Results 1,561-1,580 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am sorry but with respect, it is fine to give a few broad examples but I have two or three other areas of questions I want to------

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The projects are really welcome but one thing we will want to see when we hear of the projects is whether the projects are being measured in terms of the tonnage and the tonnage reduction and whether that is being placed alongside it. It is not solely about what we might do that is good; it is also what we might need to reduce that is damaging. Surely if we are going to stay within our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Surely that is an issue in terms of expansion. Do we need to look at constraining certain activities? I have another query to follow up on land use. I mentioned peatlands. We are talking about hundreds of millions of euro going into peatlands but we know that they have an early and immediate reduction in the context of emissions. A damaged peatland emits whereas a restored or even a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We are the most expanding economy in Europe. Why can we not deliver it next year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I know.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Sorry, is the Minister suggesting-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I just want to be clear about the suggestion that it would be ill spent. I do not agree with that and I would like to clarify that point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On that peatlands issue, are there plans to scale up the peatlands piece within the next period? Building on that, because the economic measures and the changing economic practice or incentives is slow, does the Minister agree that more State intervention is needed, for example more designation of State-protected areas and special areas of conservation, SACs? These are the things that we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Does that require more than the 20 megatonnes of space allocated?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am happy to come back in at a later point. Maybe I cannot but perhaps the Minister will address the issue of the 20 megatonnes of space allocated, and whether that is sufficient in terms of land use.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On one of the other issues that was raised previously, I might note that all development, including national and international development, is going to have to exist within the planetary boundaries we have in terms of climate. It behoves us to look to how we can adapt our development plans to recognise that. I wish to express my sadness at hearing the news that we may be losing another...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----about its humanitarian approach. It is not clear what we mean by that language. In terms of the word "hard", do we mean hard right individuals like Orbán and Meloni, members of the European People's Party, EPP, who were at that meeting along with representatives from Fine Gael? Do we mean it in the context of being hard-hearted? I refer to the vote by EPP members, including some...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----when we previously used to rescue 8,000 people a year? Do we mean hard borders, something we do not want on our island but which the EU is funding right across Africa? It is pouring money into the wall between Syria and Türkiye rather than pouring money in, as it should, in order to cover the humanitarian needs of the 6.7 million people in Syria who have been displaced, including...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I seek more clarification from the Minister. I have amendments in this section also. The Minister indicated the employer can waive the requirement but I do not see where in the Bill this is allowed. In fact, the language is quite strong and clear in this respect. On page 14, subsection (4) states, "An employee's approved flexible working arrangement shall not commence before a time when...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If there is no objection to employers putting such arrangements in place from the beginning, why not accept the amendment, which would allow employers to apply the statutory measure from day one? It is a choice. If one is choosing between two jobs, it would be good to know. I am happy for the provisions to be subject to an additional bar or to mutual agreement in the first few months but,...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 24: In page 14, line 2, after “not” to insert “, subject to the approval of the employer and the employee,”.

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 26: In page 14, line 27, after “certificate” where it firstly occurs to insert “, care order, voluntary care agreement”. Amendment No. 26 seeks to ensure that care orders and voluntary care arrangements are included as documentation that may be used as part of a request for a flexible work arrangement. This is to ensure that foster parents...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am again surprised at the lack of willingness to take on constructive proposals. While the Minister may choose to understand that these documents are included, employers will not be experts on the foster care system, care orders and so forth. The concern is not that the list needs to be exhaustive. We have already spoken about the concerns regarding people who may not in fact be acting...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is not overly prescriptive or exclusive. I am leaving it wide open for other documents that may emerge as being relevant. I am not looking for every single document to be listed. That would be if I was looking for an exclusionary list. I am simply saying let us put in and name something we know is likely to be used. That is not the same thing. It is important to be clear on what is...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 30: In page 15, line 14, after “needs” to insert “, relevant to the functioning of his or her business,”. These amendments relate to the slightly strange language used in the Bill. It is not really typical of how we would normally approach it. We have already discussed the solely needs-based approach rather than a rights-based or good...