Results 121-140 of 7,254 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Corporate Manslaughter (No. 2) Bill 2016: Second Stage (26 Oct 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister. I also welcome what is a constructive and important Bill, which I would love to see move forward today and which am happy to support. It is an important Bill in the context of Ireland having made commitments in respect of the area of business and human rights in its business and human rights strategy. It fits very much within that space. It is an important...

Seanad: Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague Convention) Bill 2016: Second Stage (27 Oct 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister, and I welcome and support the Bill. It is very appropriate and timely that we are moving forward to ratify in Irish law not only the convention of 1954 but also the very important strengthening protocol on the protection of cultural property of 1999. It is important that we recognise the wide definition of culture that sees it as both moveable and immovable. There...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I support the amendment. The amendment proposed by Senator O'Sullivan is indeed a proposal to deal with road safety. It is fundamental and important. The Roads Act is the correct and appropriate place to deal with the question of road safety. It is altogether discomfiting to see that the wrongly-named Heritage Bill and the Wildlife Act should be the focus of proposals relating to road...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to clarify one point.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would like clarification of a point made by Senator Ó Domhnaill.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I too very much look forward to speaking against section 8 later and I share some of the concerns expressed by Senators on section 2 as well. We might have the opportunity to highlight future amendments to that section. Returning to the question at hand, I ask for what is really a clarification in responding to Senator Ó Domhnaill. I absolutely share the Senator's concern at the lack...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Returning to section 6, I was disappointed with the Minister's response and there was considerable contradiction. The amendment does not require that the Minister sanction or delay the process of any road cutting. It requires that the Minister be notified. It means there would be a central repository for tracking what is happening in our hedgerows and when and where cutting is taking...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am keen to respond to my colleague in Fianna Fáil to be clear. I would be concerned if there were any perception of an attribution of any malice of intent towards farmers. I have spoken about this previously. My colleagues, who have worked with a number of farmers on this matter, have spoken about it too. We have discussed the crucial role farmers play as custodians of our green...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (Professional Home Care) Bill 2016: Second Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State and commend Senators Burke, Hopkins and Richmond on the Bill. It is a very positive and necessary step forward and a really constructive proposal. I previously had the opportunity for a number of years to work with Older and Bolder which was an alliance of older persons' organisations across Ireland that worked with groups such as the Alzheimer Society of...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (10 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be quick, as the proposer of the Bill has already spoken. I support the Bill and commend Senator Bacik in her long work in following through on these issues. It is a very positive step forward. The Civil Engagement group is very happy to support this. I commend the Minister and her Department for engaging very constructively in this area. I echo the points welcoming the...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I commend Senator Catherine Ardagh for raising the issue of domestic violence and agree with her comments. I also commend the Safe Ireland summit, a very strong gathering of people who refocused the view of domestic violence as being a women's problem to being a societal problem. The summit demonstrated that domestic violence is a problem for society as a whole and that it will take an...

Seanad: Transport, Tourism and Sport: Statements (16 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Acting Chairman and promise to be brisk. I welcome the Minister to the House. I welcome his commitment to increased funding for public transport. While value for money is an important part of the discussion on public transport, I urge the Minister to not allow value for money to cloud the fact that public transport is primarily an essential public service. It is important that...

Seanad: Transport, Tourism and Sport: Statements (16 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We need infrastructure. We must move towards a world where 50% of women and men and, like in many other countries, where young children and old people feel it is safe to use the roads. All of this requires infrastructure. Finally, the Minister has mentioned that we are an island nation. I ask him to address my particular concern about ferries to the Aran Islands. There is a likelihood...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We are keen to hear from the Minister, so I will not take long. Others have expressed concerns regarding the Aarhus Convention and the crucial contract that is a county development plan, so I will focus on rent certainty. Section 30 relates to the restriction on terminations of tenancies by landlords.Does the Minister think that is adequate, in terms of the many purchases made under the...

Seanad: Protection of Employment (Uncertain Hours) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I commend the Senators who have introduced the Bill. It is an excellent and really constructive proposal. I welcome the representatives of Mandate and acknowledge the strong and important work they have done, work that has very much been led by workers. I have had the opportunity to meet representatives of the National Women's Council and work with some of the strong women working in the...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to raise a point of order on the groupings. It would have been useful had they been provided to us earlier. I cannot rule out further points of order on the groupings as we reach them. We have literally only seen them in the past two minutes. While I appreciate the pressure on the Bills Office, a longer period of consideration would have been useful for all parties. The debate is...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Before dealing with the amendment on road safety that we are debating at the moment, I want to respond to some of the issues the Minister has highlighted. I concur with those who look for more consultation on the matter. There are proposals here, but the proposals she spoke to today are not reflected in the legislation. I urge the Minister to ensure that if there are amendments, if there...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That was never said.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is not what the legislation says.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Alice-Mary Higgins: This does nothing for that.