Results 25,801-25,820 of 26,685 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Job Creation (9 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I regret the fact that the Minister of State's contribution was defensive. What I was putting on the record were facts, and at no point did I say the Minister of State who is in the Chamber was responsible for any of what has happened in the south east. I was simply saying there was a problem and that it needs to be solved. There is also room for constructive criticism of the Government,...

Seanad: Job Creation (9 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House again. I have raised on a number of occasions the issue of job creation, job losses and the responsibility of the Government and State agencies in the south east and in Waterford. I raise this Adjournment motion on foot of a response that my party colleague, Deputy Tóibín, received from a number of State enterprise agencies about a county...

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: Does the Minister agree that a pay cut averaging 6.5% from 2010, an additional 15% pay cut for new entrants to teaching, an average cut of 7.5% through the public service pension levy, the non-payment of the 2.5% due on 1 June 2010 under Towards 2016, a 4% cut in pensions for retired teachers and an additional 33 hours of non-teaching work per year show exactly the true pain that is felt in...

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and welcome the tone of his speech. He set out a good context for today's debate and I welcome that. I also wish to dispel the notion that running public services is the same as running income generating businesses; it is not. Of course there must be efficiencies but the health service, the Garda Síochána and schools are not income generating...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I ask the Leader to provide additional time for the debate on the Croke Park agreement. I do not think 90 minutes is sufficient time to debate all the issues arising and a number of Senators have raised questions in the context of public sector reform. Certain economic commentators and right-wing elements of the media and Government are attempting to undermine the Croke Park agreement with a...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: In that case, I propose an amendment to the Order of Business so that we have a three hour debate on the Croke Park agreement.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: Now it is the staff's fault. I have heard it all now.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: In view of the Leader's response, I will withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I welcome the Minister to the House and I welcome the publication of the Bill, which I support. I fully support the Bill and I hope we will see its speedy passage through this House and through the Dáil. I will desist from raising local health issues but I call on the Minister and the Leader to arrange for the Minister to come back to the House to discuss the national health service plan....

Seanad: Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: Of course we must pay the bill, but health care should not be about profit. That is the point.

Seanad: Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: Health care should not be based on profit or, at least, access to health care should not be based on ability to pay, but on need. This is a fundamental principle I hold. This problem is one of the core difficulties with our primary health care system and it needs to be addressed as part of an overall patient-centred reform and rebuilding of primary care on the basis of need, equity and...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Political Funding Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I will continue where I left off, on the point that all Oireachtas Members, especially males, should support the legislation before the House. It is a tragedy that women are under-represented in politics. While this House has a good percentage of female Members, across the Oireachtas, unfortunately, that is not the case and the same applies to local councils. Male Members should not see...

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: I ask the Leader if we will now see governance by press release. We had a number of debates in this House concerning the Water Services (Amendment) Bill and only last week the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government was here to discuss amendments to the Bill and the septic tank charge. Members of my party and Fianna Fáil, along with some Independents, tabled numerous...

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: He should go further and reverse the charge completely. He should publish the relevant standards and define what grant aid is available. He should also remove the criminal sanctions in the Bill. We need a similar U-turn on the household charge. We will see people crippled with that charge and people who cannot afford to pay will end up in court. We have heard that the Minister for...

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: He climbed down under pressure.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: It was a climbdown.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: That is not what he said when he first came in here.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: Last week he said different European standards had to be put in place, now it is about a fiver.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: It is Government by press release.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2012)

David Cullinane: Why was the announcement not made in this House?