Results 24,801-24,820 of 26,834 for speaker:David Cullinane

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (12 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: I have one caveat. I seek a briefing on the findings of the EU committee on social rights which found, or judged, that Ireland was in breach of the European Social Charter and of European employment law. That committee is an independent legal body tasked with judging whether the State is in compliance with the charter and existing EU employment law. If it has found us to be in breach it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (12 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: One could argue that it is not separate if it deals with the issuing of EU-wide guidelines on employment rights. We will not be pedantic about it.

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I welcome the opportunity to discuss the role of research in contributing to knowledge in the economy. Even though it has a number of concerns, my party will not oppose the Bill. The Minister of State will see the concerns as genuine and may be able to address them in his response. I recognise that the Government has safeguarded, to an...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: The facts are very clear and are on the table for the people of this State. As many people went to bed last night they were worried about the emergency legislation being rushed through the Dáil and this House and its impact on them and their families. Yesterday was a day of high drama. It was also a day of chaos and farce because public representatives learned from Twitter and social...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: Yesterday all stages of legislation was rushed through the House in two hours and without an amendment being tabled by a Senator.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: It was done so that ¤31 billion of toxic banking debt would become sovereign debt and it is now to become the debt of the people of this country. When Senator Hayden says that we cannot say that the debt will be a burden on our children. What happened here last night was akin to somebody taking out a mortgage to pay their credit card. That is what happened.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: We are asking not just this generation but the next generation of young people here to pay back that debt.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: What we needed, and what we should have got, is what the Tánaiste said we had when he returned last June, namely a complete separation of banking debt from sovereign debt. Anything short of that is absolute fudge.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: It should not and cannot be accepted or celebrated by the people of the State.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: That is a weak argument and the Senator is on shaky ground.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: It is not our debt. The debt does not come from the people of this country.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: Does it all make perfect sense?

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: We make perfect sense.

Seanad: Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: -----workers and middle income workers who will be very worried about their jobs. I want to ask the Minister a simple question about the transfer of undertakings. Will they be covered?

Seanad: Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: Transfer of undertakings.

Seanad: Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: I must put to the Minister again the question of the 850 staff. I accept that when there is a transfer of assets to NAMA some staff may be re-employed by NAMA but in normal circumstances where a company takes over the workforce of an existing company, even in a liquidation situation, the transfer of undertakings applies for 12 months and their terms and conditions of employment are...

Seanad: Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: As the Minister knows, 500 people may lose their jobs tomorrow and some of them may be taken on by NAMA. Can the Minister confirm to this House that the people who will be taken on by NAMA, and I hope many of those workers will be taken on, will be covered by the transfer of undertakings and that their current wage levels will be protected? I am very concerned about the low paid workers-----

Seanad: Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Bill 2013: Second Stage (6 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: It is absolutely disgraceful, with respect, that the Sinn Féin Party is being given one and a half minutes to discuss a Bill as important as this. The Leader should hang his head in shame, the Minister should hang his head in shame and Senators in the House who support this situation should hang their heads in shame.

Seanad: Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Bill 2013: Second Stage (6 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: We are being asked to take a decision on one of the most important Bills to come into this House in the lifetime of the Seanad. As a party, we are being given one minute and 30 seconds to state our case. It is a disgrace. Senators should be ashamed of themselves.

Seanad: Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Bill 2013: Second Stage (6 Feb 2013)

David Cullinane: When he came into the House, the Minister questioned whether any Senator could give an example of a company that announced it would liquidate over a medium timeframe. Can the Minister give me an example of Bills that have been rammed through the Oireachtas at 4.30 a.m. without proper scrutiny and without amendment? Can he give me an example of that? No he cannot because it is not how we do...