Results 24,841-24,860 of 26,768 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2013: Second Stage (23 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: There are a lot of leaks that need to be fixed in the Government's policies, of which water charges is only one. The Minister of State would be better off using the money to fix the problems in the mains system. He needs to understand many families simply do not have the money to give. At the end of this process, having paid more taxes than ever before, including the property tax and water...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: He is the leader of the other rebels.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I support the comments of Senator Gilroy. I remind the House and the Leader that this year is the centenary of the 1913 Lockout, which was a seminal moment in the struggle for workers' rights in this State and throughout the island. It is unfortunate and a scandal that in 21st-century Ireland there are still situations in which workers are engaging in sit-in protests to demand basic rights....

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: The hook that the Minister is trying to hang this merger on is, again, as he puts it, saving money. Let us throw away the heritage of Waterford City Council to save a few bob. Let us undermine the gateway status of Waterford city to save a few bob.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: Let us undermine the ability of the people of Waterford and the democratically elected members of Waterford city and county councils to manage their own affairs and to drive the development of Waterford city. Let us undermine that to save a few euro. That is what this is about. The management of Waterford City Council is on record as saying it does not believe the savings in the Minister's...

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: That is their view. The Minister has not spelled out to anybody exactly how those savings are going to be made. He plucked figures from the air because he wants to sell this as saving money, but money will not be saved. What he is doing is making it more difficult for the people of Waterford city and county to be able to drive forward the ability of Waterford city to develop, which is...

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I have spelled out what they are. They are the inability of many local authorities to provide the services they need because they do not have the funding and because many of the services are disjointed.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I will finish on this point. The Minister had this big opportunity to reform local government and he flunked it. I would genuinely ask him to re-examine the merger of Waterford city and county councils but also to re-examine his overall reform of local government. I believe he will get the support of all parties and the people of this State if he is the first reforming Minister to give...

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: The hook that the Minister is trying to hang this merger on is, again, as he puts it, saving money. Let us throw away the heritage of Waterford City Council to save a few bob. Let us undermine the gateway status of Waterford city to save a few bob.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: Let us undermine the ability of the people of Waterford and the democratically elected members of Waterford city and county councils to manage their own affairs and to drive the development of Waterford city. Let us undermine that to save a few euro. That is what this is about. The management of Waterford City Council is on record as saying it does not believe the savings in the Minister's...

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: That is their view. The Minister has not spelled out to anybody exactly how those savings are going to be made. He plucked figures from the air because he wants to sell this as saving money, but money will not be saved. What he is doing is making it more difficult for the people of Waterford city and county to be able to drive forward the ability of Waterford city to develop, which is...

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I have spelled out what they are. They are the inability of many local authorities to provide the services they need because they do not have the funding and because many of the services are disjointed.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I will finish on this point. The Minister had this big opportunity to reform local government and he flunked it. I would genuinely ask him to re-examine the merger of Waterford city and county councils but also to re-examine his overall reform of local government. I believe he will get the support of all parties and the people of this State if he is the first reforming Minister to give...

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister to the House. I wish him a happy new year. I hope 2013 is a better year for the Minister politically than 2012 was-----

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: -----given the mess he made of so many issues last year.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: What is out of order?

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I will get to what the Minister is trying to do. Many people have a fundamentally different view from that of the Minister on how things should be fixed. Perhaps Senator Healy Eames should listen for a change. The first thing we need to do is establish the principles that should underpin local government and guide us as we consider how we can reform local government. I suggest that local...

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: They will receive fewer services.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I am certainly against unfair and regressive service charges. I am glad the Minister recognises that. He should be introducing progressive charges and progressive taxation. In such circumstances, the Minister will receive the support of Sinn Féin.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements (22 Jan 2013)

David Cullinane: I am very touched by the Minister's concern for citizens in Northern Ireland. I also wish to raise the issue of the amalgamation of Waterford city and county councils, which is important. To be fair, one can argue the merits of amalgamations and mergers and it then comes down to an issue of balance. One has to ask oneself, on balance, whether it is a good or bad thing to merge the local...