Results 1,661-1,680 of 26,396 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: I did indeed and I live in hope.

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: Choice is a word which is front and centre in Irish politics at the moment, in terms of the forthcoming budget decisions and also the motion being discussed in the Lower House this evening. This legislation also relates to choice and I wish to lay out the Sinn Féin position clearly, lest Government Ministers or parties misrepresent or misunderstand it. I will set out our position so that...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: I, too, watched the "Prime Time" programme last night and anyone in the country who watched it would have sympathy for the families of Savita and Praveen Halappanavar. However, he does not simply need sympathy; he needs support from the State and all politicians. The only way he will get this support is if we have an independent public inquiry. Any inquiry that does not have the support of...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: The people are fair minded. They have given the Government a fair wind and given all the Ministers a fair chance. However, my patience and that of many people in the Oireachtas and among the public has been tested by the Minister for Health and by his mishandling of his portfolio. He has become a liability for the Government and for the people. It is not just that the people of Navan,...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: Good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Information and Communications Technology Skills: Discussion with Ministers (27 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: The Minister for Education and Skills has proposed to develop a technological university for the south east. We need joined-up thinking on this between his Department and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation whose Minister chairs the unemployment forum for the south east. If the region gets a technological university, it has to be about job creation. That comes back to Deputy...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: Yesterday I raised with the Leader the issue of Deputy Reilly's continuance in his position as Minister for Health and my view that he should resign or be sacked by the Taoiseach. In response, the Leader read into the record of the House the qualifying criteria used by the Minister for the selection of primary care centres across the State. What Senator Cummins did not explain, and what he...

Seanad: Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (28 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I warmly welcome the Bill and congratulate Senator Quinn for drafting the Bill and Senator Barrett for his assistance. Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the 1913 Lockout. I have no doubt the Minister of State's party, my own party and many people in the State will commemorate that event, and rightly so. It was a period when leaders...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: I call for a debate on alternative budgets. I called for it last year and I believe we should have had it again this year. It is not too late because we are sitting tomorrow and on Monday. It would also be important to discuss the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014, because that national recovery plan was drafted by the Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government. It was signed off on by the then...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: When Fianna Fáil members are talking about their alternative budget, they should be reminded of the national recovery plan on which they signed off.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: Somebody mentioned fascism yesterday when people were being interrupted. I remember it was a member of the Fianna Fáil Party.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: With respect, when Fianna Fáil states it is in favour of a property tax but not just yet, this applies when it is in Opposition, but if it gets back into government, all the content of its national recovery plan, including property taxes, water charges and cuts to social welfare will be brought in.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: There has been no election called, as the Senator knows, so we will wait and see. On a related matter, a new survey by the Irish Dental Association shows that the changes made by the Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government to the free treatment under the PRSI and medical card schemes has meant that more people are putting off going to a dentist and are only going when they are in severe pain....

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: The Department of Finance figures-----

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: I pose a question. It may not be entirely relevant to the amendment but the Minister can say whether it is or not. The Minister mentioned that Revenue debt is a priority debt. I accept that. How are employees who are owed unpaid wages, for example, by a company that has become insolvent classed in terms of priority? I raise another point in the context of the promised workplace relations...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: A Bill to that effect was introduced in the Dáil but it was voted down.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: Senator Barrett has tabled an interesting amendment. With regard to the three new forms of voluntary debt settlement mentioned in the amendment - the debt relief notice, debt settlement arrangement and personal insolvency arrangement - which form the centrepiece of the legislation, the Minister will be aware from the Second Stage contributions by Members from my party that we have a...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: I accept that. I did not say there were many. The Bill we discussed last night sought to deal with a clear case of an unscrupulous employer who had victimised his employee. There are circumstances-----

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister for undertaking to seek advice from the Parliamentary Counsel. From my perspective, I am not overly concerned about contracts of employment. I do not think it will be an issue on which employees will be fired. The amendment also refers to "or otherwise impair the employment status of the debtor or their spouse ". However there could be situations where unscrupulous...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

David Cullinane: This is a bit of a joke.