Results 8,561-8,580 of 8,768 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign: Motion (30 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Okay. I will not elaborate on that aspect. The key point here is that we are talking about the open work of campaigning on boycott, divestment and sanctions. Boycotting has a strong origin here in Ireland. The IPSC is not only a peaceful organisation, but one with a long-standing record of street stands. There could not be a more open organisation. It has been visible, clear and...

Seanad: Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign: Motion (30 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is not like other campaigns which ask banks to divest, but is rather a campaign which is operating by stealth and which is not making itself accountable. It is a deep contrast. While the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign is completely legal, as asserted by the EU, the unjustified measures we are seeing now are deeply undemocratic. They raise very serious concerns for all of us,...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Nicola Sturgeon (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On behalf of the Civil Engagement group, I thank the Scottish First Minister for her visit to the House and for her inspiring speech. There is a long and interwoven history between Scotland and Ireland - in the migrations of our people, in the constant crossing of our seas and in the overlapping of our myths, stories, music and language. The vibrant exchange of ideas has always been part of...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister to the House. I will not be going through this section by section. I know we will have that opportunity on Committee Stage. There are some very positive steps in this Bill and it is important to acknowledge them. The movement with regard to jobseeker's allowance for the under 25s, while it does not go far enough in fully restoring their payments, is important....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If I speak on this, will I be able to speak later on other amendments?

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 1:In page 7, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following:"(2) An application for a strategic housing development under this section, other than for the alteration of an existing planning permission granted under section 34, may not be made by a prospective applicant who holds a planning permission for over 100 housing units in the same local authority area or in an...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I regret that the Government is not accepting any version of the amendments. I know that there are 28,000 planning permissions outstanding in the Dublin area. That is why we spoke about the local authority area alone. While I appreciate that the Minister of State and the Department took on board the constructive proposals we offered on Committee Stage in order to try to future-proof the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 2In page 7, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following:“(2) An application for a strategic housing development under this section, other than for the alteration of an existing planning permission granted under section 34, may not be made by a prospective applicant who holds a planning permission for over 100 housing units in the same local authority area for...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 3:In page 7, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following:“(2) An application for a strategic housing development under this section, other than for the alteration of an existing planning permission granted under section 34, may not be made by a prospective applicant who holds a planning permission for over 100 housing units for which a commencement notice has...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 4:In page 7, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following:“(2) An application for a strategic housing development under this section, other than for the alteration of an existing planning permission granted under section 34, may not be made by a prospective applicant who holds a planning permission for over 100 housing units in the same local authority area or...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 5:In page 7, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following:“(2) An application for a strategic housing development under this section, other than for the alteration of an existing planning permission granted under section 34, may not be made by a prospective applicant who holds a planning permission for over 100 housing units in the same local authority area for...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I regretted the loss of the word "independent" in previous amendments in terms of the review, given the importance of an independent review. I recognise the solid work that has been done on the Government's amendment. For example, paragraph (c) sets out the kinds of material that should be available to councillors when discussing applications. As someone who is not a former councillor but...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In this amendment we propose a practical measure to address the fact that for many tenants part of the growing insecurity they experience is the fact that the property in which they are living may not be owned by a landlord but, in many cases, has been taken over by a receiver. Those who act as a receiver are freed from the most basic of obligations of a landlord to a tenant, not only the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I second the amendment. We have heard about the hundreds of thousands of people who are renting and vulnerable to rent increases that are completely out of sight. On Committee Stage we heard stories about many good landlords and there are good landlords. However, for every good landlord who did not increase rent or increased it by only a small amount, there are others who are increasing it...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We have tabled a number of amendments to this section. Many deal with drafting and technical matters, but there are also a couple of key issues. Senator Murnane O'Connor referred to the proposal that we reduce the number of units in the so-called Tyrrelstown amendment from 20 to five units or more. We know that 0.54% of landlords are covered by the current proposal of 20 units. The 20-unit...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 19:In page 34, line 18, to delete “section 35A(3)(a)(i)” and substitute “section 35A(3)(a)”.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 20:In page 34, line 22, to delete “20 per cent” and substitute “40 per cent”.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 21:In page 34, line 22, to delete “20 per cent” and substitute “30 per cent”.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 22:In page 34, line 24, to delete “where section 35A(3)(a)(ii) applies,”.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 23:In page 34, line 27, to delete “undue unfairness to or”.