Results 2,081-2,100 of 7,765 for speaker:Maurice Cummins

Seanad: Passenger Name Record Data: Motion (14 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed...

Seanad: Passenger Name Record Data: Motion (14 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 19 November 2013.

Seanad: Passenger Name Record Data: Motion (14 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Darragh O'Brien asked when the pyrite remediation Bill will come before the House. That legislation will be brought forward this term and we hope to have it finished before Christmas. In regard to Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, on the Order Paper, it seems there are differences of opinion on the Fianna Fáil benches. I am inclined to side with the Leas-Chathaoirleach on this, on the...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: It is a point we have made ourselves in this House, that we do not wish to see a duplication of work.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: If Senator Byrne would, for once, allow me to finish, he would see I am trying to be co-operative. The problem seems to be in regard to Nos. 1 and 2, which were discussed at length yesterday at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality. I am proposing an amendment to the Order of Business that No. 4, if not completed, be adjourned at 2 p.m. to allow the Minister for...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Yes. The motions are practically the same, both referring to an agreement between the European Union and Canada. Senator O'Brien referred to interest rate reductions by the banks. I am not aware of any advice to the financial institutions by the Government on this issue. Senator Bacik referred to the criminal justice (cybercrime) Bill. I will find out when that legislation is proposed to...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I take on board his points regarding the failure of TLT, which was also mentioned by his cousin, Senator Michael Mullins, and Senator MacSharry. It is a very serious matter and I will endeavour to bring the Minister, Deputy Coveney, into the House to discuss it. Senators Mullins and MacSharry also referred to farm inspections and the difficulties for farmers in this regard. It would be...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: It is not a joking matter, of course. We saw the seriousness of the situation when a child in London was attacked in its pram. I will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister. Senator Hayden referred to proceedings at the Constitutional Convention and called for a debate on the welfare of families and related matters arising out of those deliberations. I have requested that the...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re conclusion of an agreement between Canada and the European Union on the transfer and processing of passenger name record data, back from the committee, to be taken without debate; No. 2, motion re signature of an agreement between Canada and the European Union on the transfer and processing of passenger name record data, back from the committee, to be...

Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: My understanding of the party leaders' allowance is that it is based on the number of elected Oireachtas Members who are affiliated to the party at a general and Seanad election. The elections are decided by the people in the case of the Dáil and an electorate in the case of the Seanad. That is the reason for the continuance of these allowances, as the people were elected as members of...

Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I have sympathy with Senator Norris in some of the issues he mentioned, particularly the principle of paying the rate for the job. Some years back, Deputies' pay was aligned to principal officers' salary, but those rates have reduced significantly in the meantime. I have no objection to the provision in the Bill that Members must request that the money be paid. As it stands, we have a...

Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: While those Deputies might well be giving all of that €42,000 to charity, the fact remains that they can go anywhere and do anything with that money without any requirement to prove it has been spent in line with their parliamentary duties. All Senators should be treated equally. That fits in with Senator Norris's notion of paying the rate for the job.

Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: However, it behoves us to point out that this legislative Chamber is equal to its Dáil counterpart. When we are being treated differently from our colleagues in the Lower House in respect of the expenses regime, we must ask that the situation be examined. The Minister sympathises with us in our plight in terms of constituency offices. As we have outlined, our constituency is the whole...

Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (13 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I saw a figure of €300,000 being touted, which worked out at €5,000 for each Senator. That claim was entirely untrue. We want to be able to claim the allowance to which we are entitled under the same conditions as apply to Members of the other House. There should be some mechanism to achieve that. We might well be accused of trying to feather our nest, but that is not the...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (13 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I am privileged to lead the tributes today to the late Eamon de Buitléar, former Senator, who passed away earlier this year. I wish to express my sincere sympathy and that of the House to his wife, Lailli, who is here with us today and to his five children, Aoife, Éanna, Róisín, Cian and Doireann. Eamon, a custodian of the Irish language, was appointed to Seanad...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Representations have been made to Russian authorities and the Attorney General. I assure the Senator the Minister is doing everything possible-----

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: -----to find a lasting resolution to the problem. It is not an issue with which to play politics.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Jim D'Arcy spoke about the resolution to the ASTI dispute, which we all welcome. I do not propose to accept the amendment to the Order of Business as tabled.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Maurice Cummins: On a point of order, are Senators allowed table parliamentary questions?