guard-----

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----and any aspects of operations that will be beyond the UN mandate.

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I asked direct questions related to the topic-----

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----and they were not answered.

Seanad: Equality of Access to Education: Motion (12 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I congratulate the Minister of State on her appointment and look forward to working with her. I welcome all the visitors to the House. I strongly support this motion, but not the amendments. We have heard many nice words and many words about education across the House. Some practical proposals have been made, including on grants, but the nub of the debate today is where we, as public...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (11 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am happy to move that on behalf of my colleague.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (11 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: But I am-----

Seanad: Srebrenica Massacre: Motion (11 Jul 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On behalf of all my colleagues in the Civil Engagement group, I welcome the motion and congratulate Senators Feighan and Richmond for introducing it to the House. It is in the best spirit of the internationalism of this House that we use this space to acknowledge these issues in this way. I welcome the visitors in the Visitors Gallery, as others have done. The genocide at Srebrenica is...