Results 24,661-24,680 of 26,610 for speaker:David Cullinane

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: 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: 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: 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: 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 raised the issue. On the amendment, Sinn Féin makes no apologies for seeking to delay the introduction of the commission powers to introduce water charges, which is essentially what we are trying to do. We also make no apologies for wanting to ensure a proper analyses-study is undertaken. The Minister of State said this has been done.

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

David Cullinane: Perhaps the Minister of State would work with us and demonstrate how it has been done. I would like to know the formula and methodologies used. I do not know how these functions are performed on behalf of the Government. I do not believe these analyses-studies take account of the issues raised by organisations such as Social Justice Ireland, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and many...

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

David Cullinane: -----would have a difficulty paying if they received similar services. I would welcome that type of debate. Perhaps the Minister of State would return to the House for a discussion on the issue of funding local government.

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: We have just had a party political broadcast from the previous speaker but he might be unaware of the fact that the amendments are allied to poverty-proofing policy. While the Senator rose to his feet and was very vocal about the budget and the impact it would have on working families ---

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

David Cullinane: The very families he spoke about then will be very conscious of all of the charges they are being asked to pay and of the fact that they are being asked to make a further sacrifice by paying water charges. While the Senator might not grasp the reality of that, I can assure him that his constituents, who have suffered enough and who have taken huge pain in the course of six austerity budgets,...

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

David Cullinane: There is a very real connection between what I am saying and the reality for people who have to pay these charges. I also remind the Senator that people pay income tax and they pay it for services. They are paying more taxes than ever before, which is the point we are making and that is why we want this to be poverty-proofed. Almost everyone now pays the universal social charge and only...

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

David Cullinane: I thank the Minister of State for his response and I concur with his views on water conservation. We should take whatever measures are necessary to encourage people to conserve water because there is an enormous cost to the State in making sure that people have good quality water. We must ensure that any mistreatment or misuse of water is dealt with properly. At the same time, we must also...

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

David Cullinane: I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, subsection (2), line 22, after "Act" to insert "other than section 24 ".I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, and express my disappointment that amendment No. 1 and some other amendments we tabled have been ruled out of order. The reason given is that they are in conflict with the principle of the Bill but it is still our right to table...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects (24 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State. Last March I raised the matter of capital funding for Gaelscoil Philib Barún. I put on record the long campaign waged by the board of management, the principal and the pupils at the school to have prefabs, which are in place at the moment to teach most of the pupils, transformed into buildings so that pupils can have proper accommodation. The project upon...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects (24 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: In January 2003 Gaelscoil Philib Barún moved to the incomplete site. In the same year, the number of students in the school doubled. Since 2003, pupils have been in prefabs. That factor means the school should receive the appropriate funding and be in the capital programme. That is the Minister's call, not mine, and he must address that with the students and board of management. It is...