Results 21-40 of 7,380 for speaker:Alice-Mary Higgins

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 13: In page 11, line 37, after “capacity” to insert “and careers”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 14: In page 12, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “(h) in co-operation with An tÚdarás, promote, support and develop tangible plans to end precarious work in the higher education sector;”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 15: In page 14, lines 34 and 35, to delete “(whether contained in guidelines, codes or other documents, or any combination of them)” and substitute “(which are outlined in guidelines, codes, legislation or statutory instrument)”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 15 is really about section 11, which I previously opposed as an entire section. Again, it is an attempt to reflect the debate and discussion we had around the very concern that, effectively, there is a requirement that still feels so extraordinary. As I said, section 11, which I opposed, is one area in which the Minister has extraordinary powers in terms of giving directions...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: First, it is not “the Minister”; it is “a Minister of the Government”. As I said, this refers to any Minister and perhaps multiple Ministers who have instructions that they would like to send down to the agency and see implemented. Hopefully, how the agency deals with those will be appropriate. However, while the agency has a wider remit, this does not give it...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 16: In page 31, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “(7) The Agency shall ensure that in the allocation of resources and the design, disbursal and administration of schemes that the principle of parity of esteem between fields of activity and disciplines is upheld.”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment 17: In page 31, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “(7) The Agency shall ensure that in the allocation of resources and the design, disbursal and administration of schemes that there is an appropriate balance between fields and disciplines.”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 18: In page 35, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(6) Such conditions of funding expected by the Agency shall include a requirement for research projects to comply with relevant ethical standards, human rights and international law.”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Amendment No. 18 seeks to insert a new subsection into section 40. In our parliamentary work, I have long advocated for increased public investment in public research for the public good and for targeted scientific, environmental and humanities research which responds to the challenges of our time. The proposal here will not only allow for positive measures in terms of positive ethical...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The Minister of State may correct me but scanning the objects and functions of the agency, I do not see the word "ethics" or that the highest standard of ethics will be applied. I do not see that reflected at any point. “Excellence” is referenced and that is appropriate but I do not see language that makes explicit reference to ethics or ethical standards. In the descriptions...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I am hopeful that this will be interpreted.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: Yes, but I thank the Minister of State for the clarification on the definition.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 19: In page 35, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(6) Such conditions of funding expected by the Agency shall include the advancement of gender equality and the implementation of the Athena SWAN Charter.”.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (21 May 2024)

Alice-Mary Higgins: The amendment will insert a new subsection to section 40, which again looks at the conditions of funding aspect. It will be important to see how the ethics aspect is interpreted and I will look to that with interest, but one thing that made a huge impact was the interpretation made by the Irish Research Council, which decided on an ethical basis that it needed to support gender equality...

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 think this is the largest and most significant section.

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: I move amendment No. 86: In page 36, line 24, after "determination" to insert ", following consultation with the Board,".

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 87: In page 36, line 33, after “subsection” to insert “, following consultation with the Board,”.

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

Alice-Mary Higgins: I move amendment No. 90a. In page 41, after line 38, to insert the following: “(2) When entering into an agreement under this section, the Agency shall ensure that such agreements are consistent with relevant ethical standards, human rights and international law and would not compromise the ability of researchers to participate in and receive funding from such schemes.”.