Results 1,941-1,960 of 26,396 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: We must be conscious when making big decisions like this that they will impact on some families more than others. Some people can afford to pay a little more and as such the water charges will not be a huge deal for them. However, too many families have been asked to pay too many charges. We are told every time we come into this House to debate the introduction of a new charge that it is...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: With respect, I am not.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: The ESRI stated that the most recent two budgets and decisions made therein were the most unequal of the past six budgets and have resulted in people at the bottom end of the scale, including on those on low pay and in receipt of social welfare payments, being disproportionately affected. The Government is not properly poverty proofing decisions which it is making. I propose to press the...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I move amendment No. 3: In page 3, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following subsection:"(3) Section 24 of this Act shall come into operation after the 1st of January 2014, or following a review of that section under section 24(4), whichever date is the later.".

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: Yes. We tabled a number of amendments that have been ruled out of order, but I will speak to the section on our proposed alternative to Irish Water, namely, a national water sector framework team. The essence of our proposal was to ensure that we had local democratic responsibility for the provision of water, which is important, that water was delivered in the best way and that there was a...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: The Minister of State will forgive us for not wanting to take a leap of faith with him. I would much rather see what he spoke about now when we are making decision on the establishment of this body. The qualifications of the new CEO are not the issue. We all fully support what the Minister of State said regarding the new appointee. Many staff members of Waterford city and county council...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: The Bill can say what it likes. If the Minister of State is saying it is cast in stone that the service can never be privatised, I do not believe him. Many services have been privatised over the years. Once the concept of charging is introduced for a service, it will inevitably be privatised. The same happened with waste collection charges. When they were introduced, we were told it was...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I will reply to Senator Harte is a few minutes.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: This is one of the key sections of the Bill. I know many of the comments were made on the previous sections, but it is important for me to restate our opposition to the establishment of Irish Water. I will not go back into the issues we have raised, to which the Minister of State has responded in the best way he can. Essentially, if section 5 was to be passed, any attempt to oppose...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I am speaking to the section. This is the section which establishes the water services. Regardless of what was said previously, I could go on for a while but I will not.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: Under any section, one can repeat arguments which were made already. With respect, I am speaking to the section. As I stated already, if the Acting Chairman was listening, I will not repeat the arguments. I am simply stating my party's core opposition to it. I must put on record some of the accusations that were made about a former Minister in the Assembly, Mr. Connor Murphy, MP, MLA. The...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: When Senators on the other side of the House speak of what is the reality in the North, they should at least check their facts and know exactly what is the position. The position is, because of efforts made by my party, there are no water charges in the North.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I wish to raise with the Minister of State the issue of district metering. In an earlier response based on information from one of his officials, the Minister of State stated there are district metering systems in the State. He is right as this is the case. While such metering does not extend across all local authorities, we do have such a system in place. As I stated previously, it is...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I move amendment No. 6: In page 12, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following subsection:?(4) (a) This section shall not be commenced until such point as the Social Inclusion Division of the Department of Social Protection have carried out a poverty impact analysis study. (b) Such a study will have regard to?(i) whether the impact of the imposition of charges referred to in subsection...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: While amendment No. 6 has already been discussed, I wish to restate my position. I acknowledge that in the discussion on poverty proofing, the Minister of State agreed with the principle of doing it. However, he might recall the last discussion by Members on the issue during a debate on the household charge. I believe Senator Norris also participated in that debate. At the time, Members...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I move amendment No. 7: In page 13, before section 27, to insert the following new section: ?27.?Section 12 of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act 1997 is amended by the insertion of a new subsection (3):?(3) Section 4 of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) (No. 2) Act, 1983, is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsections for subsection (1):?(1) Section...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: This amendment takes into consideration those who are on jobseeker's allowance, jobseeker's benefit, supplementary welfare allowance, family income support, farm assist, the old age non-contributory pension, disability allowance, disablement benefit or the blind pension. They should be exempt from the charge. I appreciate the Minister of State indicating that he will come back to us with...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: As I was not in the House yesterday during the Order of Business, I take this opportunity to condemn in the strongest possible terms the callous murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and to offer my condolences to his wife, children, family and all the people in Louth and across the State and island of Ireland who are shocked, saddened and angry about what happened. I draw the Deputy...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: Hear, hear.