Results 121-140 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP29: Discussion (5 Nov 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It has been a very positive innovation to always have an annual hearing before COP. I commend the Chair on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP29: Discussion (5 Nov 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is still a concern about liquefied natural gas infrastructure, so it seems there is a need for a very strong signal in the other direction, possibly at COP or elsewhere. This sends a signal that seems to be contradictory to someone who is looking at it as an anti-fossil fuel proliferation activist internationally and who may also campaigning locally against fracked gas in their area,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP29: Discussion (5 Nov 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This COP is primarily focused on finance as opposed to mitigation. Is there scope for progress on the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance at the COP? Will Ireland's credibility be somewhat undermined because we went in with very strong fossil fuel divestment legislation? It is interesting that the fact this may need to be strengthened was mentioned. There is a discussion now about the fact that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP29: Discussion (5 Nov 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Ireland could sign up. We would only be signing up in principle at this point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP29: Discussion (5 Nov 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is really useful because we hear about the many issues developing countries have in accessing climate finance and, in a wider sense, accessing finance from private sources. Those are all issues, even in terms of the credit rating issues, and there are a lot of other things that come in, that can be addressed through the debate on Article 2.1, which is basically improving the way our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP29: Discussion (5 Nov 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is Trócaire Ireland looking for a levy on corporations as part of the new forms of financing and that there is a tax on the fossil fuel industry?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP29: Discussion (5 Nov 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On where Ireland can come in, Ireland has committed to €225 million. Mr. Fitzpatrick has made it clear that our share of the €100 billion would be closer to €500 million per annum. Interestingly, when loans come through they are very much attached to very strict conditionality to debt repayment. I refer to the pledges and promises that have been made by developed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP29: Discussion (5 Nov 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will quickly mention two things and then I will wait for a third round. The danger of money going the wrong way has been mentioned, that is, the danger of money going to fossil fuels companies and others that have created the crisis. They have got these huge subsidies, as mentioned, of many trillions of euro and yet it seems that a lot of new climate finance is, potentially, being...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP29: Discussion (5 Nov 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With regard to the new collective quantified goal, Ireland will have a key role in negotiating and representing the EU position in the discussions. To be clear, among the key obstacles in the EU's position is the unwillingness to declare a goal, although it is called the new collective quantified goal. Subgoals were mentioned. Is it correct there will be subgoals on loss and damage? The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for his opening statement. I will pick up on some of the points raised by Deputy Murphy. I was very surprised to hear this narrative that we will have lots of energy down the line and so we need to facilitate large energy users now. It seems to be very much a cart before the horse situation. Surely if we are in a situation where we were to have a large amount of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----there are also issues in terms of the back-up gas generators. Will the Minister comment on the recommendation there should be no further gas connections given to data centres that might come through? I want to focus on two other issues. It would be really good if the committee could get it in writing that specific piece which is the employment within data centres explicitly, not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These are two very specific points. I welcome the establishment of the just transition commission. It points to the fact of investment in areas that are employment-rich. I welcome the fact the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation in its pre-budget submission specifically mentioned the just transition commission.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will the Minister focus on how we press for investment in jobs such as jobs in the care area, including ecological care, which will be both job-intensive and facilitate a just transition? Will the Minister comment on that? A mandate for procurement was mentioned. Is it the intention to have technical specifications around the kinds of cement or other materials, or is it the intention to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We currently cannot. That is what the statistics are saying.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On the other issues, perhaps-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister mentioned that the rules on procurement are going to change. That is the aspect I am interested in. Will the change relate to the technical specifications or the criteria?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is the just transition commission going to focus on things like this?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will enterprise strategy follow the just transition commission?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I think the data centre questions have been well covered. I mentioned the Just Transition Commission. What work is happening with the Department of enterprise in terms of enterprise grants and enterprise structures to engage with the Just Transition Commission as it identifies new or existing sectors that will be key to just transition? Will there be a linking up between the many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of Climate Action Plan 2024: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (24 Oct 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There was the last question on new areas of public employment.