Results 25,681-25,700 of 26,857 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Employment Support Services (1 May 2012)

David Cullinane: Five days per week in one month still adds up to 20-something days. I think it is actually three months.

Seanad: Employment Support Services (1 May 2012)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: I move amendment No. 9: In page 25, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following: 'Green Fund' is a guaranteed and interest bearing fund to be established by the government to promote energy efficiency and create jobs;". Amendments Nos. 9 and 10 are grouped so I will speak to both of them. They provide for investment in reliable investments such as Government bonds, which is useful for...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the constructive criticisms from Senators Mooney and Darragh O'Brien and note the predictable responses from Senator Harte and the Labour Party Members.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: It is interesting that it is the two Labour Party Senators who disagree with what has been called for by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, which is very similar to what Sinn Féin proposes. Senator Harte made the interesting point that the Government cannot currently borrow money, which is true. We cannot borrow money because investors do not have confidence in Ireland or in what the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: The Labour Party must have organised in the North during the past number of months-----

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: -----which is something I missed. The Senator's party leader said that Ireland would be back to the bond markets in less than two years.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: Yes.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: No, that is what the Senator Harte's party leader said. The Senator said the opposite, namely, that no one will lend to us.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: Senator Harte is full of contradictions.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: The truth is in the opinion polls which have been quite consistent. The Labour Party should look at them. That is where the truth is.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: I ask the Minister to look at the merit of what we are calling for. People can disagree around whether pension companies can be compelled to invest. We are calling for a guaranteed and interest bearing green fund.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: It is typical of the Minister to be flippant about jobs and the need for this country to get people back to work. The Minister knows exactly what we are talking about, which is a green fund in the sense of a fund for Ireland to get people back to work, one which will enable us do much of what was in the Labour Party's pre-election manifesto, including the retrofit programme. The Labour...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: The Minister might spell out when and how it will work. The Labour Party also said it would put in place a retrofit programme which would get people back to work. I hope the Minister will appreciate the logic behind the amendment. We need to be creative and to think outside the box. There was constructive criticism of the legality of the amendments in terms of whether it is possible to...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: I would also ask the Minister to remove the section. My understanding is that under this section people will not get the mortgage interest supplement for the first 12 months of the arrears. A previous speaker mentioned FLAC. It also noted that by denying any access to mortgage interest supplement for 12 months from the date arrears arise, inevitably many borrowers in trouble will come out...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: I oppose section 16. When the Minister launched the Pathways to Work scheme, she stated: "I am trying to ensure that people don't find the security of the social welfare system more attractive than the risky world of work." This sits with the Minister's own lexicon when she used the term, "lifestyle choices" recently. This rationale ignores the reality that employers have been forced to...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: I move amendment No. 8: In page 8, to delete lines 33 to 51, to delete page 9 and in page 10, to delete lines 1 to 26 As the Minister is aware, this is essentially the same as section 4 with the exception that it relates to the transitional arrangements where categories of children may fall between stools because of their age. I accept we are making the same point again but I call on the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: We do not like large elements of the Constitution. We are having a constitutional convention to undo many of the negative parts of the Constitution. I do not support the wording above but the thrust of it and the logic behind it is that parents should not be forced to go out to work to the detriment of caring for their children. Has consideration been given to this provision in the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: I will withdraw the amendment given the Minister's response but we will oppose the section.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: I support that viewpoint and ask the Minister to provide some clarification. In my Second Stage contribution I mentioned that I would also support the introduction of a separate Bill dealing with pensions, although I know this Bill deals with certain elements, including defined pensions and so on. Earlier when the Minister of State, Deputy John Perry, was in the House, I mentioned an EU...