Results 25,661-25,680 of 26,857 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2012)

David Cullinane: The Senator is referring to the bankers. Can he move on?

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2012)

David Cullinane: Next year, we will mark the centenary of the 1913 lockout. In recent months and years, we have had a number of high profile cases of workers engaging in sit-ins to demand their just entitlements. They included employees of Waterford Crystal and TalkTalk in my constituency, and Game and Vita Cortex elsewhere. While some of these cases have been resolved, many of them have left a sour taste...

Seanad: Harbour Charges (10 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, to the House. I wish to raise the matter of the draft fishery harbour centres rates and charges order 2012. The order will see charges for yachts and commercial vessels berthing in any of the State's main fishing harbours increase by up to 800%. I understand the harbour in Dunmore East, County Waterford, will have to apply such charges. Due...

Seanad: Harbour Charges (10 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I understand that the consultation process has just ended and that no decision has been made. Therefore, I respect the fact that he does not have the decisions and outcomes of the consultation process yet. He mentioned in his speech that the Minister is seeking to balance the running costs of harbours against the impact that any increase in...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences Against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister back to the House and thank him for getting me onto the programme "The Week in Politics" last week. It is not often a Member of the Seanad makes his or her way onto it. Everybody in the House would accept that the State and many institutions within it have failed children for many years. We are aware of a litany of failures in child protection and a number of high...

Seanad: Protection of Children's Health from Tobacco Smoke Bill 2012: Second Stage (9 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I commend the Senators involved, especially Senator John Crown, for bringing forward this important Bill. My party supports the motivation behind it. The smoking ban has been a great success and, undoubtedly, improved public health and our living environment. The Bill seeks to extend it. We have a number of difficulties with parts of it which must be teased out. We share some of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2012)

David Cullinane: Sticking to the theme of groupthink, we certainly had that in this House in recent weeks when we had discussions on the austerity treaty. There were 56 in favour and four against the treaty in this House, but that is not a reflection of events outside the Chamber in this State or across Europe. Looking at the elections in France, Greece, Germany and Italy, people voted against austerity and...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2012)

David Cullinane: Despite what Members on the Government side might say, they have lambasted those of us on the left who have called for a stimulus and growth strategy in recent years.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2012)

David Cullinane: Which of the pre-election commitments will the Government implement? Will it be the €7 billion stimulus promised by Fine Gael to invest in energy or the strategic investment bank of €2.8 promised by the Labour Party, or will it be the €7 billion stimulus we have called for, where we can use money from the National Pensions Reserve Fund?

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2012)

David Cullinane: Following those elections in Europe, and the fact the people in those countries are now clearly opposed to austerity and support a strategy of growth, it is important the people of this country do likewise and reject this flawed, bad treaty. It is important this House debates the meaning of a growth agenda for the people of this State and the people of Europe.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2012)

David Cullinane: In the Assembly-----

Seanad: Community Education (2 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, for coming to the House to take this Adjournment matter. I draw to the Minister's attention a project which operates in County Waterford, Ballybeg community education project, which has been in place for many years. It provides a useful and worthwhile service for many young people who live in a so-called disadvantaged area in...

Seanad: Community Education (2 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister, Deputy Shatter, for taking this Adjournment debate and for expressing his support and his intention to bring the information I provided back to the relevant Minister. Of course, in the current climate it is difficult to be asked to ring-fence funding or insulate any project but as the Minister noted, this is a serious issue. This project is providing a very worthwhile...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 May 2012)

David Cullinane: With the indulgence of the Acting Chairman I do not intend to contribute again on this Bill because my party fully supports the Bill. If I may take this opportunity to commend Senator Bacik on bringing this Bill forward, it shows the-----

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I accept that, but I did ask for the Chair's indulgence.

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (2 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I commend Senator Bacik on this Bill and it shows again the usefulness of this House that we can bring forward Bills which are given Government support. I thank the Minister and the Government for supporting the Bill. I understand that most of the amendments which have been tabled have actually come from the Government and from Senator Bacik and that they are technical amendments. My party...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 May 2012)

David Cullinane: Last September this House passed a Labour Party motion that was supported by Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Independents and, of course, the Labour Party itself. It proposed that greater protections be instituted for employees facing collective redundancy and that the Government review existing legislation to examine whether a longer notice period than 30 days should be provided by...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 May 2012)

David Cullinane: During the same debate, Senator Marie Moloney criticised the inordinate delays which faced applicants for entitlements under the insolvency fund but yesterday the same Labour Party Minister of State said he believed the relevant current legislative provisions provide an adequate level of support for employees who find themselves in a position where their employer has become insolvent. I do...

Seanad: Employment Support Services (1 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. I wish to draw her attention to the eligibility for the ICT skills programme 2012. Many such programmes require workers to be unemployed for a time before qualifying for the retention of their social welfare payments, which can create problems for many people. I wish to read out a letter written by the local office manager in my county to...

Seanad: Employment Support Services (1 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I will not delay the Minister at all. The confusion is due to the fact that the letter stated the applicant should be in receipt of jobseeker's benefit for at least six months in order to qualify, but it is actually a minimum period of 78 days in the preceding six months. I imagine it was a misinterpretation of the intention. If I forward the particulars of the person's circumstances, the...