Results 8,041-8,060 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for his willingness to engage with this constructive amendment. I think it has been constructively taken. The amendment is clearly designed to deal with the concerns we raised earlier in regard to speculation, ensuring that where speedy planning permission has been granted, we do not see a significant number of applications being granted and then house building being...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is greatly appreciated.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would like to speak briefly in support of the amendments and join Senator Colette Kelleher in giving a sense of from where they are coming. We spoke earlier about strategic housing development and strategic planning. Demographic planning must play a vital role in that strategy as we move forward, given that 18% of citizens will have a disability at some point in their lives. We should...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will the Minister provide clarification on one of the other amendments? I appreciate the Minister's points. There may be legislation but enforcement and inspection after the fact is an issue. This is an opportunity to provide enforcement and it is important that a signal be sent. Will the Minister comment on our amendment No. 15 to section 9? The Minister may argue the obligations are on...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is there going to be an assessment of housing need in particular areas?

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Consideration should be given to the number of people with disabilities living in an area and their housing needs. If we are bypassing some of the local authority considerations, it is crucial that An Bord Pleanála has this knowledge, namely, some sense of housing needs. That is a planning issue, not regulation. If there is a large number of older people in a particular area, for...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It involves planning for communities.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If the Government ratifies the UN Convention Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which it said it would, it will apply across all public bodies.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 9:In page 9, after line 40, to insert the following:“(i) considerations, related to sustainable development, universal design and accessibility to services as set out in section 52 of the Disability Act 2005.”. I will withdraw the amendment but I reserve the right to reintroduce it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have a number of specific questions which I hope will clarify issues for me.I appreciate that I am not an expert in this particular aspect of it, not having come directly from a local authority background. The consultation process should be publicly accessible. To what extent would the report from these consultations be available to the public or to what extent would the public have...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On page 12.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I apologise. We have moved past the issue I was concerned about. The debate moved fast.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My concern is about the provision in section 6(10) that "The Board may, at its absolute discretion, consult with any person who may, in the opinion of the Board, have information which is relevant for the purposes of consultations". I apologise. I know that it has happened that councillors have raised legitimate concerns about developments but the chief executives have met with others. I...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be brief. As some of my colleagues who co-signed the amendment are not present to support it, I want to indicate our support for it. It is a constructive amendment. My concern - it is important that this be understood - related to the one-way dynamic of briefing. As it has been described, however, if the briefing is going to take place at a full council meeting, there will be an...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to raise a point of order on the groupings. It would have been useful had they been provided to us earlier. I cannot rule out further points of order on the groupings as we reach them. We have literally only seen them in the past two minutes. While I appreciate the pressure on the Bills Office, a longer period of consideration would have been useful for all parties. The debate is...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Before dealing with the amendment on road safety that we are debating at the moment, I want to respond to some of the issues the Minister has highlighted. I concur with those who look for more consultation on the matter. There are proposals here, but the proposals she spoke to today are not reflected in the legislation. I urge the Minister to ensure that if there are amendments, if there...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That was never said.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is not what the legislation says.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This does nothing for that.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Grubbing is explicitly provided for in the legislation.