Results 221-240 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I thought the clarity of the statement was excellent.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I said they are not approaching the real cost. The public should be well informed in this regard.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: Some 55 projects have been delivered nationally.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: The Senator should not make comments without foundation.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: It has gone into the environment—

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: The comments of Opposition Senators almost fill me with despair because this is the sort of argument to which I have been listening throughout the country for the past ten years. The trouble with the argument is that there is not a semblance of leadership emerging either from the Fine Gael Party or the Labour Party on these issues. Both parties know that the law of this land and the European...

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I listened to the Senator with great patience when he lectured me. No Minister has given more time to this House recently and when I respond to Senators, I know what the issues are. The Senator berated me about his own county the other day. However, I did some research and found that all the issues he brought up were the responsibility of his own inertia and ineptitude when making decisions...

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: Instead of arguing on the point of a pin head, I might have expected the Senator to say that there is a crisis in this country in regard to the waste management strategy. The Senator and his colleagues write to me each day seeking money for X, Y and Z facilities. My Department and I are willing to put enormous resources into this strategy.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I will be honest with the public and explain that there are four elements to delivery of the best waste management system. These are prevention and minimisation, recycling, landfill and thermal treatment or incineration. That is now in place and the Senator need not think that after years of struggle to achieve it I will allow every local authority to overturn it by the end of the year as...

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: The Senator is part of the local government system that has put these plans in place. When I was appointed Minister last summer an option put before me was the immediate establishment of the national waste management board. I could have done that but it would have meant a delay of another two or three years during which more reports would be commissioned and more appeals would be made. I...

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I have €50 million at my disposal to spend immediately.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: As I said on another occasion, I could never accuse Fine Gael of sitting on the fence – the party is capable of straddling both sides of it at the same time.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: Do not draw me out. It is interesting to note—

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: It would be helpful if I made clear what the Labour and Fine Gael parties propose.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: The Senator should come up with something more original than that one. It is a bit well-worn at this stage.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: This is typical of Fine Gael at the moment which does not have an original thought between all its members. (Interruptions).

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: Both parties favour the full charging of economic operators but propose the abolition of household waste charges for segregated waste – which would somehow be collected, managed and looked after free of charge. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Either we recognise that there are laws which we must all adhere to, and that we are going to do something about the waste crisis or we are not.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: They will jump for political reasons at the notion of waste charges, as per usual.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: That is the only way they will go. When in a hole, reach into the bag, pull out the usual old trick—

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: —and start talking nonsense about waste.