Results 25,281-25,300 of 26,857 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Homophobic Bullying: Statements (25 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: I am filling in for Senator Reilly and did not intend to speak this evening. I am taking the opportunity to do so, however, because it is an important issue. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and the fact that we are having a debate on this issue. Many of the main points have been made. The most obvious point we should make is that we must all offer leadership on this issue....

Seanad: Homophobic Bullying: Statements (25 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: I am filling in for Senator Reilly and did not intend to speak this evening. I am taking the opportunity to do so, however, because it is an important issue. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and the fact that we are having a debate on this issue. Many of the main points have been made. The most obvious point we should make is that we must all offer leadership on this issue....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Ground Rents Abolition (25 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wish to raise the issue of ground rents, a long-standing issue for many individuals and families in the State. Ground rents are something of an oddity and an anomaly, but they do not comprise a benign anomaly. They are, in effect, a hangover from a colonial past. It is shameful that, almost 100 years since the proclamation of the Irish...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Ground Rents Abolition (25 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I will be helpful and suggest something. The most obvious and achievable step is to pass legislation in order that the one eighth of the land's value that is due on the expiry of a lease can be reviewed downwards as well as upwards and lowered to a number close to zero so as to negate the value. After a year or so, ground rents would become...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: And only on that matter.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Reilly. I echo her points on the need for a full debate in the House on youth unemployment. We await the Leader's response to determine whether we will press the amendment. I raise the issue mentioned by Senator Barrett, namely, an unpublished report on third and fourth level education that is still sitting on the...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: They created the battle groups.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: Fianna Fáil wanted to support a European army.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: We all agree with that.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: In recent days there was a debate in the Dáil on the health service and, more important, the performance of the Minister for Health. A motion of no confidence was tabled. While the Minister may have survived that motion it is fair to say he was given the yellow card, not from Opposition Members but by the failure of his own Minister of State, Deputy Róisín Shortall, in her contribution,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Road Network (19 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. The reality, however, is that local authorities will find it very difficult to raise the extra money locally given the constraints on their already limited revenue streams, including rates. The bottom line is that they require the support of central Government, particularly in respect of their roads programmes. I accept that the Government has a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Road Network (19 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: The Minister of State has indicated that he is a keen fan of sailing. If he had been in west Waterford during the month of August, he would, in the aftermath of the heavy rainfall, have needed a boat to make his way around certain parts of the area. This matter relates to the impact of said rainfall on the roads in west Waterford. On 12 August extensive damage was caused to roads in the...

Seanad: Charities Act 2009: Motion (19 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and commend the Labour Party Members for tabling this motion. As other Members have stated, we all want to put on record our appreciation and recognition of the good work carried out by charities in all our communities across the State and across the island of the Ireland. The work is unquantifiable in monetary terms and it is often said that...

Seanad: Charities Act 2009: Motion (19 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: The Minister of State should vote "No" in the referendum to abolish the Seanad when it is held.

Seanad: Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: I want to make a broad point but I am sticking to the section. I accept what the Minister of State says in respect of the balance that must be struck in terms of new drugs that come on the market, the cost of these drugs and the overall health budget. I welcome the statement that where possible and practical these drugs will be made available to the people who need them. If we are to make...

Seanad: Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State. Sinn Féin supports the Bill. My party has not tabled amendments at this point, but we are considering a number of possible amendments which we may table in the Dáil. We support the Bill because any measure which leads to the State saving considerable amounts of money must be welcomed. I support the notion of putting in place clear and detailed...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2012)

David Cullinane: I join previous speakers in welcoming everybody back after the summer break. I also welcome the publication of the wording for the children's rights referendum, which my party will support. Senator McAleese made a profound contribution when he spoke about the relevance of this House and the role we can play. There is no doubt that over the past year or so, this House had done a lot of...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2012)

David Cullinane: I commend the Minister on the amendments. It is important we ensure that in seeking to reform this area, we make it as accountable as possible. The Minister has gone a long way and he is to be commended on the changes that are being introduced. Anything that can increase accountability and oversight is vital. I might come back to the issue of corporate donations under amendments Nos. 6...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the amendments but seek clarification on a number of issues from the Minister. Up to now the practice has been that political parties could make their annual accounts available, though they were not required to do so. In the context of these amendments, are we talking about every branch of a political party? If that is what is being proposed, it would be useful. The only...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (20 Jul 2012)

David Cullinane: Can I ask ---