Results 1,941-1,960 of 2,183 for speaker:John Cummins

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: I support the thrust of my colleague's amendment. We all want targets in respect of the delivery of affordable housing. If it is not this exact wording, could the Minister of State take on board the thrust of the amendment? What I would like to see is not only local authorities having targets for affordable housing built in but also the targets for the LDA, AHBs and the co-ops that we...

Seanad: Search and Rescue System: Motion (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State. I thank her for her comprehensive response to the motion. I pay tribute to the men and women who serve this country with great diligence, professionalism and bravery day in and day out, 365 days a year, be they with the Air Corps or CHC, which won the contract nearly ten years ago to operate the SAR service for the country.I acknowledge the service personnel...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 May 2021)

John Cummins: At the start of December last year, I raised the plight of the performing arts sector, including dance schools, stage schools and music educators, on the Order of Business. I engaged, as many in this House did, with people outside the gates of Leinster House. Last week, along with my Fine Gael colleagues, we had a meeting with the Performing Arts Educators of Ireland, Comhaltas and the...

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 May 2021)

John Cummins: I very much appreciate what Senator Higgins is trying to achieve with her amendment but this is about putting in place an appropriate scheme to access finance for SMEs. I want to flag an issue that I have encountered. I will not name it, but I refer to a business involved in the hospitality sector across several counties which has made applications through similar schemes, namely, the...

Seanad: Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 May 2021)

John Cummins: I join my colleagues in welcoming the Minister of State to the House and echo their comments on the hard work and dedication he has applied to the role since taking office last year. I too believe he is a very good fit for the role and heritage is a very good fit for him within the Department. We are trying to ensure that we have all the technicalities in place to allow him to exercise his...

Seanad: Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 May 2021)

John Cummins: Now.

Seanad: Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 May 2021)

John Cummins: I wish to comment on this from the outside and as someone who sits on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, and his colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, have been working hand in glove with one another and working closely. I have no doubt that when it comes to...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2021)

John Cummins: Next Friday.

Seanad: Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 May 2021)

John Cummins: I thank my colleague for sharing time. I am delighted to get the opportunity to speak on what is a very important topic. In doing so, it is important to pause and reflect on the significant advances that have been implemented in recent years to support families that have been fortunate enough to have children. On top of the 26 weeks paid maternity leave, we now have two weeks paid...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: I will.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: I object in the strongest terms possible to the presence of Deputy Ó Broin as the Sinn Féin representative. These matters were issued to the general secretaries of the parties and no option was given to the general secretary of Fine Gael to send an alternative person. It is an affront to this committee, to be perfectly frank. I would question what Sinn Féin has to hide now...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: We are tight on time. It is a simple yes-no answer to that question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: When and during what period?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: No. That is fine. Who is the general secretary of Sinn Féin?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: Okay. According to the 2019 accounts of Sinn Féin, the Deputy is not a member of the national officer board of Sinn Féin, he is not one of the almost 50 members of the Sinn Féin ard comhairle according to those accounts, nor is he a trustee of the party. In the intervening 18 months has that changed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: It has not. Therefore, the Deputy is not an accountable officer for Sinn Féin yet he is here acting on behalf of Sinn Féin as such. As I said, this is an affront to this committee. It is unacceptable we do not have the accountable officer who is accountable for Sinn Féin here before the committee. It is just unacceptable. I am going to move on to the Abú database...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: It has never been used outside of an election period by any member of the party?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: “Not to the best of my knowledge” is a completely separate answer. It is a qualified answer, if the Deputy does not mind me saying so. It is an unacceptable answer. I want a definitive answer from the general secretary on whether the Abú database system has been used outside of an election period. When a constituent enters a Sinn Féin office, is any of his or her...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: The Deputy is confirming that he or any other Sinn Féin representative or employee has never combined data from any system with the Abú system.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bil 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

John Cummins: It has never been done.