Results 2,621-2,640 of 26,396 for speaker:David Cullinane
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: Are we still finishing at 9 p.m? Are we taking 15 minutes from this discussion?
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: On a point of order, I was twice ruled out of order when I made general points about water charges. I bowed to the rulings of the two previous occupants of the Chair and I waited until the section was discussed. I hope I am not prevented from contributing when others raise similar points, as that would be unfair.
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: That is the problem. The rotation of chairpersons means rulings are being lost.
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: It could be third time lucky in the context of the figures and I might get an answer on this occasion. I hate repeating myself but I want to go back over the figures again so we are all clear about how much money the Government hopes to generate for the water system, because that will determine the charge. Whether an ability to pay clause is included in the legislation is a separate issue....
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: I am raising these matters because they are connected to the charges and to the question of ability to pay. I insist that I be allowed to make my point this time, because that is only fair. There is a real fear that what we saw with other charges will also happen in this case. Water charges will be brought in with a certain level of subvention for a period of time, but then the full cost...
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: I am sticking to the amendment. The amendment-----
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: I cannot deal with one tax in isolation and not refer to all of the other taxes. I am sorry, but I have been far too accepting of previous rulings of the Chair. This is about whether-----
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: I am simply making the point that this amendment relates to whether there will be an ability to pay element to this charge. We cannot have a discussion about this charge in isolation and not refer to all the other charges that people have been asked to pay by this and the previous Government. It is impossible. We must set the context for the introduction of this charge. The context is, as...
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: I do not accept that.
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: I will finish with this point for now. We are trying to confine the debate in a very narrow way-----
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: I understand that, but-----
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: I understand that, but I must say that in this debate, more than in any other Committee Stage debate in which I have participated, there has been an attempt by the Chair to confine debate, which is unhelpful. I do not believe it is possible to have a discussion on one charge in isolation from other charges or other issues. That does not make sense and has hampered our ability to have a...
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: Good luck with selling that one.
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: We will come back to Senator Cummins on that point.
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: It is in the spirit of the-----
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: I will be allowed to reply because I was ruled out of order when I raised the issue. Members want to be able to respond.
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: We will pay here too by the time the Government is finished.
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: It was a bit disingenuous of the Minister of State to claim people are playing games when the Government is asking us to buy a pig in a poke. We do not know exactly what the level of the charge will be. We do not know whether there will be an ability to pay clause. We know it is the intention of the Government, as Senator Ó Domhnaill stated, to apply over time the full cost of water...
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: I will not argue. That is what was said.
- Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Dec 2013)
David Cullinane: The Senator used the words "down here".