Results 25,481-25,500 of 26,630 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: Fianna Fáil will not be around for us to go into coalition with - the party will be extinct.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: The Senator is giving some context to the debate.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: Amendments Nos. 8 and 21 seem to remove the reference to "comparable employees", as the Minister stated. They provide that entitlements would exist only by reference to the work employees are undertaking. Could the Minister clarify exactly the logic of this? I probably support his intention but I want to be crystal clear about it. Let me refer again to the Swedish derogation, which we...

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: Can the Cathaoirleach clarify as to why amendment No. 12 could be considered a charge on the taxpayer?

Seanad: Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: However, it excludes those assigned to the public sector.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: Amendments Nos. 2, 3 and 4 could be discussed together and amendments Nos. 6 and 7 could be discussed separately.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Second Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: A number of people have mentioned lone parents. This category has certainly been targeted in the budget. Let us consider some of the changes that have affected those in receipt of one-parent family payment: a reduction in the income disregard from €146.50 to €130, a reduction in the cut-off age of the youngest child to seven years, and the stopping of CE scheme payments. They are also...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Second Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: The Labour Party opposed that at the time but now it is to reduce the age limit to seven years. It is wrong. I refer the House to a number of submissions made by the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed. It is particularly concerned about a proposed new section of the Bill, section 8(12), which deals with mortgage interest supplement, and is seeking for this amendment to be...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Second Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: The Minister of State knows well that those rates are set by the British Government. He should take up the matter with it.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Second Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: We cannot change the rates. Until we have a majority at Westminster, we cannot change them.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Second Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: The Minister of State has zero understanding. He is an embarrassment, with no view of how the North works. He is an embarrassment to the Government.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Second Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: That is nonsense.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Second Stage (27 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: It is not. The rates are set in Newcastle-on-Tyne. The Minister of State is getting very worried about Sinn Féin and I do not blame him. The people are listening to us.

Seanad: Report of Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments: Statements (24 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: On a point of order, I seek clarification on whether we have a quorum.

Seanad: Report of Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments: Statements (24 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: I will begin by reading a brief excerpt from the report of the tribunal because it highlights the cosy nature of the relationship between business and politics and the way politicians flouted and exhibited their influence. It is on page 165 of the report of the tribunal in the chapter entitled "The Leinster House Meeting". Mr Gilmartin told the Tribunal that on a date in early February 1989,...

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: The only people who would describe this treaty as good would be those in the Tea Party in America. Those individuals would be very proud of the treaty and what it seeks to do. This debate is marked by a dichotomy which goes to the heart of the treaty and the language people use to describe it. For example, the Minister of State refers to it as a stability treaty and he actually used the...

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: Here we go again with the interruptions. What is involved here will place a straitjacket on future Governments in the context of their being in a position to manage and control our budgetary and fiscal affairs. It is not possible to state that the treaty imposes very strict rules in respect of fiscal discipline and then state that it will not place future Governments in a straitjacket. The...

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: I will forgive the interruptions. If we vote "No" in the referendum, what choices will be left open to us in the context of the ESM treaty? Regardless of the way in which the people vote, what will be the process for the implementation of that treaty in the aftermath of the referendum? The Minister of State referred to the very important and forthcoming anniversary of the 1916 Rising. He...

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Apr 2012)

David Cullinane: The treaty will not work.