Results 5,761-5,780 of 7,765 for speaker:Maurice Cummins

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Tá an Seanadóir ag dul ar strae.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: As one knows, industries approach and negotiate with local authorities for a guaranteed supply of water. Must Irish Water take due regard of a local authority's development plans and functions in guaranteeing a water supply?

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I presume an inventory is being made of the assets and liabilities of each local authority. I also presume there will be a lot more liabilities than assets, but I am not sure of this. When can we learn what assets are being transferred? I do not know whether it is feasible to put a monetary value on these assets. In regard to the liabilities Irish Water will assume from local authorities,...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I am seeking confirmation from the Minister of State that the terms and conditions of the staff who are to be transferred to Irish Water will not be diminished in any way. Will the relevant pension liabilities also transfer to Irish Water? Will staff who are transferring from local authorities to Irish Water lose out in any way? Perhaps the Minister of State will clarify the position in...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: On the approved water charges plan, I agree with Senator Sean D. Barrett that we have been dancing around the issue for a long time. Will the plan include a standing charge for meters or providing the service? The ESB and other utility providers charge between €30 and €35 before a customer consumes a single unit. That is an absolute disgrace and I hope a similar standing...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Will it be in the plan?

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: The debate will adjourn at 9 p.m. The Minister of State wants to take a break for ten or 15 minutes and I propose suspending the sitting until 8 p.m.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: The amendment refers to a scenario in which the quantity of water supplied to a premises is not measurable by a meter. Surely the supply of water to an apartment or other premises is measurable by a meter. This can be done in every other country. Why can it not be done here, irrespective of the premises?

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I am not really happy with the answer. What premises will be included in the term "not measurable by a meter,"?

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I also have concerns about people’s ability to pay. They have one bill on top of the other and ability to pay must be taken into consideration. With all due respect, we are putting the cart before the horse. We should have the water services plan before us to know how people’s inability to pay water charges will be dealt with.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: As Senator Healy Eames stated, this plan is going to the regulator. As I said on Second Stage, who regulates the regulator? Will Members have a say in amending the plan, or will the regulator have the final say, as he has with other utilities? We need to know how those who cannot pay their water charges will be treated, particularly at this point when we are dealing with the legislation....

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I never suggested that.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: That was not suggested.

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Yes, and "up there" and "over there" and "over that way".

Seanad: Death of Nelson Mandela: Statements (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I know there has been a request to pay tribute today to former South African President, Nelson Mandela, as has happened in the other House. I do not think there has been any shortage of tributes to the late Nelson Mandela since the news of his passing broke late last Thursday evening. However, it is fitting that this House pays its own tribute to such a remarkable and iconic man. No words...

Seanad: Death of Nelson Mandela: Statements (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Court Accommodation Refurbishment (10 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: This is a timely debate. I received an e-mail from a friend of mine suggesting that if court services go to Kilkenny, Waterford will lose the courts into the future. Members employed in the Courts Service have made such suggestions even though people in the Courts Service also said there was no prospect of the extension going ahead. There will be a €31 million investment in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No. 1, Credit Reporting Bill 2012 - Second Stage, to be taken at 11.45 a.m. and conclude no later than 1.15 p.m., with the contribution of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes and all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister or Minister of State to be called on to reply no later than 1.10 p.m.; No. 2, Health (Alteration of Criteria for...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Senators O'Brien and Mullins are looking for a debate on sport with the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, so we will try to arrange that for early in the new year. The pyrite Bill is due to come before this House on Monday. The Minister expressed the wish to deal with all Stages on Monday, but I will take on board the considerations of Senators O'Brien, Bacik and others that we should break that up...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Zappone raised the issue of the amalgamation of the Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority, and said that it must be run in an efficient and effective manner. That is what the Minister for Justice and Equality actually stated. We have had cuts in many areas, and that is a matter for the Minister, Deputy Howlin. He has dealt with every Minister on the issue of cuts in...