Results 3,781-3,800 of 7,765 for speaker:Maurice Cummins

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: The Leader of the Opposition, Senator Darragh O'Brien, raised three items, DEIS schools, hospital waiting times and the sale of State assets. He called the announcement on DEIS schools a U-turn. I would say it was the Minister responding to a review he commissioned, -----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: -----dealing with the concerns teachers, parents and others expressed on DEIS schools. It was a good day's work. While it did not satisfy everybody, a number of people have been satisfied as a result of the decision the Minister took following the review. Senators Darragh O'Brien, Moran, Crown and others raised the issue of waiting times in children's hospitals. Obviously, it shows the...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: It is equally. Small schools receive more favourable capitation grants and other grant payments due to the practice of minimum payments. For example, schools receive a minimum capitation payment based on a 60 pupil enrolment. This means a school with ten, 20 or 30 pupils receives the same capitation payment as a school with 60 pupils and this arrangement remains in place.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: I hope the Senator will withdraw his comment because he is misleading the House given what has been said about capitation grants being less favourable to rural schools. It is not on. It is an untruth which people have mentioned in the House and they should not mislead the House just as they try to mislead the public on many issues.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Keane commented on independent advisers to Government. Independent advice is of paramount importance and I am sure the matter raised by the Senator along with Senator Norris will be raised in future. We will certainly bring the matter to the relevant Ministers. The Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, will be in the House in early course and I am sure the Senator will have an opportunity to...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Conway commented on the privatisation of Eircom which was a botched job. Senators Moloney and Kelly raised the issue of medical cards. I fully agree that a major problem remains in delays with medical cards. The fact that information is not being matched with files is something which occurs on a regular basis. I am unsure how it is occurring but the system is not working as it...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: I am not sure whether the last Taoiseach was ever in this House.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: I think the previous Taoiseach was in the House once.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: If I am afforded the opportunity to reply, I will. I have invited the Taoiseach to the House and he has indicated that he will, at the earliest opportunity, come to the House. I am sure he will be treated with the utmost respect in the House when he comes here.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: I wish to advise the House that we will have to amend the Order of Business later today. I understand the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, will have to go to the Dáil to deal with a matter raised under Topical Issues during the time we have allocated for the debate on media standards. I am advising the House that we will have to break for a short period in the middle of the debate in question.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: I have acceded to the request that was made for No. 1 not to be taken without debate. Therefore, I am proposing that we postpone our decision on the motion until after we debate it tomorrow.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (22 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, namely, that the House would suspend at 3.38 p.m. and resume at 4 p.m. This is to allow the Minister deal with business in the other House.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No. 1, Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2011 [Dáil] - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business and to conclude no later than 1.30 p.m., if not previously concluded; No. 2, Report of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges on Standing Order 18: Prayer at Commencement of Sitting, to be taken immediately...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: It is independent.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: He is no longer a Minister.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: I advise the Leader of the Opposition that the position on the treaty has not changed. Regardless of what a German Minister says, if the Attorney General advises that we need a referendum we will have one. That is the simple situation which I have outlined on at least ten occasions. When the Attorney General advises on the need for a referendum, the Government will act on her advice. A...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: Senator O'Brien referred to the jobs initiative and claimed that nothing happened and no jobs were created as a result of it.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: As I pointed out previously, the jobs initiative yielded 6,500 jobs in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: It has been successful, therefore. I am merely responding to the matters raised by the Leader of the Opposition. Several Senators spoke about the pathways to work programme. I hope to arrange for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to address the House on the matter in early course. The pathways to work programme involves a regular and ongoing engagement with unemployed...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2012)

Maurice Cummins: We have had interference-----