Results 25,701-25,720 of 26,857 for speaker:David Cullinane

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

David Cullinane: My understanding of this section is similar to that of Senator Moloney. The section provides for the phased introduction from April 2013 to April 2015 of an increase in the number of contributions which a person must make prior to becoming a voluntary contributor. However, I have difficulty with the logic of this provision. The problem is that we are on the one hand making it more...

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

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister to the House for this important debate. A number of Senators have mentioned lone parents on Second Stage and the need for proper child care. In the Dáil the Minister mentioned that there was a need for the Government to move on the issue of providing child care, and this would be linked to changes in the thresholds, particularly in reducing the age limit from 14...

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

David Cullinane: I am making the point in case the Minister argues that we are making amendments to section 1 but we are opposed to section 4. I am setting out our context. We have listened to the Minister's comments in the Dáil and it seems she will go ahead with her plans to reduce the qualifying criteria to the youngest child being seven years old. The Minister could accept amendments Nos. 3 and 4. We...

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

David Cullinane: I should say that last night I cracked a back tooth and am finding it difficult to speak. It is very painful.

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

David Cullinane: It is painful to speak but it may also be painful for those on the other side of the House when I do so.

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

David Cullinane: I apologise for my speech impediment. We all want to stand by the people who are vulnerable and try to make life as comfortable as possible for themselves and their families. We know lone parents are a vulnerable group which should be protected. For example, when the Labour Party was in opposition it opposed moves by Fianna Fáil to reduce the age threshold from 18 years to 14 years.

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

David Cullinane: I accept that. The Labour Party opposed the measure and it must be even more difficult for Fianna Fáil Senators to sit here and have to listen to the Minister justify reducing the age threshold to seven years. She opposed the policy which the previous Government introduced. I hope the Minister will accept the bona fides of the arguments being put forward not just by Opposition parties but...

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

David Cullinane: Fianna Fáil will not be around for us to go into coalition with - the party will be extinct.

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

David Cullinane: The Senator is giving some context to the debate.

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

David Cullinane: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: Amendments Nos. 8 and 21 seem to remove the reference to "comparable employees", as the Minister stated. They provide that entitlements would exist only by reference to the work employees are undertaking. Could the Minister clarify exactly the logic of this? I probably support his intention but I want to be crystal clear about it. Let me refer again to the Swedish derogation, which we...

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: Can the Cathaoirleach clarify as to why amendment No. 12 could be considered a charge on the taxpayer?

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: However, it excludes those assigned to the public sector.

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

David Cullinane: Amendments Nos. 2, 3 and 4 could be discussed together and amendments Nos. 6 and 7 could be discussed separately.

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

David Cullinane: A number of people have mentioned lone parents. This category has certainly been targeted in the budget. Let us consider some of the changes that have affected those in receipt of one-parent family payment: a reduction in the income disregard from €146.50 to €130, a reduction in the cut-off age of the youngest child to seven years, and the stopping of CE scheme payments. They are also...

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

David Cullinane: The Labour Party opposed that at the time but now it is to reduce the age limit to seven years. It is wrong. I refer the House to a number of submissions made by the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed. It is particularly concerned about a proposed new section of the Bill, section 8(12), which deals with mortgage interest supplement, and is seeking for this amendment to be...

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

David Cullinane: The Minister of State knows well that those rates are set by the British Government. He should take up the matter with it.

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

David Cullinane: We cannot change the rates. Until we have a majority at Westminster, we cannot change them.

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

David Cullinane: The Minister of State has zero understanding. He is an embarrassment, with no view of how the North works. He is an embarrassment to the Government.

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

David Cullinane: That is nonsense.