Results 1-20 of 1,741 for speaker:John Cummins

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2020)

John Cummins: I do. A Chathaoirligh, can I congratulate you as well at the outset? This is my first time speaking in the House. It is a great honour to be elevated to the role of Cathaoirleach and I wish you the best with it. Tomorrow marks a significant milestone for Waterford city and the south-east region. A planning decision will issue for a transformative 125,000 sq. m mixed-use development on...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Jul 2020)

John Cummins: I wish to raise an important issue that has been brought to my attention in my new role as Fine Gael spokesperson on housing, heritage and local government. It relates to the exemption from planning permission that was introduced in February 2018 by the then Minister of State at the Department Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy English, where there is a proposed change of views...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Jul 2020)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister with responsibility for higher education, Deputy Harris, for the significant announcement made yesterday of a €168 million package of supports for further and higher education institutions and students. The package of supports includes €15 million in funding to purchase laptops and devices to enable the most disadvantaged students to continue their...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Second Stage (24 Jul 2020)

John Cummins: I join colleagues in welcoming the Minister to the House. I wish him the best in his new role in what remains a challenging time for the country in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this important Bill, which seeks to expand on a phased basis eligibility for free GP care for children aged under 13 and to increase the income limits...

Seanad: Education: Statements (28 Jul 2020)

John Cummins: Yes, with Senators Seery Kearney and Ahearn.

Seanad: Education: Statements (28 Jul 2020)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister for coming to the House to listen to and consider the contributions of Senators on this very important topic. Like her, until recently I was a physical education teacher in a classroom in a secondary school so I would like to think I can bring something to this debate. For some of the time available to me I would like to concentrate on the logistics of operating...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Sep 2020)

John Cummins: I raise the issue of school transport, though I know it is proposed to have a debate on it next Thursday. I have been dealing with a particular family in west Waterford who, due to connectivity issues and through no fault of their own, submitted a late application for school transport for their three children, two of whom received a seat on the school bus last year. Bus Éireann has...

Seanad: Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Sep 2020)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House again. It is fantastic to have a Minister of State who is also a Seanad colleague in the House presenting the Bill. While some on the opposite side of the House have been criticising the Minister of State for the haste with which she has brought forward the Bill, I commend her and her officials on the speed and haste in bringing forward the Bill....

Seanad: Safe Reopening of Tertiary Sector and Key Priorities for Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Statements (24 Sep 2020)

John Cummins: I will try to be as brief as possible. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and wish him the very best in his new role. The establishment of the new Department is very welcome. It is a great step forward for the sector. In the face of Covid, it will probably be one of the most important Departments. Many people will require upskilling and retraining to fill the gaps that will...

Seanad: School Transport, Leaving Certificate 2020 and Reopening of Schools: Statements (24 Sep 2020)

John Cummins: I pay tribute to the Minister, the Department, principals, teachers, caretakers, office staff, cleaning staff and boards of management across the school system who have done Trojan work to get the system back up and running, and continue to do so. I wish to raise two issues. I am not sure if the Minister referred to the first one in her opening remarks, but it relates to schoolbags. In...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. The Covid-19 crisis has had a devastating effect on many thousands of companies and employees throughout the State. To assist with the dramatic fall-off in revenue, the previous Government approved the introduction of the temporary wage subsidy scheme, TWSS, which has had a hugely positive impact in keeping employees linked with their...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I appreciate the Minister of State's response, but I would like him to consider those sectors with particular cash flow issues, namely, tourism and hospitality. People in those sectors are mainly paid on a weekly basis. While I appreciate that people who are paid on a monthly basis are not facing this scenario, the very businesses that we are trying to assist have a cash flow issue and are...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: Exactly.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister of State.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I do not think that was my issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: The affordability schemes warrant a discussion separate from the legislative proposals that may come in because committee members will have ideas and suggestions to make. There are many ideas and suggestions as to how best to provide affordable housing solutions throughout the State. It would be helpful if members could feed into that process and perhaps with officials from the Department...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: We should include all of them because, as Senator Fitzpatrick has just said, there are a vast array of schemes on offer, some of which are not being utilised anywhere and some of which are being utilised effectively in other parts.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: Are we tied to that time, given that we were not in the room?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I will continue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: The rest of the issues have not been covered. The national differential rent scheme is something that was proposed or promised four or five years ago when we amalgamated our councils to make Waterford City and County Council. There were three different rent schemes and we did not amalgamate them because we were told there was one coming. It did not come so I want to know where that is...