Results 961-980 of 7,765 for speaker:Maurice Cummins

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: Perhaps the Leader can invite the Minister for Education and Science to explain why repeat students are charged €236 when it costs €90 to sit the leaving certificate for the first time. Several hard-pressed parents seek an answer to this discrepancy.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: It would require mass production.

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits: Motion. (9 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for his comments. The issue of carers in the home was referred to earlier. I worked with the Carers' Association for over 12 months and I am aware of the work that spouses, children and others in the home carry out. It is work that needs every assistance from Government, including regular respite care. Home help workers and home carers from...

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits: Motion. (9 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: The issue of home care packages has been mentioned on several occasions. We must beef up this entire area, as the amount of work carried out by people coming into homes to help families is rewarded by a pittance. These people are very important to families throughout the country. In his speech the Minister covered many areas relating to dependent allowances. The issue of caring in particular...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I support my colleagues' comments on gangland killings. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is always good for a soundbite. In 2004, he described a killing as the last sting of a dying wasp, but since then we have seen 17 such killings, which is far from being the sting of a dying wasp. The Minister is good at issuing press releases and speaking in theoretical terms, but he is...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: Definitely not.

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: Call in Donie.

Seanad: Juvenile Offenders: Motion. (16 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this debate which is a vital issue in terms of justice policy and attempts to address the growing problems of anti-social behaviour, underage drinking and drug taking. These problems have become endemic in our society in recent years and we need to be strong in our resolve to deal with them. My...

Seanad: Juvenile Offenders: Motion. (16 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: The Minister of State might have learned something there if he listened properly.

Seanad: Juvenile Offenders: Motion. (16 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: If the Minister of State listened to it, he might have learned from it.

Seanad: Juvenile Offenders: Motion. (16 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: There are not very many in that wing.

Seanad: Hospital Services. (16 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: In Waterford, the Whitfield Clinic, a private hospital which will hopefully open at the end of next year, will provide radiotherapy. We want to know what is the situation with regard to funding of public patients in that hospital. How will the Government fund public patients with regard to radiotherapy? The Whitfield Clinic is a private facility but it is willing to provide services to the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: A leading oncologist, a former consultant in Waterford Regional Hospital, in a recent open letter to the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children outlined the plight of cancer patients in the south and south east. The lack of designated beds in wards for cancer patients was highlighted. No dignity can be afforded to patients or their families in very difficult times, which is...

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I second the amendment. I fully support it, having worked with a company that could rely on trains coming into Waterford from Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Belfast as part of freight run by Iarnród Éireann. Now practically all that freight goes on the roads, an appalling state of affairs. Iarnród Éireann should be prepared to market rail freight aggressively. It is disgraceful to see so many...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I thank the Minister of State for explaining these amendments. If professional bodies agree that "podiatrist" is the term that should be used in the event of disagreement, we would support the amendment.

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I welcome the amendments. As has been stated, they clarify matters. I agree with Senators Henry and Feeney regarding registration boards in that, according to the Bill, it is within their remit to amend and change their rules as necessary. The matter should be better clarified.

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: Exactly.

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Maurice Cummins: I welcome the amendments as they will improve the Bill. As has been stated, the protection of the public is of paramount important in this regard. I hope it will receive the publicity it deserves. I also hope it will also frighten the public away from these cowboys, who are at every crossroads claiming that they can cure cancer and various other ailments and who should be banished. It is...