Results 1,421-1,440 of 8,768 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 19: In page 35, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(6) Such conditions of funding expected by the Agency shall include the advancement of gender equality and the implementation of the Athena SWAN Charter.”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The amendment will insert a new subsection to section 40, which again looks at the conditions of funding aspect. It will be important to see how the ethics aspect is interpreted and I will look to that with interest, but one thing that made a huge impact was the interpretation made by the Irish Research Council, which decided on an ethical basis that it needed to support gender equality...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These are important amendments. The reasons for their importance have come very much into focus this year and in the current context. Amendment No. 85a states: The Board shall make regulations regarding conditions of funding and a process for withdrawal of funding from research projects which may contribute to contravention of international law, including contraventions of rulings of the...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I think this is the largest and most significant section.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will exercise my right in that regard. The Bill at the moment simply states, "The Chief Executive Officer may, with the approval of the Board". I want to indicate that I may table an amendment on Report Stage to address this. It allows for when they are not complying with the conditions of funding. The core matter is whether there will be a condition of funding which is that there...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 86: In page 36, line 24, after "determination" to insert ", following consultation with the Board,".

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 87: In page 36, line 33, after “subsection” to insert “, following consultation with the Board,”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 90a. In page 41, after line 38, to insert the following: “(2) When entering into an agreement under this section, the Agency shall ensure that such agreements are consistent with relevant ethical standards, human rights and international law and would not compromise the ability of researchers to participate in and receive funding from such schemes.”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 90b: In page 41, after line 38, to insert the following: “(2) When entering into an agreement under this section, the Agency shall ensure that such agreements are consistent with relevant ethical standards, human rights and international law and in particular would not compromise the State’s obligations under: (a) the Cluster Munitions and...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 91: In page 41, after line 38, to to insert the following: “Public-public partnerships 50. The Agency may enter into, establish or support public-public partnerships for research between designated higher education institutions and public bodies both in Ireland and internationally.”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 92: In page 41, after line 38, to insert the following: “Public-public partnerships 50. The Agency may enter into, establish or support public-public partnerships for research between designated higher education institutions and public bodies both in Ireland and internationally, in particular on areas including: (a) the United Nations Sustainable...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 93: In page 41, after line 38, to insert the following: “Athena SWAN 50. The Board shall establish procedures regarding the disbursement of funding making such disbursement contingent on implementation of the Athena SWAN Charter.”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 94: In page 42, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “(2) An agreement or arrangement under subsection (1) shall not impede the ability of the Agency to uphold its regular functions, as prescribed in section 9.”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes. Amendment No. 94 addresses section 50 in terms of the arrangements between the agency and Ministers of Government regarding research and innovation. Amendment No. 94 will insert a new subsection which specifies that decisions regarding research and innovation agreements under the section should "not impede the ability of the Agency to uphold its regular [everyday] functions, as...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would like clarity from the Minister of State as to how that is tied into the functions of the agency. To be clear, the language I have in my amendment is that it "[does] not impede the ability of the Agency to uphold its regular functions". We all know that we have come across things many times which need to be or should be done, or that are even in the functions to be done, but do not...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Senator Dolan may have been referring more to section 49 which is on funding partnerships. I agree with the Senator absolutely that here are significant funding opportunities and partnerships. I have emphasised the importance of that and I welcome that, within section 49 - it is actually a very positive aspect of the Bill - those arrangements may be with either a public or a private body....

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The point is still very relevant.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is relevant to the wider debate. As I said, the Athena SWAN charter is important. One of the key things that I am concerned we may lose is that, previously, the Irish Research Council drove a lot of the take-up of the Athena SWAN charter by making compliance, or indeed engagement with the Athena SWAN process, a condition of research funding. That led to a massive step change in a lot of...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 95: In page 43, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: “(iv) the Irish Federation of University Teachers,”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 96: In page 43, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: “(iv) the Irish Congress of Trade Unions,”.