Results 821-840 of 26,396 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I join with Senator Conway in calling for a debate on public sector reform. The Government intends to reduce public sector numbers to 282,500 by the end of 2015, which means that 37,500 people will have left the system since 2008. Under the current scheme, 7,764 workers have applied. Of these, 3,500 come from the health sector, some 3,000 of whom are employed by the HSE, 2,000 come from...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I would like to hear from the Minister for Justice and Equality about the loss of gardaí and from the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government about the impact that losing local authority workers will have on services. We need a comprehensive debate on the impact that a reduction in the numbers working in these areas will have on the State's services.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: It is hardly willy-nilly.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: Asking someone to leave the country is outrageous.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister for going some of the way and agreeing to delete the section which states the details of any prosecution for an offence brought by the water services authority concerned-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: We are being consistent, but we asked for more than this.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: We are talking about the contributions we made in this House. The Minister might recall the very lengthy debates on the issue of prosecutions and the criminalising of people living in rural Ireland. With respect, it is impossible to deal with the content of the amendment and the issue of prosecutions and fines without dealing with two substantive issues - standards which have not been set...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I accept that. I also accept that we should only speak to the amendment before the House. However, my point is that a number of Government representatives have spoken about scaremongering. I have been consistent at any public meeting I have attended in that I have stuck to the facts. The €50 charge is a one-off charge and there is no re-registration fee. However, people are concerned...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: There is one planned for Kilkenny.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: There is plenty of time to hold them. I am very pleased the Minister has allowed for a four week public consultation process because it will give all of us an opportunity to hold public meetings.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: In fact, the real issue is not necessarily what the Opposition parties are doing but rather that the Government has not been clear on what the standards will be. It has also not been clear on what grant supports will be available. What goes to the heart of the issue - this is the reason I have opposed prosecutions and fines - is equality. My house is hooked up to a mains system. I will...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: -----which provides an excellent service for Waterford city, parts of south Kilkenny and Wexford. It was a significant investment in upgrading the system at a cost of €300 million. All taxpayers, including those who live in rural Ireland, paid for the system as well as that in other urban areas to be upgraded, yet if the Minister introduces new guidelines and as a consequence, septic...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: That is what I hope will happen. People living in rural Ireland have a fear that while this might be the case now, there is a real danger that at some point the European Union may force the Government to change the standards again. The Minister will then come back, wash his hands of the matter and say it is not his fault but that of the Europeand Union that the standards have to be changed...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: Hundreds of people are turning up at the public meetings being organised in small towns and villages up and down the country because they are concerned about the implications of the Bill and do not want people living in rural Ireland to be criminalised.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: The Minister made a statement that two political parties are in favour of contaminating ground water.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: That is absolutely inaccurate. We made our position perfectly clear.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: We support registration and inspection. I am sorry but the Minister made an accusation levelled against two parties which he should withdraw. He was talking about scaremongering but he is scaremongering today.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: We do - registration and inspection.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: We want registration and inspection.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister for tabling the amendment as it is something which we sought. I support the Minister's change in that ten days notice will be given. We called for that on Second Stage and we tabled a number of amendments on the issue. It is important to acknowledge that the Minister has changed his position and taken on board a number of the practical suggestions made by the...