Results 4,261-4,280 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: For the purpose of having him explain and define what he means by the term "new politics" and in respect of the programme for Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: The Leader gave a commitment that the Taoiseach will come to the House on 29 September next. Undoubtedly, it is due to me pressing this matter for the last four weeks. One can count on two fingers the number of times the Taoiseach came to the House-----

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: -----in the last five years. I thank Senator Wilson for his support. I support his suggestion that the Taoiseach should schedule three visits to this House every year. It might resolve the Fine Gael problem regarding the exit issue for the Taoiseach. If he has to come to this House three times every year, he might resolve that issue.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Motion (19 Jul 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: This is a very interesting debate. To follow up on Senator Higgins' point, bogus self-employment is increasingly becoming an issue. Hardly a week goes by when I do not meet somebody in the construction industry, the IT sector or the media who is being forced down into bogus self-employment. They are taking all the risks and getting none of the benefits. This is an increasing problem....

Seanad: Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Motion (19 Jul 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: That is the package.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Priorities for Department of Social Protection: Minister for Social Protection (7 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: Everybody has been suggesting ways the Minister can increase expenditure but I will start on a positive note by suggesting a way the Minister can increase revenues for his Department. This relates to bogus self-employment, an issue on which the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Finance commissioned a report. Over the summer months I talked to many young professionals who...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Priorities for Department of Social Protection: Minister for Social Protection (7 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: It is also useful to note that the payments of the two companies involved are tied to customer satisfaction. If they decline a jobseeker, they can actually lose money. That is worth noting as well. It is interesting to see the low number of complaints.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: National Maternity Hospital (28 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for selecting this Commencement matter for debate. I have raised this issue again out of frustration. Last June, I raised the issue of the National Maternity Hospital, which has been located in Holles Street since the 19th century. It was established as a hospital in 1894. It is now the largest maternity hospital in Ireland and one of the largest in Europe,...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: National Maternity Hospital (28 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I hate to say nothing has been added to this issue but time and both parties have been afforded the time. There is nothing new about this project as it has been known about since 1996. As I stated, the announcement was made in 2013. Moreover, as planning permission was to be applied for the last quarter of 2015, there is nothing new about this. If both parties believe they can resolve the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: National Maternity Hospital (28 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I apologise but I am quite passionate about this issue. I have been working at this since serving on the board of the National Maternity Hospital since 1999 and having seen the outdated facilities in which women are meant to have their children. It simply is unacceptable and we must move on from that.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: National Maternity Hospital (28 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Cathaoirleach.

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: That is absolute nonsense.

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I came to the House with no great intention to speak because my colleagues argued the point very clearly. I have been sitting here frustrated as I listened to thinly veiled attacks not just on Dublin Bus but also on Dublin from Fianna Fáil. I was totally dismayed by that. There is a subvention for all public transport throughout the country and not just to Dublin Bus. Dublin Bus has...

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I am not twisting them. The Members heard it.

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: The Senator will stand corrected. I am totally disgusted by the attack on the city.

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: Public transport has a very positive effect on our carbon footprint.

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: We need to invest in our public transport. It is a constant theme since the last general election that there is attack after attack by Senators or Deputies - whether from Donegal or elsewhere - on Dublin city and the workers there. We are part of Ireland as well and we contribute more in taxation than many other regions. We are entitled to a good service. The people providing that service...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I very much support the efforts of the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Coveney, to speed up the supply and the announcement of the rapid-build housing. The Minister is talking about supplying 1,600 of them. It was reported in The Sunday Timesat the weekend that the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, is to shut the door on tax reliefs for Airbnb....

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: The Senator knows that is about the Fine Gael leadership.