Results 24,301-24,320 of 26,795 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: The discussion of this section dominated many of the Second Stage contributions. Sections 9 and 10 are linked and we have tabled amendments to section 10 that also affect section 9. We will wait until we get to them. Section 9 cuts young people's jobseeker's rates. I reminded the Minister that when the previous Fianna Fáil-led Government cut dole payments for those aged under 25 in...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: I agree with a number of important points that have been made by Government Senators. Senator Moloney spoke about the scheme that is run by the credit unions and by SIPTU. As someone who is a member of a trade union and a member of a credit union, I think I am well covered.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: In the context of this cut and a number of other cuts we discussed earlier, the Minister has spoken about the exceptional needs payment as an option. The problem with that, as someone mentioned earlier, is that public representatives often have to make representations to community welfare officers about exceptional needs payments. Public representatives obviously must make representations...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: We dealt with this issue when dealing with section 4 which covered very similar points. It would not be helpful for any of us to re-hash the arguments. The Minister is aware of my position and that we oppose this section.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: I also made this argument on Second Stage. The bereavement grant was only a small assistance to bereaved families towards the cost of funerals. It is for workers who have a solid contributions record which goes back to a point that many of us made when we read through this Bill, that most of these cuts affect people who pay into the social insurance fund, through their pay related social...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: I also spoke against this section on Second Stage and indicated that I would oppose it on Committee Stage. The Minister will be aware of my party's opposition to this measure. The latest cut to maternity benefit comes on the back of reduced maternity benefits dating from 1 July this year. As the Minister knows, they were subject to tax. The majority of maternity benefit recipients will...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: I can submit the e-mails to the Minister so that she will see them. If those Senators did not get them, people may have felt they were wasting their time lobbying Government representatives. We certainly got the e-mails, however, and I can forward them to the Minister. I am sure she got them also. This is another cut that will impact on working mothers. It is wrong and I oppose it. I...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: I want to make one point on this issue. As we make progress through the various sections, I am sure the Minister will refer to the position north of the Border on more than one occasion. She made the point that these rates are set in the United Kingdom. It is unfortunate that the North is still part of the United Kingdom and that these rates are set by-----

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: I find it amazing that I can sit here and listen to Senators from the Labour Party and the Minister without interrupting them, but they do not seem to be able to show me the same respect. The point I am making is that the Assembly in the North does not have the power to change what the Minister has been talking about.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: Given that the rates are set by Westminster, perhaps she can explain how they might be changed by Sinn Féin or any party that is in government in the North. If we continue to have that debate, we will get sidetracked away from the real issue we are discussing here, namely, a Bill that will come into effect in this State and will affect people in this State. We should do the people who...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: I do not want to delay the debate on this issue because that are other important sections with which we need to deal. It is important to put on the record that I do not accept or consider it good enough for Senators or the Minister to point to the supplementary welfare allowance or the urgent needs payments as an alternative. That creates needless more bureaucracy for those involved....

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: I have every faith that there are alternatives. I am certain of one thing, namely, that if Senator Kelly was sitting where I am now in opposition, he would be opposing this measure.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: The Minister spoke at length but, with respect, she did not address many of the core concerns articulated by a number of Senators. The first point I made in my contribution is that we do not have a statutory sick pay scheme. That presents problems for all workers. If this section is passed, it will mean that some employees will suffer and lose three days illness benefit and some employers...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: I am opposing this section. The first point to make is that we do not have a statutory sick pay scheme in this State, unlike in most other countries. What we are dealing with here is a crude, cost-cutting measure. It is true that most workers will not be affected by it - public sector workers will be covered, as will a majority of private sector workers because their employers will pick up...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: The Minister did not respond to my question on PRSI contributions paid as part of income. I want them classed as contributions, thus providing an entitlement to social insurance contributions and benefits.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: This is one of the few sections we support and we will oppose the Fianna Fáil amendments for good reason. I welcome that more income is being subjected to PRSI, which will help build up the Social Insurance Fund. The logic is to have enough money to pay the benefits people obviously need and get, as a consequence of paying into the Social Insurance Fund. I believe all income should be...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: Were the Minister and her party in opposition, they would undoubtedly be opposing the Bill. I have no doubt about this because this again is an Fine Gael budget that is being supported by the Labour Party. As the Labour Party spokesperson for finance in 2010 and in response to the budget then introduced by Fianna Fáil, the Minister accused that party of introducing measures that...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2013)

David Cullinane: I second the call made by Senator O'Neill for a debate on the Grid Link project that affects the south east, west, midlands and north east with the North-South interconnector. We need a constructive debate. The Adjournment debate on the matter, which was taken by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, was anything but productive. He was very party-political and...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2013)

David Cullinane: I join my colleagues in offering condolences to the family of the late councillor, Gary Wyse, who was a friend of mine. I served on Waterford City Council for a number of years with Gary, sitting beside him for two of them. I was devastated yesterday when I received a telephone call from the city manager in Waterford informing me that Gary had passed away suddenly. He was one of the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Electricity Transmission Network (22 Oct 2013)

David Cullinane: There have been many public meetings in counties Waterford and Kilkenny and elsewhere about the proposed route. Does the Minister agree that tourism could be curtailed if the landscape is blighted with these pylons, especially in the Comeragh area in County Waterford? Does he further agree that householders and landowners could experience a reduction in the value of their properties if...