Results 241-260 of 7,254 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

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...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 26: In page 39, line 18, to delete “14 days” and substitute “28 days”.

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I would not have that degree of scepticism in respect of the role of fact checking and think it has been an important aspect, given the times when we have had tides of dangerous misinformation, for example, during the period of Covid. It is important that there are places where people can go to get verified information and to check the sources of information to see what may have been...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Sorry. It would not be the practice that allegations would be made against organisations, especially when they are not present.

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is not appropriate.

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his appropriately detailed response. It is regrettable that the speed at which the Bill is moving does not allow us to have the normal Committee and Report Stages, as we should have, where we could be refining and learning from each other’s amendments and proposals.I am pleased to hear about the information given in respect of the database at EU...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The proxy marker is a specific one because it is not always algorithmic; it can be done in purchasing of advertising and can be around a product.

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will be very brief. I thank the Minister of State for his response.I look forward to further engagement. As regards these amendments I have tried to bring back in, I wish to flag that it is a concern that they relate to report amendments. They simply request reports. I looked at the rationale for ruling them out of order and it seems to have been due to a cost to the Exchequer. It is...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I know. I am not asking for a comprehensive response. I will signal for the record that it is a very worrying pattern. I accept what the Minister of State said and outlined. I appreciate it and look forward to engaging further on the details of the process. I note that in the required report on complaints and flags received, and how many there are, which is outlined in the Bill, I am a...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 29: In page 40, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: “(6) An Coimisiún shall systematically review notices submitted by all trusted flaggers in order to detect targeted, malicious, vexatious, or bad faith submissions, and to identify trusted flaggers whose status should be considered for revocation.”.

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 30: In page 40, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: "(6) An Coimisiún may initiate a review of the status of any trusted flagger either— (a) on An Coimisiún’s own initiative, or (b) based on information received by An Coimisiún from third parties.".

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 33: In page 41, line 1, to delete “14 days” and substitute “28 days”.

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 34: In page 43, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: "(1A) The Commission may initiate an investigation under this section either— (a) on the Commission’s own initiative, or (b) based on information received by the Commission from third parties.".