Results 1-20 of 22 for 5 million speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Finance Bill 2023: Committee Stage (4 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move recommendation No. 4: In page 8, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: "Report on increase in rate of Vacant Homes Tax 7.The Minister shall, within three months of the passing of this Act, lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on options to increase the rate of tax from 0.3 per cent of the value of a property to a rate of 5 per cent of the value of a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Nature Restoration Law and Land Use Review: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...European level on land use and it is also the science we know internationally. Internationally, peatlands are particular because they are both a danger and a benefit. Drained peatlands amount to 5% of greenhouse gas emissions internationally even though it is only 0.3% of the land, whereas wetted or natural peatlands are a store. One has something which is potentially a benefit and when...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ... 21. The provisions of this Act including the right to apply for substitute consent shall not be applicable in respect of projects which have an estimated commercial value of greater than €5,480,000.". Amendment No. 12 would insert a new section into the legislation that would state: "The provisions of this Act including the right to apply for substitute consent shall not be...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...is recognised in the EU in procurement laws and others as major works. Does the Minister of State feel that it is appropriate or acceptable for a project or a proposed development of more than €5 million on adjoining land to be attached to an application for a substitute consent on a site? Can the Minister clarify his position in relation to the additional applications? If...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Biodiversity: Engagement with Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (14 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...and Wildlife Service while 78% comes through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Do we need a little bit more to go through the National Parks and Wildlife Service? The €108 million for the rehabilitation scheme seems very small when we consider the €600 million given out in jet kerosene tax reliefs in Ireland. I am talking about scaling up. It comes back...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Youth Perspectives on Climate Challenges: Discussion with Foróige and Comhairle na nÓg (3 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...are trying to manage basic things. That kind of change is what I will take from this discussion. I would be interested in hearing more comments on that. The point was made that the climate action fund is €500 million and it should be ten times that. We hear a great deal about how to make green energy affordable. We should be investing in renewable rather than nuclear energy....

Seanad: TRIPS Waiver: Motion (15 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...the ongoing global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic; - the lack of equitable access to vaccines for many countries in the global south, particularly African countries; - that it is an injustice that only 5.88% of people living in Africa are fully vaccinated and only 27% of healthcare workers across Africa are fully vaccinated; - that public health experts have consistently warned that...

Seanad: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2021: Motion (8 Dec 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: .... We hear about employment but there is ambiguity around where it is if vets are not attending meetings. It is not there in the welfare of greyhounds which takes only 10% of the proposed €17.6 million going to Greyhound Racing Ireland. The contrast is notable compared with the €1.5 million to animal welfare organisations of every kind across the country. I have no doubt...

Seanad: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Statements (30 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...the mechanisms with which we are approaching it at the moment are not the right ones. That comes down to questions like value for money and so on. It is disappointing, for example, that €49 million of the recovery and resilience funding we received from the European Union specifically for green measures as direct money - a grant, not a loan - went to banks to de-risk them giving...

Seanad: Finance (European Stability Mechanism and Single Resolution Fund) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (4 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...resilience strategy. Ireland is one of only seven countries in the European Union that did not have parliamentary scrutiny or debate on our plan for recovery and resilience. That is a fund of €850 million, which is substantial, and which did not have public scrutiny, Oireachtas scrutiny or engagement. That is why I am trying to insert hard instruments in this regard to ensure we...

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Mar 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...in culture in what we do first. The other part is that we need to do even more on the large national infrastructure projects. We cannot afford to get it wrong. Regarding the children's hospital, it was 75% on price and only 25% on quality and an underbidder won it with a visibly unrealistically low bid. My Bill would say that when we spend in excess of the EU public works threshold of...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...Act, prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the introduction of a new threshold for High Wealth Individuals defined as persons in possession of net assets of the value of €10 million and above.”. This recommendation asks that the Minister would, within three months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a...

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (6 Nov 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These amendments deal with the issue of the 25%. These investment limited partnerships are potentially very large. An investment limited partnership could potentially have up to €100 million in capital. Under the Bill, an investor who might have €24 million in capital in an investment limited fund would not be listed as a beneficial owner.I am concerned that there is still...

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (6 Nov 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I respect that 25% is the figure set out in the money laundering legislation but the concern is one of scale. As I see it, Ireland is keeping the same definition of a big fish while enlarging the pond very considerably. The concern is that investment limited partnerships are not of the same scale as an individual company. They are an amalgam of multiple funds. That is the case that has...

Seanad: Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Sep 2020)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendments Nos. 7 and 8, which address a similar theme, have been ruled out of order, but much of what they sought is covered by amendments Nos. 3 and 5. I am glad the Minister of State accepted amendment No. 1. I hope that, throughout the debate, she will be able to accept other amendments that progress the Bill. The amendments tabled on this section are such amendments. Members spoke...

Seanad: Climate Action: Statements (5 Nov 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...the streets may be accelerating, we have known about this issue. The science has been available for a very long time. Our performance has simply been inadequate and we face fines of hundreds of millions of euro.While the language is shifting and small actions are being taken, the required scale of action is not there. Surely, we should be vastly increasing the resources we allocate to...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2019: Committee Stage (24 Sep 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...those who are accessing services. Indeed, just weeks before the original draft report was produced by the Data Protection Commissioner over a year ago, a new contract was signed. When we look to the report we have, the figures are very striking, with costs of over €60 million and the associated savings estimated at about €2 million, which is very short. Either way, while...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Second Stage (7 Dec 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: .... There are some progressive elements, particularly in respect of maternity benefit. With regard to the payment increases, we must note that those on reduced rates will not be receiving €5 extra including, for example, those on reduced rates of pensions, who are predominantly women. They will be receiving a pro rata, lower amount of €3. I will come to pensions. I know...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service Restructuring: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Nov 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On page 13, in respect of the assignment of premises, a figure of €727,545 is given but it does not really address the concern that Deputy Carey rightly raised that there are cases where the organisation is not paying a market value rent and a very significant example is the extraordinary high value that is given in the discounted level for the premises in Dublin for the Dublin citizen...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service Restructuring: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Nov 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...of all said the payroll does not count the report says that by paying people it is somehow a benefit to society. As a result, those who compiled the report have managed to make some of the €7 million cost of the new salaries disappear on the basis that the money is paid to people. If I buy something in a shop, it is of benefit to the owner but I have less money because I have paid...