Senator Alice-Mary Higgins calls for peace-building and dialogue in Catalonia

4 October 2017

After the police violence witnessed on October 1st in Catalonia over the contested independence referendum, I spoke in the Seanad about the dangers of authoritarianism and the need for Ireland to step up and play it's role as a peace-building nation.

The Government must actively urge the EU to engage in mediation in the region. Europe urgently needs to move beyond the securitisation agenda which has dominated in recent years and re-invest in the work of peace-building, social infrastructure, democracy and dialogue.

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Senator Higgins addresses Jean-Claude Junker European Commission President

22 June 2018

In her address to Mr. Junker, Senator Higgins spoke passionately about the future of Europe, the realisation of the European pillar of social rights, the important work to be done on inclusion and peace-building and a true version of multilateralism. She also voiced the concerns of many across Europe about the increasing militarisation of the EU and its borders and the inclusion of investor state courts in EU trade agreements.

Launching the "Plurality of Existence" Poetry Anthology

23 June 2017

On World Refugee Day on Tuesday I had the pleasure of launching the “The Plurality of Existence in the Infinite Expanse of Space and Time”; a collaborative anthology of poetry from the artist, Clodagh Emoe and Crocosmia; a group of writers seeking asylum, many living within the system of direct provision in Ireland.

Senator Higgins calls for fairness and justice in the social protection budget 2019

27 September 2018

In advance of Budget 2019, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty appeared before the committee. Senator Higgins called on her to make progress on some of the issues which she has strongly advocated for over the past year and before.