Results 1,501-1,520 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Apologies. I will stop interrupting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for that. I also want to come back in on another equality issue, which is jet kerosene, which is again-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Perhaps if there is a second round-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Sure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will pick up where the Chair left off. I welcome the idea of creating infrastructure as a pull rather than having to be pushed to provide public transport and infrastructure. The Minister will be aware that the committee report we sent to him two years ago called for a reform of the cost-benefit analysis process. One of the problems is that many of the cost-benefit analysis tools we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Those are my four questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Does that make it a candidate for the trans-European transport network, TEN-T, scheme, which concerns European interconnectivity, if there is port connection for the western rail?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Will the Minister speak to my other questions? I asked about jet kerosene and public transport.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We pay subsidies on kerosene, so that is separate from tax on aviation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It concerns tax forgone and the tax relief. The report refers to €625 million per year of tax relief in respect of jet kerosene, while it would cost €540 million extra - the figure the Minister mentioned - to have free public transport. Will the Minister answer directly on whether West on Track will be part of the TEN-T submission from Ireland?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have a one-line question for the third round, if possible. It is on planning.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Waiting for the streamlining of the planning system has been mentioned often. However, it seems to me that the issue is not the system, but the resourcing of An Bord Pleanála, since most of the delays are not due to challenges and so forth and are instead due to An Bord Pleanála's processing of the active travel measures that the Minister mentioned and BusConnects applications.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is it a question of resourcing An Bord Pleanála better and having more staff who are equipped to move these applications forward? Is that not something we could do immediately, as it does not require legislation?

Seanad: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (22 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (22 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I was very happy to co-sign the amendment and I am very happy to second it. The amendment is very important. I have tabled a number of amendments that relate to specific aspects of the Valletta Convention and how it should be applied to the different parts and functions including those of the Minister of State under the Bill. I am placing it alongside some of the other conventions such as...

Seanad: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (22 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 2: In page 34, line 18, to delete “may” and substitute “shall”.

Seanad: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (22 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for indicating that, if there are areas of concern relating to the Valletta Convention, he is willing to consider them. Some of the later amendments relate to areas where the Bill falls short of the convention in specific ways. I hope we will have a chance to follow through on the promise of engagement. In one way, this amendment is simple. It changes the...

Seanad: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (22 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I imagine that tabular information would be welcome. There are concerns, which we will come to later, around the potential impacts of certain activities under the Bill and the impact in terms of what is designated or not. There is an almost protective element which I am concerned about regarding compliance with the Valletta Convention. I am also concerned, which we will come to later in...

Seanad: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (22 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 3: In page 34, line 24, after “archaeological” to insert “, cultural or linguistic”.

Seanad: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (22 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendments Nos. 3 to 6, inclusive, reflect the pre-legislative scrutiny recommendation by the joint committee around inserting cultural value into the Bill, and specifically inserting it in amendment No. 3 into the same section. As I said, this is the narrow portal currently phrased as: .. shall not exercise [the powers around the designation] ... unless he or she is of the opinion that...