Results 26,001-26,020 of 26,685 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: If somebody puts something on the record it should be corrected. No Sinn Féin MP gets a salary, rather they get allowances. All of the allowances are spent on their constituencies to employ people and have offices. The Senator should at least get his facts right when he comes into the House. Senator Gilroy said the Bill was not appropriate.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: The amendment is appropriate. Where is it appropriate to deal with these issues? The purpose of the Bill is to legislate for some of the voluntary contributions which are being made by government officeholders. We are saying quite clearly that it does not go far enough. It is entirely reasonable for us to make that point and table an amendment. It might be uncomfortable for a member of...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: We will not take the oath of allegiance to a foreign parliament. Your party might do it but my party will not.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: We will take whatever allowances we are entitled to. Sinn Féin representatives take the average industrial wage and the rest of the money goes back into the party. That is where the allowances of Deputy Adams go and the Senator knows that.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: You cannot stand over your policies so you come in here peddling mistruths about other people's salaries and allowances.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: We are in favour of pay parity.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: - - - - -on high earners.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: The Department of Finance supplied the figures.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: We got the most recent figures.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: The record of the House will not show that because people will be able to read the transcripts of what we said. All we are getting from the Government representatives is nonsense. They are not dealing with the real issues, they are making disparaging comments on the amendments we have tabled.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: I will deal with that later. The Minister of State claimed that our amendment omitted several people, such as the Ceann Comhairle. We are working off page 6 of the Bill, which refers to a 29.96% reduction for the Taoiseach. Our amendment proposes that the reduction be 64%. The Bill refers to a 24.83% reduction for the Tánaiste; our amendment proposes a 59% cut. The Bill provides for a...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: The point is that I am reading from the Government's Bill.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: The Government proposes a reduction of 24.83% for the Ceann Comhairle; we propose a reduction of 55.5%. How then can it be said that we omitted the Ceann Comhairle?

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: As the Minister of State knows, we are trying to be consistent in this. Our position is that the salaries of those at the top of the public sector should be capped at €100,000. If he read our pre-budget submission, which I am sure he did, the Minister of State will know we have also called for a reduction in the pay of Deputies and Senators. In addition, we are seeking the establishment...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: Despite all the promises made, we are simply getting more of the same. People do not see any balance or fairness in what is proposed. Despite the nonsense from Government Members about the motivations of my party in putting down these amendments-----

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: -----many Senators, on both the Government and Opposition side, have, over the course of many years in this House and outside it, spoken about high salaries for people in the public sector. The Minister of State's party opposed benchmarking, for example, which served to drive up pay for those at the top of the public sector. I make no apology for seeking pay parity and insisting that those...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: Senator Sheahan might get to go on Vincent Browne's programme himself after this. We will see how he gets on.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: The Senator should not forget the expenses.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: We know where they go.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (7 Dec 2011)

David Cullinane: I will not waste my time, because I have two minutes. I have a number of amendments down and I am sure I will get to many of the substantive points I want to make. However, it is important to put on the record that guillotining Bills such as this, which are important and which deserve proper scrutiny, is not what the Government promised in its programme for Government. Many among the...