Results 23,381-23,400 of 26,610 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: They are more interested in scoring political points.

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: I say that because the party they are scoring points off is Fianna Fáil. They are more interested in doing that than getting to the truth.

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: It is shameful that this amendment is being put to us. It states, "notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders", that we will set aside Standing Orders to allow the Government to gerrymander the banking inquiry. That is what they are attempting to do-----

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: -----gerrymander the banking inquiry for their own interests. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that the Taoiseach comes into the Seanad. I also appeal to all Independent Senators not to be part of this sham that is happening in the Seanad today, and to stand with Standing Orders and with democracy and not allow the Government to gerrymander the banking inquiry for its own...

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: Senator Hayden interrupted me several times.

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: Put away the shovel.

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: Shame.

Seanad: Public Service Management (Transparency of Boards) Bill 2014: Second Stage (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State and commend Senator Quinn on introducing the Bill and providing Senators with an opportunity to discuss this important issue. In January 2013, several news outlets ran with the story that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, had appointed Mr. Noel Ward, a former constituency organiser for the Minister, to the...

Seanad: Johnstown Castle Agricultural College (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber for the introduction of this Bill. We fully support these proposals. Since being elected to the Seanad, I have always worn a regional hat. As a representative of the south east, I have promoted the positives associated with the region while also challenging the Government on the difficulties it faces. Unfortunately, the south east has the highest...

Seanad: Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: What about the point I made regarding prescribed medications?

Seanad: Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: There is nothing in these amendments that would contravene anybody's constitutional rights. The Minister has simply cherry-picked the examples we gave in a way that suits his position. If somebody drinks and drives, they may harm not only others, but also themselves. Medicines are prescribed by doctors in order to protect the public; we do not allow people to pick and choose which...

Seanad: Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: My point is that we can make a decision as legislators to prevent people from doing something we consider harmful. That is why there is a ban on cannabis. If we were to follow the Minister's logic, we would allow people to smoke cannabis and take whatever medications they want. We would, in other words, be failing to protect people. If we strip this down to its bare bones, it is a very...

Seanad: Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: My intention was not to disagree strongly with the Minister because we support the substance of the Bill, but I take exception to his response to the amendments. He has entirely missed the point. I do not agree with the Minister's analysis or the analogies he gave. Senator Crown hit the nail on the head when he spoke about people who would profit from the provision of sunbeds for...

Seanad: Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: Neither does the smoking ban.

Seanad: Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister to the House. During the Second Stage debate, Members from Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil and the Independent groupings put on record their support for the Bill. This is a very important Bill and I thank the Minister again for coming in to take the amendments today. The Minister might recall that there was some discussion on the smoking ban that was introduced by...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: I support the proposed amendment to the Order of Business. It is farcical that the Seanad is still holding up the banking inquiry because of a mistake made by the Government. The Government should put its hands up and accept it made a mistake when its people did not attend a meeting they should have attended. The Government seeks to overturn a democratic decision by a committee of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: The delay has nothing to do with Fianna Fáil, the Independents or Sinn Féin but is the clear responsibility of the two Government parties which made a mess of the process. Yesterday, the Taoiseach let the cat out of the bag when he said it was about ensuring the Government had a majority. This was never meant to be the intention of the banking inquiry. The Taoiseach has created...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU Supports for SME Sector: European Commission (11 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: I will be very brief because I am conscious that the director general must leave by 1.55 p.m. He is very welcome to Dublin and Ireland. The committee has focused very much on SMEs and support for them. During the visit to Brussels the meeting with the Director General was one of the best exchanges we had. One of the big issues facing the SME sector in this State is the level of...

Seanad: Companies Bill 2012: Second Stage (10 Jun 2014)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I know that he is a very busy man these days and wish him well in his hustings.