Results 1,021-1,040 of 7,765 for speaker:Maurice Cummins

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: What about the €8 Fianna Fáil was going to charge?

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: I welcome the Minister. I hope the debate on the Bill will be constructive. I do not propose to speak too much about the Bill itself. The measures it contains where introduced in response to very serious concerns expressed by many Irish people who participated in demonstrations, contacted us - as public representatives - and took to the Internet and national airwaves to voice those...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: At present, 20,000 people cannot drink the water from their own taps. For some, this has been the case for many years. We have an antiquated water network which is rotting in the ground and close to 50% of our national treated water supply is being lost. Some 16% of our water supplies are at risk and this could affect over 1 million people. One third of secondary wastewater treatment...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: -----and its original deal with the troika envisaged the imposition of a €400 annual charge per household from last year, with no allowances.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: Fianna Fáil has flip-flopped on the principle of water charges ever since.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: Now the party wants the hard-pressed taxpayer to fund all water services and capital investment.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: It is a massive demand to transfer back onto those who already pay for everything. That is the consequence of what they are proposing - less investment, higher taxes and continued waste.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: There is no doubt in anyone's mind that radically reforming our water services for the benefit of Irish society is a very challenging task.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: With the investment and national co-ordinated approach to water services introduced by the creation of a certain single utility, Ireland will be well prepared in the event of a future water emergency. Sinn Féin's water policy is similarly ambiguous-----

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: ------populist and frankly nonsensical.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: That party has spent recent weeks engaging in cheap publicity stunts in the Dáil in order to distract from its own lack of answers to many of the questions that have been posed. Sinn Féin has failed utterly to explain how it would pay the price of €800 million plus for abandoning progressive water reform. Its policy of keeping Irish Water but abandoning water charges would...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Motion for Earlier Signature (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice 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 Appropriation Bill 2014 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.

Seanad: Tributes to Member of Staff (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: On behalf of the House, I join the Cathaoirleach in complimenting Andy and wishing him a very happy retirement. As the Cathaoirleach said, Andy has given 27 years of service to the Houses of the Oireachtas. Ushers such as Andy cater for such a wide range of needs that it is impossible to know just how much they do for the Members of the Houses. They are obliging and discreet and always put...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: We would have reciprocated that practice during the term of the last Government when someone on the other side of the House was seriously ill. I think it is a good practice. We thank the Fianna Fáil Group for it.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Leyden, the acting Leader of the Opposition, referred to the Water Services Bill 2014. The other House is not a matter for us but there were 40 hours of debate there. I can assure the House that if we want 80, 90 or 100 hours of debate, it will not be curtailed in any way.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: I oppose the proposed amendment to the Order of Business. We will deal with this Bill in the same way we would any other in this House. I can assure Members that we will not guillotine-----

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: -----this Bill and we did not do so the last time. I can assure Members that they will have time to debate this Bill for as long as they wish, and as is proper.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: If it is a waste of time, there is no point debating it at all, but that is up to the House. I am totally in the hands of the House in regard to how long it wants to give to this Bill on every Stage.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: In regard to the Order of Business, work will continue as usual. We will have an Order of Business tomorrow. It will be no different from any other day. We will have normal business. We are not in an emergency situation or anything like that. It is time for cool heads. Senator Leyden welcomed the decision of President Obama on normalising relations with Cuba, as has everyone, but as the...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2014)

Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No. a1, Water Services Bill 2014 - Second Stage, to be taken at 12 p.m., with the contribution of group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes and those of all other Senators not to exceed six minutes, with the debate to be adjourned at 2 p.m. and resumed at 3.45 p.m.; No. b1, Appropriations Bill 2014 - All Stages, to be taken, subject to the passage by the Dáil...