Results 801-820 of 26,394 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: School Staffing (15 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: Everyone accepts that we need value for money in the public service but that should not be used as a cloak to take teaching posts from some of the most disadvantaged schools in the State. I will outline the impact these cuts will have on schools in Waterford. A number of principals contacted me in recent days and meetings are being arranged with Oireachtas Members next week so their...

Seanad: School Staffing (15 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: In his response, the Minister stated the Department would hold in reserve a number of teaching posts to reduce the impact of changes on schools most acutely affected. While I welcome and support this measure, the Minister should replace the word "reserve" with the word "replace", which is what is necessary. As for the statement he made that consideration must be given to the effect of...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: On behalf of the Sinn Féin Party, I extend my appreciation to the Captain of the Guard, the ushers, the clerks of the Seanad, all the staff, the group leaders and all Members for their support. I would also like to single out the Leader of the House who has given my party tremendous support since we have come in here, in spite of some early turbulence in trying to get speaking time....

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: I try to mention Waterford every day on the Order of Business, so that is my opportunity today. One of the good new departures of the Seanad has been the public consultation process. We should focus on two issues early next year through that process. The first is dealing with poverty. Many Members have spoken about homeless people and people who will have a very troubling time over the...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: I wish all Senators a happy new year and I genuinely hope it will be a good year for everybody. Unfortunately, we know this will be a tough year for many. It could be the toughest year yet, socially and economically. The budget cuts announced last year are starting to bite, the end of year Exchequer returns showed that the tax take for the year was down on what was expected and 445,000...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: Will he give a commitment to take statements on a number of important issues? For example, a number of Members called for statements on the retail sector. I strongly believe that sector will have its toughest year in 2012. The 2% VAT increase will devastate many small shops across the State. We all sympathise with the workers in Vita Cortex but the problem is once inability to pay clauses...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: We need statements on jobs, health and education.

Seanad: Suicide Prevention: Statements (12 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister to the House. I am very pleased this is one of the debates we were able to secure in the early stages of this year. I know it is very difficult for the Leader to arrange statements and debates on the first week of the term but our achieving it on this important issue shows the sense of purpose and interest that exists across all parties and among Independents in...

Seanad: Community Employment Schemes (12 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton. We had a short discussion on this issue in the context of the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill last year but I tabled this matter on the Adjournment to discuss the impact of the community employment, CE, scheme cuts and specifically the impact the cut in the material and training allowance will have on a number of CE schemes...

Seanad: Community Employment Schemes (12 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the stakeholder consultation review and the fact the sponsors, participants and supervisors will form part of it. I also welcome the commitment that no scheme will close but there is a fear that some schemes may have to curtail their services. I am not all that hung up on where the money comes from to ensure schemes can operate, whether support from the Minister's Department or...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: I, too, wish to be associated with the expressions of sympathy. I call for a debate on the health service plan published yesterday by the Minister for Health. It is critical that we have a discussion on the impact the cuts to health services will have in regional and local hospitals. A total of €750 million has been taken from the health budget. A total of €1 billion was taken from it...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: There is no doubt the burning issue in Ireland at present is the payment today of the unsecured, unguaranteed Anglo Irish Bank bond of €1.25 billion to people who invested, speculated and gambled. Some of these are secondary bondholders who will have bought those bonds at a cheap prices but will get paid in full, with interest. That payment is happening at a time when we can see services...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: -----the payment of that bond and it should be discussed today in this House.

Seanad: Water Services: Statements (25 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, back to the House. Senator Whelan said the Minister of State is a very sensible man, with which I agree, but it is not always necessarily the case that sensible Ministers make sensible decisions. On the issue of the establishment of a body to deal with water supply and distribution, we would support that in principle. It is important for all...

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (25 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I warmly commend all of the Independent Senators who sponsored this motion. We would certainly have given the motion our support, with the exception of the line "despite essential cutbacks required in the current economic climate". This was an area of concern. In the spirit of what has been proposed by the Independent Senators, we have no...

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (25 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after ''Seanad Éireann'' and substitute the following: ''— recognises the need to protect those with a disability in our society, ensuring that people with a disability can continue to lead a fruitful and active life; — calls for the immediate publication of the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services; — acknowledges the need...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: I agree with the sentiments expressed by Senator Mac Conghail on the very constructive debate we had on the issue of people with disabilities. Since the first sitting of this Seanad I have not raised the issue of the future of the Seanad because it is important for us to get on with the business we were elected to do and not continually discuss the future of the House. However, the Leader...

Seanad: Order of Business (31 Jan 2012)

David Cullinane: I call on the Leader to provide time for a debate on balanced regional development. I do so in the context of figures published a number of weeks ago by the IDA and printed in a number of today's national newspapers. These figures, which are a breakdown of the number of IDA companies located in each county, the number of IDA supported jobs in each county and the amount of grant-aid paid to...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: We were proven right.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: People have more sense than politicians.