Results 24,561-24,580 of 26,795 for speaker:David Cullinane
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Second Stage (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: I know that would affect the Minister in his pocket, but we will leave that to one side. The Government could also deal with real waste in the system. We know we are spending too much on branded drugs and could achieve considerably greater savings in that area.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Second Stage (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: When the Labour Party was in opposition it talked about eliminating waste in the system, but it has not done so. With a third rate of tax at 48% on incomes of over €100,000, a wealth tax and the standardisation of all tax reliefs, there are any amount of options. The problem is that the Minister is not prepared to listen, which shows the Government's arrogance. It has contempt for...
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Second Stage (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: -----Labour Party Members will reap what they have sown from the people they have betrayed and let down by doing what they have done since coming into government.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Second Stage (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: Senator Bacik's Government is creating the misery.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Second Stage (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: We are dealing in reality and Senator Bacik will get it when she is on the doorsteps.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Second Stage (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: They were shouting me down.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: I agree with the previous speakers. I was not going to involve myself in this debate as I was waiting until the next section but there is a point to be made about the extraordinary powers which have been given to the Minister and the Government in regard to these pay cuts and the other measures in the Bill. I am the workers' rights spokesperson for my party and part of my responsibility was...
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: The Minister said earlier one cannot escape the working class. I do not know whether he was including himself in not being part of the working class but I would look at it a bit differently.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: I would look at it a bit differently from the Minister. I look at this on the basis of whether it is economically-----
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: As I said earlier, we can look back at a whole raft of promises the Minister's party made in opposition. The Minister raised the issue of us seeking votes.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: The Minister is being entirely disingenuous. I know for a fact that if he was sitting where we are sitting now in opposition and this Bill was being brought forward by a different Government, he would not support it. I do not know any Bill which cuts the wages-----
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: This is about the section and the powers being given to the Minister. If a different Government brought forward a Bill such as this which gave the powers to a different Minister and a different Government, included provision to cut the pay of people on €65,000 and €100,000 and involved cuts to people's overtime rates and increments, the Minister would not support it. I do not...
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: The Minister talked about consequences for people who are in trade unions who may vote against the Haddington Road agreement. The membership of the CPSU, for example, is mainly composed of clerical workers, many of whom would be in the low to middle income brackets to which I referred earlier and will not be in the over €65,000 bracket. The reason those workers will say "No" to this...
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: I will let them vote. The leadership-----
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: The leadership of the CPSU is recommending a "No" vote.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: We will see what the outcome of the vote is but a "No" vote has been recommended, to put the point differently, because of the impact the agreement will have on those in the lower and middle income brackets not just in terms of pay cuts, but also the increment freezes, additional working hours and so forth. That is why the CPSU is recommending a "No" vote. I do not want to get into a Punch...
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: If the Minister is allowed to make a charge, then I must be allowed to respond to it.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: I will finish on this point. He talked about-----
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: The Minister spoke about sending the troika packing. It was not so long ago that it was Frankfurt's way or Labour's way.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 May 2013)
David Cullinane: What about that for a soundbite?