Results 181-200 of 7,206 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Finance (State Guarantees, International Financial Institution Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 5: In page 16, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following:“(b)information regarding what payments made by the State to enable it to comply with its obligations under the MFA+ Contribution Agreement were utilised for,including but not limited to evidence that the monies paid by the State were not used for purposes contrary to the State’s legislative...

Seanad: Finance (State Guarantees, International Financial Institution Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 6: In page 17, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “Report on conditionalities 22. The Minister shall, within 18 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining the manner in which Ireland has ensured that European Union funding to Ukraine does not come with conditionalities which would undermine...

Seanad: Finance (State Guarantees, International Financial Institution Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The support for funding for the Ukrainian people is not the question here, and that is not something that is being debated. The question is around genuinely supporting the Ukrainian people so that the funding can be used in the way that is most appropriate and that drives this. With regard to the reporting process - and I say this as a former member of the Future of Europe process - the...

Seanad: Finance (State Guarantees, International Financial Institution Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will support the Bill in terms of Ireland allocating the funding. I will press the amendment because even while the money is dispersed this is an area that I am not seeing being identified or raised enough at a European level. I would like Ireland to raise it a little more vocally.

Seanad: Finance (State Guarantees, International Financial Institution Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 7: In page 17, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “Report on conditionalities 22. The Minister shall, within 18 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining any conditionalities or requirements placed on Ukraine as a requirement of access to funds specified under this Act and outlining such steps...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We have not been given a briefing note. I do not have an issue with most of the amendments but if we had been provided with a briefing, we might have had an opportunity to elaborate on or discuss the fact that we are again facilitating moneys coming from the disposal of directed assets and so forth going to the LDA. One of the gaps, which will come up repeatedly in the debate on the...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I apologise, as we believed amendments Nos. 3 to 7, inclusive, were grouped.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Some of my colleagues have commented on amendments Nos. 4 to 7.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be brief on amendment No. 3. This amendment seeks to ensure that the democratic mandate for directly elected mayor given in 2019 by the people of Limerick will be respected and properly reflected and that an election for the office will take place this year. The people have been waiting a long time, since 2019. The amendment provides that the necessary sections of the legislation on...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I accept the Minister of State's bona fides, of course. We were not seeking to just commence some sections, but we wanted to make sure there were not sections uncommenced. I am accepting his piece on that, but my understanding is that the intention is that the election would take place in June or this year.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Okay. I thank the Minister of State very much. Based on that, I am happy to withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: If it is okay with the Minister of State, I will contribute now for efficiency. Regarding my colleague’s amendment and the two years to three years, there are certain aspects we will come to later in the Bill that I am concerned may need a review, particularly the Schedule and the number of powers that are out of reach of the mayor. I think issues with the curtailment of powers for...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am seeking to ensure the inclusion of the elected members because currently there is no guarantee of their inclusion.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It does not state that. Is the Minister of State guaranteeing that such reviews will include them?

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It would be useful if that could be specified.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will move backwards. The Minister of State mentioned evolution and with amendment No. 7 we were attempting to signal the next steps needed in evolution. However, we have to be very honest about local authority powers because we have not been seeing evolution in the last number of years. What we have seen is an extraordinary roll backwards with respect to powers. We have seen it in...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 6: In page 12, line 36, after “Mayor,” to insert “the elected council of”. I will withdraw the amendment and I reserve the right to reintroduce it.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 7: In page 12, after line 38, to insert the following: “(3) In conducting a review under this section, the Minister shall examine the manner in which the powers afforded to the elected council intersect with those of the Mayor and shall look to ways in which the powers of the elected council, including powers in terms of revenue-raising measures, could be...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On Senator Gavan's amendment No. 11, these are reasonable and appropriate powers ensuring it is not just a place to visit but a place where people can live and work for a wage that allows them to live. There are a few areas where I will have complementary amendments. The public realm is a key aspect of what people expect from a mayor. I have certain amendments in relation to the functions...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: He could save a lot of time. It would save us from having to produce primary legislation simply to remove something that should not have been put in a Schedule in the first place. I shall now speak very briefly about amendments Nos. 12 and 13, which I believe are in the same grouping. Amendment No. 12 relates to an issue flagged during pre-legislative scrutiny by the Library and Research...