Results 1,681-1,700 of 7,765 for speaker:Maurice Cummins

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: It is.

Seanad: Care of the Elderly: Motion (9 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: I commend Senator MacSharry on tabling the motion. It is important to ensure the issue of older people remains on the political agenda. As previous speakers indicated, there is very little difference between the motion and the Government amendment. Senator Mooney has stated, however, that the matter will be put to a vote. I am of the view that the intent behind the amendment and the...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (9 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Bacik also spoke about the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013, with which we will be dealing following the Order of Business. As members will have noted, we have dealt over the past number of weeks in this House with a number of Private Members' Bills. I hope to progress these Bills and to schedule as many motions as possible for discussion over the coming months in...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (9 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Darragh O'Brien raised the question of the Dublin fire brigade and ambulance service. When the Government came to office in 2011, no targets were set for the ambulance service. The Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, has raised the bar annually in respect of response times, and for 2014 a new target has been set for 80% of life-threatening calls to be responded to in under 19...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No. 1, Employment Equality (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2013 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 11.45 a.m. and to be adjourned at 1 p.m if not previously concluded; No. 44, motion No. 10 re long-term care for the elderly, to be taken at 2 p.m. and to conclude not later than 4 p.m.; and No. 2, statements on the 2020 Strategy on the Irish Language (resumed), to be taken at 4...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (8 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business: "That No. 2 be taken at 5 p.m."

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: I do not have any information on that. I note the Senator's point regarding that judgment. If we can get further information on it, we will certainly come back to the House. Senators Moran and Hayden raised the closure of the Women's Aid office in Dundalk and the general issue of domestic violence. I know Senator Moran raised an item on the Adjournment regarding this subject. I suggest...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Darragh O'Brien has once again proposed an amendment to the Order of Business seeking to bring the Attorney General into the House. I repeat that a commission of investigation has been formed. Its terms of reference have been agreed at this stage. Mr. Justice Fennelly has been directed to report to the Government not later than 31 December 2014. I do not propose to accept the...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: I do not know whether the Senator wants to go back to that situation.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, has been to this House on many occasions to deal with the whole question of mental health. I believe she is addressing the situation in the best way she possibly can. The funding is in place. She has secured the funding. One does not change systems like this overnight. It does not happen. I believe the Minister of State is doing the very...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: People dreamed many years ago that this would happen. Perhaps we should dream that we might see something similar in the years ahead - I hope it is not too many years away - and that the Tricolour and the Union Flag might fly on the streets of the Shankill and indeed in west Belfast. That is unthinkable now, but what we are seeing today was unthinkable many years ago. Let us hope and dream...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: Senator Norris complimented Her Majesty the Queen on her part in ensuring this day would come about. She is certainly to be praised for that, as are all of the other actors in this regard, including former Presidents of this country. Senators Norris and Ó Clochartaigh spoke about the terms of reference, which I consider to be comprehensive and wide-ranging. That has been noted by...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: We now have a chorus among those opposite.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: The Order of Business is No. 1, Private Members' business, Building Control (Carbon Monoxide Protection) Bill 2014 - Second Stage, to be taken at 3.45 p.m. and conclude not later than 5.45 p.m.; and No. 2, Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013 - Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 5.45 p.m.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: For the fourth time in a row, a proposed amendment to the Order of Business requests that we bring the Attorney General to the House. On this fourth occasion, I will repeat that the Government has initiated a commission of inquiry investigation. The Fianna Fáil Party continues to play politics. I think the Fianna Fáil Members should quit doing this because they have done enough...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: The matter has been decided by the Houses of the Oireachtas when the motion of confidence was defeated in the Dáil. It should be left at that because I would hate to see the Members opposite doing more damage to themselves. Senators Darragh O'Brien, Mullins and O'Sullivan raised the question of online discount and savings offers from completesavings.ie.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: What I heard today was disturbing, as I had not heard of it, but from what the Senators have mentioned, I think it is absolutely despicable. Perhaps the forum to get further information on this from the Minister is to raise it on the Adjournment. I think such practices should be carefully examined. I am disappointed that State bodies would be involved in such schemes. Senator Bacik...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: Many more lines were closed down.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: I am glad the Senator is showing concern for something that might close down. The Fianna Fáil Party closed down lines many years ago without any recourse to the public. The lines are now gone, so it does make any difference what year it was.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Apr 2014)

Maurice Cummins: The Senator is off track again.