Results 2,861-2,880 of 7,765 for speaker:Maurice Cummins

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Harte referred to Student Universal Support Ireland. A number of mistakes have been made in this regard and I hope they will be rectified before next year. Senator MacSharry raised the issue of mortgage arrears. As I outlined, the Government has taken a number of steps on this issue, including the enactment of the Personal Insolvency Act. The Senator referred to trust in the banks....

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: That is correct and I note the points made by both Senators in that regard. Senator Hayden called for the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, to come before the House for a debate on mortgage arrears and debt. The Minister has debated the issue with us previously and I am sure he will discuss it with us again, especially with regard to buy-to-let mortgages. The Minister of State...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Later in 2010, Fianna Fáil, in its negotiations with the IMF, which it did not tell anyone about, agreed to the introduction of a property tax before the end of 2011 and to increase it by 2012. Now, however, the party claims it is not the time to introduce a property tax. The Senator's party would have introduced it in 2010 or 2011.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Leyden, the acting leader of the Opposition this afternoon, raised a number of parochial items relating to Roscommon. I remind him that, as he well knows, the hours of opening of the Garda headquarters is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. He also inquired about the agricultural offices in Roscommon. I will inquire of the Minister but if the Senator put that down as an...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: He has done a lot already.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No. 1, Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2012 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Law-abiding people.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Marc MacSharry referred to the proposed cuts to and the taxing of maternity benefit. Until 2012 when an employee continued to be paid by her employer in full while on maternity leave and, based on her PRSI contributions, was entitled to maternity benefit from the Department of Social Protection, the non-taxation of maternity benefit resulted in such an employee having greater net...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No. 1, Education and Training Boards Bill 2012 - Second Stage, to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and to conclude no later than 2 p.m., with the contributions of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes and all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be called on to reply no later than 1.50 p.m.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I wish to share my time with Senator Colm Burke.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I compliment Senator John Crown on initiating this Bill. I understand we will have another comprehensive piece of legislation before the House on this issue fairly soon. It is a pity that the sponsors of these Bills could not have got together and produced a joint Bill that would bring everybody in the House behind them. However, that is not what we have. The Government's stance is very...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Certainly. Although I cannot guarantee support from this side of the House, I assure Members that we will examine any proposal brought before us.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (6 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I have listened to the usual suspects talking about the local property tax the way they talked about the household charges and septic tanks. They are the very people who have inflicted extra charges on people. They persuaded people not to register their septic tanks and now those people must pay much more and cannot qualify for grants. They did the same with the household charge and those...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: I join in the welcome to Professor George Huxley. I also welcome Mr. Gilbert Lee Meagher, great-great-grandson of Thomas Francis Meagher. On a conciliatory note, I am prepared to accept the proposed amendment to the Order of Business with regard to the Irish flag which was flown for the first time in Waterford on 7 March 1848. On the 165th anniversary of the flying of the flag for the...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2013)

Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No. 1, Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Bill 2013 - all Stages, to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and to conclude not later than 2.45 p.m., with the contributions of group spokespersons to the debate on Second Stage not to exceed eight minutes and those of all other Members not to exceed five minutes, the Minister to be given five minutes...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Emer Costello, MEP (28 Feb 2013)

Maurice Cummins: At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 March 2013.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (28 Feb 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Paschal Mooney, the acting Leader of the Opposition, raised the issue of the ordering of business. As I stated last week, we have had two to three pieces of legislation each week since January and we have some this week. If Members wish, I can, if there are situations such as today where we have only piece of business on a Thursday, confine our business to two days a week rather...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (28 Feb 2013)

Maurice Cummins: They can debate that-----

Seanad: Business of Seanad (28 Feb 2013)

Maurice Cummins: They can share information on that this evening.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (28 Feb 2013)

Maurice Cummins: Senator John Kelly also raised the issue of Adjournment matters and having Ministers come before the House. Perhaps we can raise that matter at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges but at least we get a response to Adjournment matters that Members can take back to their constituents or whoever raised the matter with them. Senator David Norris clarified the situation in regard to the...