Results 1,761-1,780 of 8,419 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have many questions. However, since I have only five minutes, I will not spend too long on the process, except to say it is unacceptable. What has happened has now happened on three occasions. It does not look like an emergency but a question of the actual strategy. Therefore, with great respect, I disagree with Senator Conway, who talked about planning. If there had been planning, we...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My question was in the context of Article 7, which involves transboundary consultation. The consultation in Ireland seems to be curtailed, but I understand Article 7 will still apply. On the dispatchable energy piece, it is specifically relevant, rather than being a general thing. I was quite specific that I was asking what demand-side measures will be taken in each instance when the...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister of State asked for clarification on the questions and I would like that matter addressed. It is not an abstract question about large energy users. It is instead specific to the instances to which this Bill is conceived as being applicable. Will data centres be asked to turn down or minimise their demand before we start producing extra energy?

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Whatever energy crisis we may face, it sits within the climate crisis, which is ongoing and non-negotiable. Unfortunately, I must disagree with some of what we were told on Second Stage. Senator Maria Byrne stated that this was just for keeping the lights on and existing businesses, but we know that extra energy capacity is being sought - this information came from the Department last week...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have been clear that of course we need to keep the lights on. That should be our priority and that is why we have not opposed the concept of emergency energy generation. What are the actual measures in prioritising how our energy is used and ensuring it is directed towards keeping the lights on that everyone is so keen on and that is so necessary? We must keep our essential services...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am.

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is a piece of wisdom that Senator McDowell has mentioned previously - so often, we are told things are too early and then we are told they are too late at a point in between. The issue of data centres is a clear example of that. The Senator did not say that it did not matter and he made it clear that his comments were specifically in respect of glaciers. In that context, I probably...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief.

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be.

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Section 8 allows the Minister to "prescribe such requirements and such matters of procedure and administration as appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient in respect of an alternative assessment." I believe we may get another chance to discuss this legislation but I want to ask a question at this point. Does the Minister plan to use his power to "prescribe such requirements and...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I had thought this amendment was ruled out of order so some of the issues have been discussed and I will not go into them in much detail. Since it is in order, it is important we get a proper answer. We still have not really heard what demand reduction measures are being talked about or looked at. The first time we heard about it at the committee, only demand reduction at busy peak hours...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We have asked the CRU.

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister of State asked me a question, so I will answer it.

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The CRU comes before the committee and we take our scrutiny of it very seriously. The CRU also engages with Government Departments. One clear example is the Energy Charter Treaty. We have repeatedly asked the CRU if it is examining the implications of the treaty. We have been asking for three years. We have been constantly told that if the Minister required the CRU to do work or examine...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: In rising to mark the day I wish everybody a happy International Women’s Day, but International Women’s Day is also about people raising the demand and raising the voice. For many women and many marginalised women in Ireland, including those women who are facing homelessness, it is not a happy International Women's Day. I am very proud of the work of the Oireachtas Committee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It will be good to get the figures for emissions from burning. I think they certainly should be reflected. It is clear that new measures are needed related to that. I am surprised that it did not seem to be addressed in the Food Vision 2030 report, not on dairy, but on beef and sheep. That would include addressing the use of uplands in this particular way. We know there are other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is there a plan for a Food Vision 2030 tillage report? I know that has been called for. We had one on beef and dairy. Will there be a Food Vision 2030 report on horticulture?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: With respect, the quality of different dairy products is not really my question. My question is about nutrition and food calories. It is not about one dairy product versus another dairy product but the amount that is given over to dairy and livestock overall. The facts add up that it does not deliver the world nutrition as different use of agricultural land would.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Some 80% of all agricultural land-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would like my other questions to be answered. I have simply heard a number of times how wonderful Irish dairy is rather than getting my questions answered.