Results 23,601-23,620 of 26,610 for speaker:David Cullinane
- Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: I am entitled to use my time in whatever way I wish.
- Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: My point is that we are not being given the opportunity to properly tease out the various issues. We have been treated to rushed statements from both Government and Opposition Senators. That is symptomatic of the way the Government has dealt with this issue.
- Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: The Seanad spent 19 hours-----
- Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: Yes, but we were informed the time constraints were to do with the Minister of State's availability.
- Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: In any event, the House spent 19 hours debating what became the Water Services Act 2013. I spent the vast majority of that time asking the Minister of State questions. He might remember that I was scolded by Government Senators for asking the same questions over and over again. Those questions related to the transfer of assets from local authorities to Irish Water. In the context of the...
- Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: It is symptomatic of the Irish Water debacle that only one hour has been allocated today to discuss the many issues of concern to us. Senators have scope to make only very short contributions.
- Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: The Senator should have supported the amendment to the Order of Business.
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: Yes.
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business calling for two hours, rather than the amount of time that has been proposed, to be allowed for statements on Irish Water. The Leader has said that the debate will start at 11.45 a.m. and that the Minister will respond at 12.55 p.m., but I have some fears in that regard. I do not believe that all the Senators who want to speak will get an...
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: I am concerned that we will not have an opportunity to press the Minister when he comes back in. The amendment I am proposing would ensure that the debate lasts for two hours, rather than concluding at the time set out by the Minister. I would like to refer to the comments that were made yesterday by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, with regard to Rehab. My view is...
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: As they were elected to this Parliament, this is where they should be held to account.
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: It is extraordinary that a Fianna Fáil Senator would ask a Minister to keep schtum on something as important and fundamental as this issue.
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: Keeping schtum is what got this country into the mess it is in.
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: That is the reality.
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: It seems to me that Fianna Fáil does not want accountability.
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: It does not want transparency.
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: I commend the Minister for Justice and Equality-----
- Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)
David Cullinane: -----for carrying out an internal review and audit of the money that was spent under the charitable lotteries scheme. It seems from the Rehab figures that State taxpayers' money was given to the organisation to subsidise apparent losses in relation to scratch cards. It transpires that for every €4 spent on Rehab scratch cards by consumers, just 1 cent went to the organisation to...