Results 8,421-8,440 of 8,768 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Derelict and Vacant Sites Bill 2017: Second Stage (8 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Apologies.

Seanad: Derelict and Vacant Sites Bill 2017: Second Stage (8 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will not speak to Part 4 in which I think the proposal made is constructive. While I agree with Focus Ireland, I recognise that it is doing work that is difference from that mentioned in the rest of the Bill. If the Bill reaches Committee Stage, Members will have an opportunity to amend or vote against various sections. We heard about the constitutional constraints on property. Let me...

Seanad: Derelict and Vacant Sites Bill 2017: Second Stage (8 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will take one minute of my colleague's time, as agreed.

Seanad: Derelict and Vacant Sites Bill 2017: Second Stage (8 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If the conservative interpretations of the Constitution are to block us constantly in making good policy and if they are correct, we have a problem with the Constitution which we need to address because a balance is not being achieved between property rights and the common good. If we are erring on the side of property rights and neglecting to see the balance achieved in the Constitution,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Discussion (7 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the committee for having me and all the presenters for their presentations, which I really enjoyed. I am very lucky to be able to sit in on the committee meeting today. I have a couple of points of observation that I think might be useful as well as a couple of questions. Mr. Irwin mentioned that, in his opinion, religion was a lower concern compared to, say, location and quality...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Discussion (7 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: May I ask a brief follow-up question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Discussion (7 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. As Ms McCabe has described, a number of Catholic schools have a wide degree of diversity. It is interesting that we are hearing that the baptism barrier does not seem to be a necessary element in preserving the ethos of the school. I am hearing that in many cases it has not proved to be necessary because schools have maintained their Catholic...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Discussion (7 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Do we have figures to show that is happening?

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Senators Ó Ríordáin and Feighan spoke eloquently on the issue of migration, with particular reference to Ireland's heritage and record in this regard. Indeed, we have a responsibility arising out of that history to give leadership on this issue on a wider scale. Ireland was awarded the honour of chairing the high level UN summit on migration last September and played a key...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am just concluding. I have two specific requests. I ask for a debate later this spring on cost-benefit analyses of all of our taxation measures. Lastly, on a most urgent issue, Russia has now decriminalised domestic violence. The Council of Europe, at which I and others represented this House and the rest of the Oireachtas, has put forward an expression of condemnation. I ask the...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am aware of the Tánaiste's commitment.

Seanad: Derelict and Vacant Sites Bill 2017: First Stage (2 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I second the proposal.

Seanad: Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (2 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I acknowledge the Bill is passed. I would urge the Government, perhaps, as it moves through the Dáil, to reconsider some of the amendments and suggestions and arguments which have been put forward. I am happy to continue to work, and I am sure that others will, with the Department in respect of these amendments, in particular, the amendments in respect of ensuring that we have a proper...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016: Second Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I commend the legislation, which we are very supportive of. It addresses a number of important key issues. I particularly welcome the measures taken in respect of those who have been identified under the thalidomide scheme, the Lourdes hospital payments scheme, the symphysiotomy scheme and of women who were residents of...

Seanad: Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Bill 2016: Report Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Perhaps the Minister of State will be able to give further clarification regarding amendment No. 4 because I think it is important. I recognise that amendment No. 2 was introduced in recognition of the valid points that were made by Senator Mac Lochlainn on Committee Stage regarding the importance of keeping records. I appreciate that there was some recognition of that. I recognise that...

Seanad: Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Bill 2016: Report Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: As amendments pass, line numbers and so forth change in the legislation as otherwise, every later amendment should accordingly fall. Amendments Nos. 7 to 10, inclusive, are not amending text but are inserting it. We often have a case where a new section is inserted in a Bill on Report Stage and subsequent amendments are accepted.

Seanad: Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Bill 2016: Report Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am not clear as to why that is the case. I do not believe that is correct.

Seanad: Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Bill 2016: Report Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is important. I would be quite happy to support the Government’s amendment but I would like the opportunity to vote on the insertions in the other amendments. I do not believe they need to be contradictory but can be complementary.

Seanad: Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Bill 2016: Report Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These are insertions.

Seanad: Knowledge Development Box (Certification of Inventions) Bill 2016: Report Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will my amendment not then go in between the new lines 27 and 28?