Results 1,641-1,660 of 2,156 for speaker:John Cummins

Seanad: Search and Rescue Policy: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: Senator Craughwell identified someone in his contribution-----

Seanad: Search and Rescue Policy: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: -----and made a very serious claim.

Seanad: Search and Rescue Policy: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: We are not in the Wild West where we can say things and-----

Seanad: Search and Rescue Policy: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: Clearly, Senator Craughwell is not willing to respect them.

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: I hope Senator Gavan will take this in the good-natured way it is intended, but I think we have had a first in this House today with a Sinn Féin Senator commending the Fine Gael Seanad group. I thank him on behalf of the group and long may it continue.

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: I think Senator Byrne is stretching it a little bit there.

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister for his attendance, which shows that he is taking this matter seriously. I acknowledge the commitment in his statement to increasing staff at the Passport Office to cater for the expected increase in passport applications to some 1.75 million this year. That is a staggering figure when one considers the highest number ever dealt with previously was around 1 million....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: Last week, "Prime Time" ran an excellent programme on the work being done in Waterford to tackle the issue of dereliction and vacancy. It highlighted the success of the repair-and-lease scheme, the buy-and-renew scheme and the council's utilisation of compulsory purchase orders, CPOs, to tackle something that everyone in this Chamber and across society gets rightly vexed about in the midst...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jan 2022)

John Cummins: I wish to raise an issue in respect of passport applications. My office has been inundated with queries on this, particularly where one or both parents are not Irish citizens but their child is, having being born in the State and having been living her for many years. That child is entitled to his or her Irish passport. One set of parents, originally from India, has been waiting since July...

Seanad: Broadband Roll-out: Statements (26 Jan 2022)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I echo many of Senator Paddy Burke's comments on the previous Government's foresight in proceeding with the national broadband plan roll-out. There are always reasons not to do things but a point comes when a decision has to be made to proceed. That said, as other colleagues noted, there is frustrations with the slowness of the roll-out in...

Seanad: Local Government (Surveillance Powers in Relation to Certain Offences) Bill 2022: Second Stage (26 Jan 2022)

John Cummins: I would like to start by complimenting my colleagues seated to my right on bringing forward this Bill, and by complimenting Senator Wall, who brought forward a similar Bill last year on this issue. It is a very important issue. It is an issue which vexes a lot of people and rightly so, because dumping and illegal dumping is a scourge on society. It prevents people from enjoying the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

John Cummins: Last week on the Order of Business I raised local concerns about Rescue 117 and its base at Waterford airport. I said that I did not share the down-beat concerns while understanding the pressing need for clarity.I welcome that clarity and today's Cabinet decision that the four existing bases of Waterford, Sligo, Shannon and Dublin will be specified in the new tender document. I have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

John Cummins: It is important that we are placing a focus on this issue. It is an issue that I have been working on in my own area of Waterford for the last number of years. We have been successful in Waterford in tackling the issue of vacancy and dereliction. Ms Vallone mentioned in her contribution the benefits of a public-private collaborative approach to this issue. That is what has worked well in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

John Cummins: On specific targets for repair and lease, will the Department set a specific target for local authorities? This is an issue I have raised ad nauseam. I do not know why there would be resistance to putting specific targets on local authorities under this scheme. It is the only measure local authorities will respond to. If eight local authorities have not delivered a single unit and 22 have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

John Cummins: I am sure it will be a recommendation of the committee. I would ask that, prior to that happening, it be expedited as an action. It is one that can be easily actioned.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jan 2022)

John Cummins: I take the opportunity to speak about Rescue 117 and the search and rescue base at Waterford Airport. Since the pre-qualification questionnaire for the new contract was published prior to Christmas, there has been a considerable amount of speculation and an understandable concern expressed within the south east regarding the likely configuration of operations when the new contract is...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2021)

John Cummins: I stated on Committee Stage that everyone in this House supports good environmental practices, and in this case having protected marine life, but at the same time we have to acknowledge and be honest that delays occur as a result of challenges. It was indicated on Committee Stage by the Member on my left that he was already aware this legislation which we were still in the process of...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2021)

John Cummins: That is accurate. I suggest the Senator check the record. The main point I am making is nobody is suggesting we restrict people's right to be able to take challenges. However, we need to be honest and upfront with the public as to the consequences of such challenges. We can all speak about meeting our targets in terms of wind energy, etc., but we cannot get to those targets if...

Seanad: Live Industry Supports: Statements (16 Dec 2021)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister to the House and this is a debate that many of us requested last week. I thank the Minister and the Leader for facilitating statements this evening on a critical topic. The Minister is aware the live theatre, arts and events industry has had what can only be described as a torrid 20 months.The impact of closures, curtailments, restricted audiences, social distancing...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

John Cummins: I will comment briefly on amendment No. 3. Nobody disagrees with the importance of public consultation, but significant periods are set out statutorily in the legislation for that. To select periods, such as the first two weeks in August, as the periods in which consultation is not allowed is not appropriate. While the first two weeks in August might not suit certain people, they might...