Results 16,401-16,420 of 26,766 for speaker:David Cullinane

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: SME Recovery (30 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: That will not be happening. I thank Mr. Moran for coming in and for his opening statement and the supporting documentation he sent. He is right to say that he and his organisation cannot be defenders of every battle and that he has to almost ruthlessly single out the supports which are necessary for SMEs. That is a reasonable position for him to take. He will understand, however, that as...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: SME Recovery (30 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I am sorry, Mr. Moran. It is their job to understand the problem. It is their job to have the data. It is their job to have the solutions. I did not say that there was a misunderstanding of the scale of the problem - I happen to agree with it - but Mr. Moran said it. I am only quoting the words he said. I am trying to understand the reason that is the case, time and again. To go back...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: SME Recovery (30 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I have given Mr. Moran a fair wind to respond because I wanted to hear his response. There seems to be agreement here that liquidity is the key issue and that small businesses need it very quickly. We have proposed 0% interest loans and cash-for-equity initiatives. There are lots of ideas out there. The real issue is that money needs to get to SMEs very quickly to pay fixed costs, keep...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: SME Recovery (30 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I agree. I come from the south east and know the importance of these things. I speak to the chamber of commerce members and owners of small and medium-sized businesses all the time. Big infrastructure and capital investment are important. Some big projects need to be funded. Having money in people's pockets is also important, as is footfall on our streets. My final question is about the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Hospitality Sector (30 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: I welcome all of our guests. Many of the points that have been made in the submissions are similar to those we heard this morning from Mr. John Moran and his colleagues from SME Recovery Ireland. Businesses need liquidity, urgent grants and supports. More loans are not the solution and cash to support fixed costs is required. Mr. Cribben made the obvious point that Covid-19 has had a...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Hospitality Sector (30 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: That is what I am trying to get at. I think we can agree that things will not return to normal this year or next year. It will take a number of years, perhaps three or four, to get back to 2019 levels for all sorts of reasons. It may happen more quickly but some of that will depend on the external issues that Mr. Cribben mentioned about a vaccine and so on. It is going to take some time...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Hospitality Sector (30 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: If Mr. Cribben could be specific, he is coming with an ask. Specifically, if he was going to the Minister and Government, what are the practical solutions for his industry?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Hospitality Sector (30 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: Just to add to that, Deputy Butler spoke about tourism in Waterford. After the last economic crash, some regions in the south east had to look at rebuilding, specifically Waterford but also working with Wexford and Kilkenny. It was done on the back of tourism as one of the key economic drivers. Unfortunately, the south east had a very difficult time following the last recession. We are...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Hospitality Sector (30 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: If I may interrupt for a moment, we can bring all the stakeholder groups we want back in again. Mr. Cummins may have seen during the previous Dáil term that the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach brought in representatives of all the insurance companies, one after the other, and chastised and tried to get information from them. The committee got...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Hospitality Sector (30 Jun 2020)

David Cullinane: The point is that there would have to be a quid pro quo. I want to see massive supports coming into the tourism sector.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

David Cullinane: I have taken over in the Chair, for those in the committee room who may be unable to see it. We will go to our speakers. The first speaker is Teachta Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, who has ten minutes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

David Cullinane: We can ask for a written response to any questions that have not been answered. If the Deputy needs a written response, he might follow up with the clerk to the committee. I am due ten minutes but I will not take them because I am in the Chair. If any Member who has five minutes wants a bit of latitude, he or she should signal it to me in advance and I will try my best. The next speaker...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

David Cullinane: Would anyone else like to contribute?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

David Cullinane: The next turn goes to Fianna Fáil and then back to Teachta Colm Burke. That is how it works. I think Teachta Lahart is next. Is he taking ten minutes?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

David Cullinane: Teachta Lahart then has five minutes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

David Cullinane: Then five minutes goes to Teachta Burke, and then we go back to Teachta Lahart.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

David Cullinane: Yes, work away.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

David Cullinane: Thank you, Mr Boyle. We have to move on. An Teachta O'Sullivan has five minutes.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

David Cullinane: I am not sure if the witnesses can hear me. I am trying to be fair to everybody, both the members asking questions and the witnesses. I have tried to interject a couple of times to keep people to their time and I am giving people a bit of latitude. I ask witnesses to listen to me when I try to bring their contributions to a close. I have to be fair to everybody.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

David Cullinane: Which of our guests would like to respond? I do not know if the questions were directed at anybody in particular.