Results 1-20 of 2,217 for at speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: These are important amendments. The reasons for their importance have come very much into focus this year and in the current context. Amendment No. 85a states: The Board shall make regulations regarding conditions of funding and a process for withdrawal of funding from research projects which may contribute to contravention of international law, including contraventions of rulings of the...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will exercise my right in that regard. The Bill at the moment simply states, "The Chief Executive Officer may, with the approval of the Board". I want to indicate that I may table an amendment on Report Stage to address this. It allows for when they are not complying with the conditions of funding. The core matter is whether there will be a condition of funding which is that there...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes. Amendment No. 94 addresses section 50 in terms of the arrangements between the agency and Ministers of Government regarding research and innovation. Amendment No. 94 will insert a new subsection which specifies that decisions regarding research and innovation agreements under the section should "not impede the ability of the Agency to uphold its regular [everyday] functions, as...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I wish to speak to the section. I am surprised that the Government has not accepted some of these suggested bodies because these are the bodies where there could be agreement, arrangements or co-operation. On some of them, I may not have been surprised, but some of the other ones I have been suggesting seem to be incredibly obvious. They are very much on the same line as bodies, such as...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I mistakenly believed it was in a previous grouping. I will speak to it again briefly . Amendment No. 102a makes provision for a report in respect of Horizon Europe. The Minister indicated that the Government opposes a change from the current civil application of Horizon Europe. I would disagree slightly in the context of waiting for the formal proposals to come through because we know...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, exactly. I will seek further clarity at that point on 2025 and a report being provided.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Revenue Commissioners: Discussion (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...of questions. My first question is on farming incomes and PRSI. Since 2014 there has been the option for PRSI payments in respect of spouses working on family farms. Are there figures to indicate the level to which this has been taken up? Previous to this, PRSI stamps could only be paid to someone farming themselves. Since 2014 there has been the option for PRSI stamps to be paid for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Revenue Commissioners: Discussion (15 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will come to my other questions. Regarding bogus self-employment, there was a Supreme Court judgment last October about the misclassification of workers. Will Revenue be engaging with businesses which engage in widespread misclassification for a sustained period to ensure that there are supports for workers who were affected or indeed that adverse effects have been mitigated? For...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Draft National Energy and Climate Plan: Discussion (14 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...about whether or not we are on track to achieve the emissions reductions required by our carbon budgets and under the Act, in particular section 4(6) of the Act, and in respect of our obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC. There is a question of common and differentiated responsibilities and the fair share question. It seems there is a real...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council, UN Matters and Individually Tailored Partnership Programme with NATO: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (14 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am going to focus on a couple of aspects. The Tánaiste mentioned that the position of many EU countries in respect of a ceasefire has moved on significantly since October. I acknowledge that he has been making strong and constructive statements in regard to working for peace and pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza. Unfortunately, the Irish Embassy in Israel seems to be signing up in May...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council, UN Matters and Individually Tailored Partnership Programme with NATO: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (14 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Just to mention that we still have not seen that Attorney General advice. It would be useful at this point as we have had successive advice that we have not seen.

Seanad: Europe Day: Statements (9 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I join in congratulating the Minister of State on her new role and I look forward to engaging with her on the many dimensions of her new role. Usually when I speak about the European Union on Europe Day or at European events, I speak about its extraordinary benefits and how important it was for Ireland to be part of the Union. I speak about the progressive laws and progress that we have...

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I commend Senator Clonan on tabling this legislation. I am proud to be one of the co-sponsors of it, along with my Civil Engagement Group colleagues, namely, Senators Ruane, Black and Flynn. I am glad to be able to support its passage and am hopeful the Government also will allow and support its passage and progression through this House. It is an important opportunity to send a signal in...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will continue on amendments Nos. 57 to 60, inclusive. Amendment No. 69 has now been included in that grouping if I am correct because it is technical. I had outlined many of my main concerns, which were with section 11 and the rather excessive powers given to the Minister to "give a direction in writing to the Agency" on "any matter ... referred to in this Act" or any other Act and,...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: On Report Stage, I might propose a measure to ensure transparency where the Minister is giving directions and where there are policies that the board has to comply with, such that we would be able to know which policies. Of course, I am in favour of strong governance measures, but policies do not necessarily equate to those measures. In fact, sometimes policies go against good governance,...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I will come back on the question of who the agency consults and the corporate plan. I will probably bring further amendments to that section on Report Stage. I urge that the Department consider or review this because the logic does not stand up. In emphasising the word "innovation", it is as if it is against innovation to mention there are other things besides the corporate or private...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...and the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight of Seanad Éireann have otherwise provided.”. The amendment seeks to insert a new subsection in section 31, which would explicitly provide that, "Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the compellability powers of an Oireachtas Committee, save for where the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 78: In page 31, line 19, after “appropriate” to insert “and in a manner which is accessible”. The amendment is relatively simple and requires that the agency when it promotes and disseminates "information concerning funding schemes" would do so "in a manner which is accessible". It has been emphasised that the Bill does not deal...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 83 would impose an additional duty on the CEO when considering how decisions made by the agencies in respect of their assessment of applications would receive the appropriate balance in terms of disbursement of funding. The amendment provides that the CEO, in making a consideration, would have due regard to the need to uphold and advance the principle of parity of esteem...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: To be clear, we have heard it multiple times that parity of esteem is woven throughout and underpins the Bill but it is not anywhere in the Bill because it is very vague and I do not believe it is clear enough. There is a significant contradiction. We are constantly told that parity of esteem is here but it is nowhere to be seen. Not only is the phrase "parity of esteem" not found anywhere...