Results 15,441-15,460 of 26,766 for speaker:David Cullinane

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Gas Networks Ireland's Vision 2050: Discussion (15 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: What I am putting to our guests is what the environmental experts are saying. They are saying 20% is not enough and that there are other alternatives on which we should be focused. My point is that the debate is changing, not just in this state but in the European Union also. I move to carbon capture and storage, on which there has been a discussion. Deputy Dooley talked about the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Gas Networks Ireland's Vision 2050: Discussion (15 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: The witnesses might provide the follow-up information we discussed to the committee. I thank them for their responses.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: RTÉ Revenue (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: 34. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the additional funding outside of moneys from TV licence fees that will be given to RTÉ in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42322/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: RTÉ Revenue (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: What additional State funding, if any, outside of the television licence funding will be given to RTÉ in 2020.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: RTÉ Revenue (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: We had a lengthy debate on public broadcasting in the House recently. This is an issue we need to take very seriously. It was discussed yesterday in private session at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Environment and an the invitation will be sent to the Minister, the Department and RTÉ to come back to the committee to discuss some of the issues...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: RTÉ Revenue (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: If a cheque is written for RTÉ, it will be signed by the Accounting Officer of the Department, namely, the Secretary General. There is a service level agreement of sorts between the Department and RTÉ. Within that agreement, there is conditionality in respect of, for example, the percentage of money which must be spent on the Sound & Vision scheme. My question relates...

Family Law Bill 2019: Second Stage (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: There is not much more to be said on this Bill because the people have spoken. Ultimately, the people are sovereign and they have made their minds up on this issue. My party supported removing Article 41.3.2° from the Constitution and we support the Bill before the House now. The referendum results on marriage equality, abortion and divorce have taught us that people are often...

Family Law Bill 2019: Second Stage (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Is Leo going to come in next?

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Staff Data (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: 206. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of environmental economists employed by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42472/19]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Transport Authority Staff (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: 218. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of environmental economists employed by the National Transport Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42473/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: I commend the Climate Change Advisory Council on its annual review. It has many contentious proposals but climate change raises many challenging and contentious issues with which we need to deal, one of which is the reduction of the national herd. If we reduce our herd and our output to reduce carbon emissions, it has to be seen in the context of demand and if people still demand beef or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Climate action is an international struggle.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Professor FitzGerald mentioned compensation for farmers. I do not disagree with the analysis but I am putting some of the questions that might be asked by those in the sector. We are here to challenge the testimony and report of Professor FitzGerald. Professor FitzGerald spoke, quite rightly, about how there must be a just transition and compensation for farmers. How does he see that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: Is that the only compensation Professor FitzGerald is talking about? It is afforestation as an alternative.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: I understand that but I am asking Professor FitzGerald his opinion. He mentioned that compensation is important.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: I thank Professor FitzGerald for his response. There needs to be a balance between land use for energy production, whether that is solar, wind or the other options, and land use for food production. Has the council done any analysis of how we achieve that balance or is it for others? Quite rightly, Professor FitzGerald spoke in his opening statement about the just transition and we are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Review 2019: Discussion (16 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: There was a question on the balance between land use for energy production and food production.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: I support the €90 million that has been made available for a transformative fund for institutes of technology. It is necessary if they are to be allowed to transform into technological universities. As the Minister for Education and Skills will know, there is an application from IT Carlow and WIT to become a technological university. It seems to be still bogged down in process and...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (17 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: I will come back to the consultancy spend as we have raised this at a high level in the context of how much money the State or organisations funded by it are spending on consultancy. It is similar to what we are doing with other matters and when we see consultancy spend we should seek a breakdown of what exactly the money is being spent on. We must examine this a bit more closely. There is...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (17 Oct 2019)

David Cullinane: It is a desk-top exercise for somebody. As an exercise in good, prudent examination of how taxpayers money is spent, would it not be good to have a figure for how much the State spent, directly or indirectly, on external consultancy in a particular year? I would say the figure would be frightening.