Results 981-1,000 of 8,768 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: I might put two sets of connected questions. I will get a quick answer to the first and then revert. Regarding the DMAPs, it was striking to hear that the important environmental and economic project of protecting our marine areas has not progressed during the Government’s term. It looks like all of the building and planning is going to happen even though marine protected areas...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Minister, there is nothing that precludes such a facility being commercial under the Bill. The Seanad will do what we can, but this is a Government decision. Presumably, the Minister, who has responsibility for energy, had an input into deciding that LNG infrastructure was not just a possible project, but a strategic priority that should be allowed to bypass normal planning procedures...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: It is being inserted under Schedule 2 to the list of strategic infrastructure -----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: I know but we need to be accurate in the answers and they need to reflect the actual legislation.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Sure.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: The legislation contradicts that. My other questions relate to Gas Networks Ireland, GNI. We mentioned data centres and the Minister mentioned his regret. Him stating he has an opinion is not the same as him using his power as a Minister and as a member of the Government and Cabinet in respect of ensuring the legislation reflects a limit to commercial energy, which it does not. In fact it...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Backup generators are happening all of the time.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: I will not come back on that issue because we do not have the time. Even though we have powers we are not using them under the Chicago convention around flight inspections, for example. I will ask a question because it is important. When the Minister answered the question about data centres, he mentioned his conversations with data centre owners. I am worried this mood music of what...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: It is in the climate action plan, Chair.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: And to legislate where necessary.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: It is not solely aid. Some of it is not around aid, it is a matter of our loss and damage and other obligations.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Will the €225 million be in the budget?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: This is in the climate action plan. I can quote the sections to the Chair, but it would bore him. There is a section on our international responsibility within the climate action plan.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: If no one else wants to come in, I have a minor question in relation to taxation on SUVs and luxury vehicles. Reference was made to the taxation by weight that applies in France. This is a way of addressing the SUV issue. The majority of new vehicles owned in Ireland are SUVs. In France, the taxation on such vehicles increases by weight. Is that being looked at in the context of the budget?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Conclusion of IBRC Special Liquidation and Dissolution of NAMA Bill: Department of Finance (18 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: If we are getting follow-up information, it would be useful to know for how long there has been planning permission in respect of the 3,500 units. It is not just a case of how many are social and affordable but also how long the planning permission has been in existence. This is a concern when things are dealt with as assets rather than priorities for building. We know that lots of...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Conclusion of IBRC Special Liquidation and Dissolution of NAMA Bill: Department of Finance (18 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Sure. We can get the detail in writing. I will work backwards, almost, through some of the points my colleagues have made. As regards the purposes of NAMA, Deputy Doherty was quite right in how he phrased his contribution, and they are in the legislation. Right below the line about "dealing expeditiously", which has been quoted extensively, is paragraph (c), which states that one of the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Conclusion of IBRC Special Liquidation and Dissolution of NAMA Bill: Department of Finance (18 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: "In the interests of the State" as well, which is key-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Conclusion of IBRC Special Liquidation and Dissolution of NAMA Bill: Department of Finance (18 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Mr. Carville sees those as competing.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Scheme of the Conclusion of IBRC Special Liquidation and Dissolution of NAMA Bill: Department of Finance (18 Sep 2024)
Alice-Mary Higgins: Would the goal not be to try to ensure they are reconciled, that you-----