Results 161-180 of 8,701 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I indicate my support for the motion put forward by colleagues, to which they have already spoken on today's Order of Business. That motion and every action we can conceivably take are more important than ever right now. I refer to the motion in respect of Gaza and the egregious breaches of human rights we are seeing on a regular basis. It is more important than ever because, along with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the witnesses very much. I want to pick up on a couple of the questions that have been asked about large energy users. It was stated that a 50% increase in demand is anticipated, and a 30% increase from large energy users. Is it not the case that across the EU generally, this is not normal in terms of the EU average for electricity demand? There, we have seen a decrease and now a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: But it is in single figures versus 50%.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Ahead of meeting and planning for it, we are allowing the increased demand to continue. The example of Portlaoise is an interesting case that was in the news. We heard about the 80 families who are unable to move into their homes because of power constraints in the area. This is one of the largest growth areas and one would imagine that it would be stress-tested regularly. Is it not the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: They are scattered.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I can come back or I can put them all at the same time. If that is better, I do not mind.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To facilitate the meeting, I might give all my questions and then people can choose the ones they want to answer. I am conscious that I might not get back in otherwise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Perhaps I could get something in writing about battery storage. It has been mentioned as a one-liner at the end of these meetings for the past six years but we hear a lot about all the other areas, and the smart meter plans, etc. Exactly how much resourcing has been put into that area? Wind Energy Ireland talked about where that fits in with the mapping piece that it has been doing. It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: My time is constrained, and I have other questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I was going to say that I can get the answer in writing, but I did ask what the policy is and not to tell me a story. What is the hierarchy in terms of demand? Perhaps I can get it in writing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On hybrid generation-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: -----just the fact that fossil fuels-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: Climate Change Targets 2026-2030: Electricity Sector (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Apologies. I will let others in but perhaps the witnesses could answer this later if they get the opportunity.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome Mr. O'Brien. I will begin with a couple of short questions. He seemed to suggest that under Irish, EU and international law, the Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territory are illegal and are built on occupied land and, as such, are not part of Israel. He implied that when he mentioned the association agreement, but perhaps he could confirm that is the case.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am really looking for just a very short "Yes" or "No" answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Is it Mr. O'Brien's understanding that these are illegal settlements on illegally occupied land and that, therefore, they are not part of Israel per se?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The reason I was asking is that is already the case under Irish law, under the Geneva Conventions Act 1962, which obliges us to abide by the Geneva Conventions, that the settlements are illegal in that context. That is also reflected in the business advisories the Government has given to business over a long period of time. I am sure Mr. O'Brien would be familiar with business advisories in...