Results 941-960 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Like so many others, I extend my sympathies to the families who lost their nearest and dearest yesterday. It truly is a tragedy for those families. Like many others, I want to thank the services that turned out so well, including the Garda Síochánna, the ESB, Irish Water and the local authority workers. I was looking at social media on Monday morning, and there were people...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Courts Service (28 Sep 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter. In an interview on RTE recently the new Chief Justice acknowledged a basic problem in the justice system, namely, the cost of engaging in litigation in certain cases was beyond the resources of many. There is little point in having a good courts system if a great many people find it difficult, if not impossible, to access it. That is...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Courts Service (28 Sep 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I appreciate the Cathaoirleach's comments which are constructive. I do not want to have a go at the Minister of State, Deputy English, as I understand his position, having been in a similar position previously when I have delivered a script. I appreciate he is representing the Minister for Justice and Equality. I wish to correct what he said. EU law demands that we must either let...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Courts Service (28 Sep 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I acknowledge that.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Yesterday, I spoke about the baby friendly health initiative being paused and its funding being discontinued, and the importance of increasing breastfeeding rates in this country. I asked the Leader to organise bringing the Minister to the House for a debate. It will take far too long for the Minister to come to the House so I ask the Leader to use his good offices to ask the Minister to...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Am I generous? I thank the Senator. We need action. On the most recent occasions the Minister has come to the House we have heard all about the Rugby World Cup and very little about public transport. The inaction in filling these positions shows how unconcerned he is about the travelling public of this country.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I do not know that.

Seanad: Housing: Statements (28 Sep 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The Minister is very welcome. He faces many great challenges, not just in regard to social housing but also affordable housing and affordable rental housing. I do not want to go over the statistics that have been outlined. The Minister needs to have a short-term, mid-term and long-term plan to resolve this issue. He has been working on mid-term and long-term solutions but he needs to...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Sep 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I have raised the issue of breastfeeding on many occasions in this House, as well as the support given to women regarding it. This morning, I learned with great disappointment that the baby friendly health initiative for our maternity hospitals is ceasing from today because of the withdrawal of a miserable €50,000 by the HSE. I raised the issue by way of a Commencement matter on 12...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Europe called for a review of the renewable energy directive of 2009 on 30 November 2016. The Commission has proposed to review those targets. Those targets range from 10% for Malta to 49% for Sweden and our target is 16% for 2020.These are renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind. A consultation process in respect of this matter was to take place with the Minister. I have a...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2017: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The last time I spoke to him about housing was on 2 March when we were debating the introduction of a pilot scheme for affordable housing on the Irish Glass Bottle site. The Minister of State may remember the Commencement matter that we discussed. On that occasion I asked the Minister of State for a pilot scheme and he responded that there was...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2017: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: It might be helpful to let the Minister of State reply in full now and that will save time as the debate proceeds because our questions would be answered.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I would also like to hear the Minister of State's definition of "substantially commenced". In regard to the automatic granting of an extension to planning permission, since some permissions have been given, the catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, studies have been published. Members have not been told where the units are located. Are some on a flood plain and, if so, how...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I wish to again raise the issue of social and affordable housing that I raised on 2 March. This morning The Irish Timespublished an article about the O'Devaney Gardens, St. Michael's Estate and Oscar Traynor Road. The article highlighted the fact that 1,644 affordable and social units will be delayed because the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment has not designed...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Maternity Services (12 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, is very welcome. This is the first time I have had an opportunity to congratulate him in the House. I wish him the very best of luck in his endeavours. I wish to raise the issue of the baby-friendly health initiative, which has been operating in Ireland since 1999, with 100% of maternity hospitals participating. Fifty-three of these hospitals meet...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Maternity Services (12 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Can the Minister of State tell me if Trinity engaged with the baby friendly health initiative during that review? The baby friendly health initiative is an international benchmark and I am concerned as to whether there has been adequate consultation in this regard. I know some of the voluntary hospitals are continuing with the baby friendly health initiative, which is not just about...

Seanad: Rugby World Cup 2023 Bill 2017: Second Stage (11 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: That was Gay Mitchell.

Seanad: Rugby World Cup 2023 Bill 2017: Second Stage (11 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Right across the House, we are all united in supporting the bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup but I know that if the Minister was on the floor of this House he would raise certain questions, as he always did in the Dáil and in the Seanad. I do not know whether Senator Richmond meant what he said in respect of his remarks about people showing disloyalty or undermining the bid-----

Seanad: Rugby World Cup 2023 Bill 2017: Second Stage (11 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: -----for the Rugby World Cup. It is not about disloyalty or undermining the bid. We have a democratic responsibility to ask these questions. I have no doubt that the Minister, Deputy Ross, would be asking similar questions to those I asked were he on this side. In respect of Senator O'Mahony's comments, yes, in the past all Rugby World Cups have made profits and have not become a weight...

Seanad: Rugby World Cup 2023 Bill 2017: Second Stage (11 Jul 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: We do want to know.