Results 1,681-1,700 of 8,768 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 80: In page 28, between lines 37 and 38, to insert the following: “(5) A report prepared under subsection (4) shall outline the manner in which the transport sub-group have performed their functions in a manner which advances climate action and biodiversity protection and enhancement goals, both with regard to national and international obligations.”.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 81: . In page 29, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “European Union funding 35.For the avoidance of doubt, the Mayor may apply on behalf of Limerick City and County Council for European Union funding or grants in order to further or initiate projects or policies within Limerick City and County.”. Amendment No. 81 seeks to insert a new...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In light of the fact that the Minister of State has indicated that it does seem to be the case, both directly and through the regional assembly, that there will be that capacity, I will withdraw the amendment. I think it is very useful to have such clarification on the record.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 82: In page 29, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: Co-operation agreements 35.(1) The Mayor may, with the permission of the elected council, enter into co-operation agreements with other cities or municipalities both in the European Union and the wider world in order to advance diplomatic, cultural, environmental, social and economic relationships. (2)...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The piece that is a little bit different is just clarifying the role of the mayor in that. Of course, as an elected councillor they can come forward with these proposals. I did not want to remove that function of the elected council. However, I do want whatever candidates there are for mayor of Limerick - it is not going to be me - to be able to go out and talk to the people of Limerick...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In light of the indications that there is no obstacle to co-operation agreements, I am happy to withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 83: In page 29, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: "United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 35.In performing functions under this Act or any other enactment, the Mayor shall act in a manner consistent with achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 11 on sustainable cities and communities.". We have...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In light of that, I am happy to withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendments No. 84: In page 29, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: "United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 35.In performing functions under this Act or any other enactment, the Mayor shall act in a manner consistent with the full implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.". Amendment No. 84...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will withdraw it but reserve the right to reintroduce it or something similar on Report Stage. I thank the Minister of State for his engagement.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to very briefly say that I support this amendment. It is a very important area. It is exactly the kind of area in which we would like to see mayoral leadership. It is the kind of thing that people can run on, namely, is a vision for regeneration. That is why it is unfortunate that one of the many powers which, under the Schedule, do not lie with the mayor but, rather, sit with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with the Central Bank of Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Thank you very much Chair. I thank Mr. Makhlouf for the presentation. I am going to focus on the issue of sustainability. I am aware of the sustainable investment charter that the bank produced in 2022. Within that charter there are three areas of focus in the context of sustainable investment, the first of which is the integration of environmental, social and governance, ESG, criteria...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with the Central Bank of Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am sorry to interrupt. I am very interested in this area and would happily spend the next hour discussing each detail of the climate crisis but I disciplined myself to focus on the area of exclusions rather than on the area of other investments because I am conscious that other members of the committee will want to come in. Perhaps our guests could focus their replies on the question of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with the Central Bank of Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: And the charter, of course-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with the Central Bank of Ireland (14 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: And on the occupied territories?

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for some of his responses. On amendment No. 12, it was useful to hear that there may be some form of a get-around in terms of clarity around the executive functions previously held by the chief executive. I am still really concerned with regard to amendments Nos. 9 and 10. What I want is an absolutely clear response in terms of what the mechanism will be to...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I do not think people were expecting that so much would be out of reach of the person they elect. Disempowering the mayor in this way is disempowering the people of Limerick. When they vote, they will be directly voting for a mayor and that mayor will have his or her hands tied by this Schedule. In a whole raft of areas, they will not be able to take action. We will be saying, "Sorry,...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To be clear, nothing in these amendments will take any powers away from elected councillors. These amendments relate specifically to those powers that are given to the chief executive, now to be called the director general, and are reserved away from the mayor. I do not think the Minister's analogy works. We do not tend to pass legislation here that states "the Secretary General shall do...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 9: In page 14, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: “(3) Functions conferred by or under any enactment specified in Part 2of Schedule 1 may be removed from that Part and thus conferred on the Mayor by resolution of the elected council, with such a resolution requiring a simple majority.”.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 10: In page 14, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: “(3) Functions conferred by or under any enactment specified in Part 2 of Schedule 1 may be removed from that Part and thus conferred on the Mayor by resolution of the elected council, with such a resolution requiring a two-thirds majority.”.