Results 1,841-1,860 of 8,196 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister might respond to and clarify the following point. I welcome the fact that there will be a review of means testing but I am concerned that the Minister has said it will only apply to the thresholds involved. I imagine the terms of reference for that review are currently being drafted. I specifically request that the review includes consideration of the issue I have raised....

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister. As I said, there may be circumstances where a household approach is the best but there may well be particular circumstances where, for reasons of financial independence in long-term situations, an individualised approach is better. It will contribute significantly to the effectiveness of means testing.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 11: In page 8, after line 32, to insert the following: “Report on individual means assessment for Disability Allowance 16.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options for assessing applicants to Disability Allowance on individual means, rather than the means of their partner or...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister and withdraw the amendment in that context.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 12: In page 8, after line 32, to insert the following: “Report on individual means assessment for Non-Contributory State Pension 16.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options for assessing applicants to the Non-Contributory State Pension on individual means, rather than the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 13: In page 8, after line 32, to insert the following: “Report on child maintenance and social protection 16. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options for ensuring that lone parents’ social protection payments should not be reduced based on the potential receipt of...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister for her response and indeed for her engagement in the area. We may need to return to the question of an agency again and if we do, we will be able to learn from and improve on any of the mistakes made in the UK. In the interim, I welcome the fact that the Minister has engaged with Senator Ruane. Getting Revenue involved is at least a starting point for ensuring this is...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 15: In page 8, after line 32, to insert the following: “Report on increase to personal social protection rates 16.The Minister shall, within three months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options to increase adult personal social protection rates by €20 instead of €12, in line with rates recommended...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister. She spoke to that wider picture and I will speak to something I am looking to address in amendment No. 18, which I also understand has been ruled out of order but it relates to the same principle. The Minister mentioned target measures and I had sought a report on redistribution and as that amendment was ruled out of order, this request will not be eligible. There are...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 17: In page 8, after line 32, to insert the following: “Report on extending Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment 16.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas on options to extend access to the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment until a youngest child reaches 18 years of...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: There is already a requirement for engagement, and opportunities for engagement with Intreo and other schemes, under the jobseeker's transitional payment. It is not a matter of the requirement to engage or even working; it is about the full-time availability for work. That is the main component. It comes to the fact that within the jobseeker's payment, and in the system more generally, it...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, but it is the requirement to be available full time I am referring to.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I agree. There are those who are currently qualified adults or adult dependants who may be reluctant to go on jobseeker's allowance because of the full-time availability requirement. They might be open to part-time work. It is an issue to look at because partial availability is an issue for other cohorts, not only one-parent families. Perhaps we can return to this issue in the new year.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I support this amendment. The issue needs to be examined. We talk about motivating people to enter public life and to become councillors. Of all the jobs a person could take, running for election is one of the riskiest. Most jobs do not have a guaranteed point at which you may randomly be fired after three or four years. To have a situation where you know that subsequent to that period...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Perhaps it has. That is great.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am looking forward to the engagement, which will be useful. I commend Senator Craughwell on bringing forward the amendment. The proposal has support from across the Houses. There is a related issue which the Minister may not be able to address. We have seen improvements in the conditions for people working in the Houses of the Oireachtas. They are workers and that point has been well...

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 1: In page 7, to delete lines 32 to 40, and in page 8, to delete lines 1 to 23 and substitute the following: “Compliance with Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 and related matters 5.(1) Where, in performing its functions for the purposes of section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, a public body within the meaning...

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth. I am delighted to have the opportunity to move forward with this legislation. This amendment seeks to replace the existing section 5 of the Bill. It responds to reasonable concerns that the Minister of State's office and Department raised about the previous version of this section, which looks to ensure we report on compliance regarding human...

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 2: In page 8, to delete lines 29 to 41 and substitute the following: “foregoing such guidelines shall include— (a) guidance concerning the use and incorporation of qualitative, environmental, social, human rights and equality considerations in the preparation of the procurement procedure of such contracts, (b) examples, for contracting authorities, of...

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 2 follows discussions that I had with the Minister of State's office and officials. I have looked at my own legal advice and how to strengthen the Bill afterwards. I am confident about the provisions under sections 3 and 4. I believe they are well balanced and give a suitable level of discretion to public authorities with regard to how they apply the legislation. I was...