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 Alice-Mary Higgins debates the flaws in the Knowledge Development Box Bill 2016

27 January 2017

In January 2017, the Knowledge Development Box Bill 2016 returned to the Seanad.

Summer Newsletter 2017

26 June 2017

Dear Friends,

It is one year since I had the honour of becoming a member of Seanad Éireann, the first woman elected to the NUI panel in 35 years. I want to offer again my sincere and heartfelt thanks to all those who entrusted me with their vote and who have supported me in different ways.

Gender Equality Committee Launches Interim Report on Constitutional Change

13 July 2022

I was delighted as a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality to attend the launch of our interim report on constitutional change today. The interim report calls for a referendum to remove the 'women in the home' clause from the Constitution and replace it with a recognition of the role and importance of care in society. The report also calls for constitutional recognition and protection of the different family types in society. Since entering the Seanad, valuing and recognising the role and importance of care in society has been a key priority and this report reflects the recommendations of the Citizen's Assembly on Gender Equality and the pressing need for constitutional change.

You can find a copy of the interim report here: Interim Report on Amendments to the Constitution (oireachtas.ie)