Results 801-820 of 7,765 for speaker:Maurice Cummins

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (19 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I move amendment No. 47: In page 9, to delete all words from and including, "or of any" in line 42 down to and including "been convicted," in line 43. Aspects of section 7(3) are quite remarkable. As drafted it allows the Circuit Court judge to find the person guilty of a charge that the court, in the words of the section "shall substitute a verdict of guilty of the offence charged or of any...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (19 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (19 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I am glad the Minister agreed to change the word "disposal", which would be more appropriate for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government or for waste management, for example. I had proposed one word to replace "disposal", whereas the Minister has chosen to put in a few more. However, I accept the amendment.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (19 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: Shall we take the amendments together? Would that assist the Minister of State?

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (19 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: The Bill as drafted allows the question of sanity to be raised at any time, even after a trial has commenced. The plea of insanity has been open to abuse in the past. It is often raised at such a late stage as to call into question the reliability and the truth of the plea. Pleas of this nature often only arise when the legal team arrives on the scene. If the mental condition of an accused...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (19 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I thank the Minister of State and his officials. This legislation took a long time to draw up. It is two and a half years since we dealt with Committee Stage. I agree with Senator Henry in that it is disappointing the Minister of State was not more forthcoming and accepting, especially with regard to care and treatment. The Minister praised Mr. Justice Henchy but it is a pity he did not take...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I would like to refer, again, to the task force on alcohol. The House had a very good debate on that subject last year. The task force made a number of recommendations, practically none of which have been acted upon as yet. There have been murmurings from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform about other items which are contrary to the task force's recommendations. When will these...

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (27 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: There is no excuse.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (27 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: The motion notes and acknowledges commitments. Senator Dooley praised the Government for its position papers and documents. Between position papers, documents, press releases and commitments——

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (27 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: ——we have very little delivery in the area of road safety. The Minister referred to 700 extra gardaí for the traffic corps. I hope that commitment does not take as long to fulfil as the commitment for the extra 2,000 gardaí we were supposed to have in place three years ago.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (27 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: In a recent reply to a Member in the other House we learned that there will only be 33 extra gardaí involved in the traffic corps in 2005. Thirty three is a far cry from 700. Is this another pie in the sky commitment or aspiration? Previous speakers have referred to driver testing. It is ludicrous to have people on waiting lists for long periods. As Senator John Paul Phelan said, over...

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (27 Apr 2005)

Maurice Cummins: The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform knows that.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (4 May 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I join with Senator Brian Hayes in calling for a debate on the competitiveness of indigenous Irish industry, with specific reference to the job losses at Waterford Crystal. The loss of 400 jobs in a town such as Dungarvan is devastating. It is not only the 400 jobs at the Waterford Crystal plant that will be lost, but also the jobs of the suppliers and the service providers for the plant. I...

Seanad: Health Services. (4 May 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Cancer patients in the south east who must travel to Dublin for radiotherapy treatment have the worst transport options in the whole country. While taxis and ambulances are laid on in other parts of the country, and rightly so, patients in the south east are expected to make their own way to the nearest hospital before travelling to Dublin, or...

Seanad: Health Services. (4 May 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I asked whether there will be a dedicated transport service for cancer patients in the south-east. It is available in all parts of the country except this region and the Minister of State has said this. The issue has been fluffed in that he stated the transport service is tailored to individual needs. This is not the case in other parts of the country. Why are the people of the south-east...

Seanad: Health Services. (4 May 2005)

Maurice Cummins: Anybody with cancer has genuine need.

Seanad: Health Services. (4 May 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I have many cases in mind.

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 May 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to the House to explain why he has declined the invitation from the Prison Officers Association to attend its annual conference. He is the first Minister in 20 years to decline such an invitation. At a time when dialogue is essential, the Minister is, as ever, being confrontational on this matter.

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 May 2005)

Maurice Cummins: To city hall.

Seanad: Registration of Deeds and Title Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 May 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome the Bill. I thank the Minister for his comprehensive explanation of its contents and other legislation that will come before us in the relatively near future. I liked the Minister's overview and description of the old Registry of Deeds office and all that is contained therein. It has become commonplace for people to criticise our land law...