Results 141-160 of 2,180 for speaker:John Cummins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Waiver of Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of Residential Tenancies Bill 2021 (16 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I confirm that I am in Leinster House. I agree with much of what the Chair and Deputy McAuliffe said. I know it is Cheltenham week but I am not willing to gamble with protections for renters. We have protections in place. If we do not waive this pre-legislative scrutiny, we risk these protections. I am not willing to take the chance of people being left in a legislative lacuna where...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I echo many of the comments my colleague, Senator Dolan, made on the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme announced this morning by the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys. In my county of Waterford, €370,000 has been allocated to upgrade and enhance a section from Clonea Road to Ballynacourty, a spur off the Waterford greenway, which is a fantastic amenity that I think everybody...

Seanad: National Development Plan: Statements (22 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I will try to make six minutes into two minutes. I thank the Minister. I will try to be brief and confine my points. The national development plan in the context of the national planning framework is very important for areas such as County Waterford, which is identified as one of the strategic areas in the national planning framework for population growth of 30,000 to 35,000 between now...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I confirm that I am in Leinster House. It is easy to say that this is the most important legislation that will come before the committee, but I believe that it is because having a secure, comprehensive and accurate electoral register is fundamental to democracy and that without it, we are at nothing. The current register is wholly inadequate. I have beside me a portion of the 120 letters...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: Does Mr. Sunderland believe that it is proportionate in the interests of the integrity of having a secure, comprehensive and accurate register? That is the question. Is that Mr. Sunderland's view? Is that the view of the commission?

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister of State for his presentation of the Bill to the House and for the urgency with which he and the Department have brought it before the Houses. I suspect there will be some criticism of the decision made last week by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage to waive the pre-legislative scrutiny process but it is important to state that...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I do not know what the Senator is referring to.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: Next Monday.

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (29 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I will make one very brief point and ask a question regarding long-term illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, diabetes and cystic fibrosis. I understand some of those cohorts have been split in two, which has resulted in some confusion. A person from counties Kilkenny or Wexford might attend a consultant in counties Kildare or Dublin. Where will a person who falls...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: On the proposal to extend the emergency provisions until October or December, both the Minister of State and the Minister are on record, in the Dáil and in this House last week, regarding the openness of the Department to consider a further extension, after July, should we find ourselves in circumstances that require it. When the Minister for Health was in the Chamber earlier, he...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: To respond to the points just made, some people, albeit not in this House, have suggested that the Government should ignore the Attorney General and allow this to be tested in the courts. The Government must ensure that any legislation which passes is proportionate, legal, constitutional and not open to challenge. The Attorney General has been quite clear in his advice to the Government...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Motion for Earlier Signature (29 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I move: That, pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Residential Tenancies Bill 2021 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I thank both witnesses for their attendance. I have read with interest, as I am sure all members have, the points made by the witnesses in their submissions and there are some good ones in respect of harmonising EU and Irish law in this area. While that should certainly be considered, it is not a reason not to have more transparency in regard to online advertising and to where the money for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: Sorry but-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: Will Mr. Ó Broin confirm that if I approve an individual or organisation to place adverts on Facebook on my behalf, that ad spend is not accounted for on my ad library page?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: Mr. Ó Broin is saying it is not accounted for on my ad library page but on that of some unknown individual. We know what country they are in but we have no idea who they are. Facebook knows who they are but the public does not. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I am asking where the ad spend is accounted for. Is it accounted for on the page of the administrator I have approved or on my ad library page?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: It is accounted for on the second page and, as a member of the public, I have no idea who that person is. I know there is an account but it could be in Serbia or Germany and I have no idea who is behind the page. I have a couple of follow-on questions-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I am glad Mr. Ó Broin moved on to that. He indicated that if I have approved individuals or organisations based in other countries to manage my page, they cannot run the advert, which I accept. Could they use virtual private networks, VPNs, to circumvent that? Could they create the campaign, develop the ad sets, create the targeting, examine the demographics and create the content...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

John Cummins: I just want to know whether it is possible.