Results 1-19 of 19 for peat speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

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Seanad: Climate Action and Biodiversity (Mandates of Certain Organisations) Bill 2023: Second Stage (16 May 2023)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...and many vulnerable, high-status water bodies. Bord na Móna has 1% of Ireland's land area. These include land holdings that have the potential to support a rich diversity of wildlife across wetlands, peatlands, grasslands and woodlands. Both bodies can play and should be playing a very significant role in biodiversity and climate action strategies. It is worth noting that public...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...coming through all the time but every piece of evolution in the science is pointing to a greater urgency to act. Any suggestion that there is not clarity around the need to act on the rewetting of peatlands is not accurate, does not match the science and is, in fact, dangerous, and I wanted to say that. I am glad that it was said, perhaps more eloquently, by Ms O'Neill. It is important....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Youth Perspectives on the Circular Economy and COP27, including Climate Justice and Energy: Discussion (21 Oct 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...period of time. We have seen that in the way bogs have been treated. I can see the value in turbary rights over many years but turbary rights are not the same as having 1.5 million tonnes of peat extracted and sold or exported, which is what we had over a very small number of years in Ireland. I see it as a disservice to rural communities and young people in rural communities because...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...impact assessments in order that we do not dig ourselves into these holes in the future? Ireland had to be pushed by the European Court of Justice about not doing environmental impact assessments on peat extraction properly. In an 18-month period over the last few years, 1.5 million tonnes of horticultural peat were exported from Ireland. We know that large-scale industrial peat...

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...need to have and I am very interested in that. Many of our guests spoke about climate justice and just transition. Just transition is not simply about continuing with business as usual because it is too hard to change, be that burning peat or anything else. It is about front-loading investment in change. It is the idea of just transition being both fast and fair. We heard more than a...

Seanad: Horticultural Peat (Temporary Measures) Bill 2021: Second Stage (30 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: It is not compatible with EU law or with the achievement or maintenance of 1.5°C of global warming. Peatlands are the largest natural terrestrial carbon store. They store more carbon than all other vegetation types in the world combined. Damaged and drained peatlands are no longer a benefit or a carbon store, however; in fact, they become major emitters. It is estimated that between...

Seanad: Companies (Emission Reporting) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 Nov 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...saying they cannot comply because what is required is too hard for them, and that they cannot make the changes. It results in the kind of crisis-framing that is being introduced inappropriately on peat and haulage. It is crisis-framing rather than opportunity-framing. I appreciate that the Minister of State has engaged constructively but I urge him to look to how we can move forward on...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...that is in a dire situation due to the impact of emissions. Yesterday, in the budget, it was again acknowledged that the science is uncompromising and that the world is burning. In that context, peatlands are the largest natural terrestrial carbon store that we have.Peatlands sequester more than 0.37 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide each year. When we damage peatlands, they emit emissions....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Increasing Wind Power on the National Grid: Discussion (27 Apr 2021)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...we have heavy demand from data centres, that could affect us reaching the target of 70% by 2030? What are EirGrid's plans if the requirement moves up? We have seen the scaling up. The exit from peat and coal is happening more quickly. How will EirGrid scale up past 70% if that is required?

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ..., fish and reptiles. The assessment of the overall status of habitats in Ireland is that 85% of habitats are in unfavourable conditions and 46% are demonstrating declining trends. In terms of peatlands in Ireland, 26% of Ireland's mammal species utilise peatland. Some 75% of the world's organic store carbon is in peatlands. Blanket bogs are key. As regards our native flora and fauna,...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...with regard to household use. I will be very clear, as I have been throughout proceedings, that I do not contest the importance of the relationship societies and families have with bogs and peatland. Many people have, for many generations, exercised their turbary rights. It is one of the lingering features of commonage. I understand the relationship we have with bogs right across the...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...to recreational and sporting concerns. There are a number of factors so how is the Minister of State considering social, economic and cultural factors while also examining what happens to the peat or to the ground after extraction? The bog may in future be used as a car park for a hotel or it may become an amenity and that is already allowed. I appreciate that did not come from the...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 30:In page 5, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “(8) Where an area ceases to be designated as a natural heritage area under subsection (3)(b)(ii), peat extraction may not exceed a quantity appropriate for use by a household of the person engaged in the extraction.”.

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 31:In page 5, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following:“(8) Where an area ceases to be designated as a natural heritage area under subsection (3)(b)(ii), subsequent peat extraction may only be permitted by sleán.”.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Carbon Tax: Discussion (25 Sep 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I apologise for not being here earlier. The Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016, which relates to peat extraction, a very relevant issue, was being debated. I have read all the witnesses' statements with interest. We need to talk about the cost of carbon rather than consider a carbon tax. Carbon has immense costs as manifest in all the impacts of climate change on many of the most vulnerable...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 May 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas considering intergenerational justice and equity issues in respect of bog lands; to include a consideration of turf cutting, peat extraction, climate change and other environmental considerations.”.

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Apr 2019)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...states that commercial harvesting shall not be permitted beyond 2030, which is the target date by which Bord na Móna has committed semi-State and State bodies to ending commercial harvesting of peat and ceasing its use as a fuel. It is very reasonable to ask that the same standard apply in respect of these privately-owned lands which are going to be de-designated. If the plan is for...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015: Statements (6 Dec 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...document. Will the Minister be taking on board the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly in that living document? A total of 97% of the members of that assembly recommended that the State end subsidies for peat extraction and move instead towards peat bog restoration; 89% recommended a tax on greenhouse gases from agriculture; and 99% recommended that the State review and revise...

Seanad: Annual National Transition Statement on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (15 Feb 2017)

Alice-Mary Higgins: ...threat to our habitats and species. What are the Minister’s plans to make forestry more diverse? How does the pollinator plan fit in with the forestry plan? We did not include our national peatlands in our land use strategy. I am curious, as well as concerned, that we do not seem willing to move away from peat extraction. The Bord na Móna deadline of 2030 to move away from...