Results 401-420 of 7,346 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Oversight of EirGrid: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is exponential

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Oversight of EirGrid: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On a point of order, I find the adult conversation line quite offensive.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Oversight of EirGrid: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I also talked about-----

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Second Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome that this legislation is before us. I applaud the decision of the people of Limerick in 2019 to vote to have a directly elected mayor. It is auspicious. It is surprising that Limerick is the first place in Ireland to introduce the new system, given the independent, progressive, politically innovative spirit of the city that was...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: We have heard quite lengthy journeys through different aspects of the law across the course of the debate. One part of the summary of what we have heard is that families are complicated, and that it is possible to legislate. It is possible to legislate before the referendum and it will be possible to legislate after the referendum. We could improve a lot of our legislation with regard to...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It does not relate to the amendments.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To follow up on a point made by an earlier speaker, we need to do this but the wording should be better. We have been waiting for it for a long time and it has been coming for a long time. I started campaigning for this change in the Constitution long before I entered the Oireachtas. It has been campaigned for and pushed for a very long time. During that journey, the understanding of what...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Minister. It is good that hopefully before the referendum we should have the result of the roadmap and dates for the optional protocol. That would be something very substantial that would send a really positive signal. I look forward to the outcome in the next number of weeks. Perhaps this might accelerate it. The Minister mentioned a number of areas in which the State needs...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That is absolutely fine. I apologise for coming in remotely. A lot of the focus has been on the subvention, specifically the detail of the financial aspects of it but perhaps it needs to be looked at in a wider policy context. Could the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, specifically address these issues? If we look to the wider set of policy decisions that have really incentivised the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am conscious of the limited time remaining. We have spent a lot of time looking back to 2009. I would like if we could address the current situation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I have a question for the witnesses from the CRU. I made a submission to its previous consultation in which it chose not to take a strong regulatory approach in regard to data centres. That review of data centres and their energy usage took place just a couple of years ago. Was that not the point at which there should been a question about the subvention? I point out to the Minister of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Why was this issue not caught in the previous review?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: That was my question. I simply asked why this issue was not considered in the previous review.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I am delighted to rise on behalf of all my colleagues in the Civil Engagement group to pay tribute to our colleague and friend, Senator David Norris. There has been some discussion of his extraordinary achievements, such as his landmark case on the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Something I think is really important was his battle to establish the Oireachtas...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, exactly, with other representatives at the time. I was thinking about how to capture a sense of what an extraordinary honour it has been to serve in the Seanad alongside Senator Norris. I thought of the legacy and the extraordinary heritage work he has done, along with the work he has done in dragging and pushing Ireland to be a more just, equal and modern place that reflects more of...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will pick up where Senator Sherlock left off. It is important to emphasise that there is no change to the definition of marriage in this proposal. It does nothing to change the definition of marriage. The language, that the State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of marriage and to protect it against attack, will still be there. Regarding some of the language on...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will begin with one word that relates and will relate to this. I will comment on the question of family. I find quite extraordinary the idea that marriage is considered valuable only if other people's families are not recognised. That is what is being talked about here. Being very clear, there is no change to the definition of "marriage" in any of what has been proposed. It reminds me...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I come to this Bill now because what I have said relates to one of the aspects of the article we are discussing. It should be borne in mind that the clauses in it applied only to the family, so if there were any positive social policy implications at all, they applied only to women who were married. There was nothing for one-parent families in any of the social policy measures we have had...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Dec 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join Senators in thanking Thomas Hickey for all he has done to make this institution run as it does. I wish him every happiness and enjoyment in his retirement. I know that Senator Black will thank everybody else who must be thanked and who make this institution possible. I am happy and honoured to continue to serve here and to be back. Last night, I was lying awake between about 3 a.m....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Nov 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I thank the witnesses for all of their work in the assembly and for presenting today. To give a short answer to their question to us, we need to look at the detail of all of the recommendations because they are very solid. Two recommendations in the governance section have struck me, with regard to making sure there are regulations that business and industry must work in a green way, and...