Results 3,081-3,100 of 26,396 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Health Identifiers Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister of State for bringing forward this Bill. It passed through the Seanad very quickly but that is not a reflection of the importance of the Bill; the cross-party support is an indication of the Bill's importance. It seeks to make the health services more efficient - which we all want - and make them more effective for patients and patient care. That is essentially what...

Seanad: Recent Flooding: Statements (12 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for visiting the many places affected by the worst of the flooding in the past few weeks. I am sure it was appreciated by the victims of the flood damage. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government visited County Waterford also. The coastal areas of the south west, south and south east are taking a battering. There are...

Seanad: Political Reform: Motion (12 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I have no difficulty in sharing time but it would have been helpful if the Leader of the House had extended the debate for a few minutes to enable all of us to speak. That in itself shows up the mockery of political reform. I represent three Senators in this House, yet I have only three minutes in which to make a contribution on political reform. The Government is saying it wants ideas and...

Seanad: Political Reform: Motion (12 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I am using my time to show up the ridiculous nature of political reform. The Leader sits there and says he is in favour of reform, but will not extend the debate by five or ten minutes. It does not make any sense, unless he does not want to listen to all shades of opinion in this House. I have no difficulty in sharing time with Senator Crown because he has been innovative in using the...

Seanad: Political Reform: Motion (12 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: One can talk all one wants about reform, what the Government has implemented and what it claims are successes. The reality is, however, that as long as central government and the Executive refuse to cede power to the Dáil, Seanad or local government, we will always have only piecemeal reform. We will only be ameliorating the system around the edges, but will not have the reform we...

Seanad: Political Reform: Motion (12 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I did not interrupt the Senator. The Government tried to abolish the Seanad while cutting the number of Deputies and councillors, but there has been no real reform or devolution of power. When we debated the Local Government Bill, I challenged the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to indicate one power that has been devolved by any Department to local government....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospital Staff (12 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister to the House, as he is a frequent visitor when taking Adjournment motions relating to Waterford Regional Hospital. I have tabled this matter on the back of a parliamentary question asked by my colleague, Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, a couple of weeks ago regarding staffing levels at Waterford Regional Hospital from 2007 to 2014. The HSE provided those...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospital Staff (12 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I very much hope that the hospital groups will work for all hospitals in the region. I look forward to working with the new CEO and chairperson of the group in the south west and the south east. I welcome the announcement of recruitment in a number of areas, including for nurses, NCHDs, hospital consultants and health and social care professionals, and intern places for health support...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: Many Senators have referred to the controversy concerning the section 38 and section 39 organisations funded by the State but in respect of which we have not had full accountability and transparency. I agree with the Government party Senators who have called for that accountability because there should be no secrecy when it comes to the salaries of any organisation which is partly funded by...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I want to join with Senators Landy, Whelan and Kelly and the others who raised the issue of the need for a debate on energy policy. We have all been calling for that debate to happen in this House over recent weeks and months. There is a bizarre situation where we have a Minister with responsibility for this area who is not listening to public representatives in government or opposition....

Seanad: Mental Health Services Provision: Motion (19 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: A lot of Senators have indicated a wish to contribute to the debate.

Seanad: Mental Health Services Provision: Motion (19 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House, as well as all those in the Visitors Gallery who have come to listen to this debate. I do not envy the Minister’s job. It is always a difficult job when one has to balance competing demands. I have listened very carefully to this debate. I have listened to people from both the Government and Opposition over the past hour and a half. I...

Seanad: Mental Health Services Provision: Motion (19 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I apologise. The reality is that if the beds are taken from Ballinasloe, it will be a loss to that area and community and I can understand its fears. I have listened to this debate for the past hour and a half. Even a number of Government Senators have talked about the criteria process, which they believe has not been applied fairly. I know they are from the constituency and are perhaps...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I join Senator Bacik and Senator Zappone in commending the work of the Constitutional Convention and calling for a debate in the House on the final report, which will be furnished to the Taoiseach by the chairman, Mr. Tom Arnold. If we have a debate, the Taoiseach should come to the Chamber. It would be a worthwhile debate with the Taoiseach. Many of the citizen delegates at the convention...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Job Creation (25 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. He may be aware that a couple of weeks ago there was again an announcement of more job losses in Waterford city from Honeywell Process Solutions. The unemployment figure in Waterford and in the south east is still way above the national average. It is over a year since I published the Southeast Economic Development Strategy, or SEEDS report,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Job Creation (25 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: I do not doubt the Minister's support for the south east and know that he is aware of the problems in the region. However, the people who live in the south east and particularly in Waterford, will not be clapping the Government on the back, given the very high levels of unemployment in the county. I spoke about levelling the playing field and making sure that a number of promises contained...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: There is an important debate taking place in the Dáil on the future of the post office network in the State and I understand a protest will take place outside Leinster House today organised by the Irish Postmasters' Union and the Communication Workers' Union. Over the past week a number of Senators called for a debate on this issue and I echo those calls today. The Grant Thornton...

Seanad: Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013: Second Stage (26 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: Dreadful.

Seanad: Parental Leave Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: Senator MacSharry fully agrees.

Seanad: Parental Leave Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Feb 2014)

David Cullinane: Yes, last week.