Results 26,381-26,400 of 26,792 for speaker:David Cullinane

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business. I suggested yesterday that we have a full discussion in the House on the upcoming budget. All parties are making pre-budget submissions. We can offer alternatives to the Government and we have done in our pre-budget submission. We point out where money can be raised and saved such that we will not have to raise third level fees for...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: I propose that the Minister for Finance be invited to the House, before rather than after the budget, to have a full and proper discussion with all Senators on all the pre-budgetary alternatives and the proposals they seek to make. Coming in after the budget is not good enough; we need a debate before it.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: The Senator might support my amendment in that case.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: The question was not answered yesterday. It would be helpful if we got an answer.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: Is it not part of the Deputy's country as well?

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: It was the Fine Gael economist, Mr. Jim Power.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: I wish to raise two issues with the Leader. First, there is a need for a debate on accountability in Government and I ask that the Leader would provide space to have that discussion in the course of the coming weeks. People are rightly outraged at news of the outrageous pension payments which have been made to senior civil servants and politicians in recent years.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: This includes retired Ministers and all those who lost their seats, and not only politicians but also senior civil servants. A county manager in Waterford retired and received a lump sum payment of €200,000 tax free, and he got that on the basis of eight years of work which he did not do to bring him up to the 40 years of service. These kinds of payments are causing outrage-----

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: It is a matter of public record. There is nothing to defend. This is wrong, it is outrageous and it should not be happening.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: I call for a debate on the general issue of those kinds of pensions being paid to senior civil servants and politicians, and also in regard to appointments to State boards and judicial positions because of political patronage. We were told this was something from the past but it most certainly is not.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: There is also need for a proper pre-budget debate in the House. We are all being lobbied by many organisations that are hosting pre-budget submissions, all of which are doing good work. Political parties will launch their pre-budget submissions; we launched ours earlier. I ask that a half day be set aside in the House for us to discuss the upcoming budget. There is no point in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: The Senator is missing the point. The Minister should debate them with us.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: By the taxpayer, actually.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: It is not over yet.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: Force them.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: The Senator needs to talk to some of her colleagues. I do not know whether she listened to some of their comments yesterday.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2011)

David Cullinane: I raise the issue of the 14 citizens held captive by Israel. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to the effect that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, should come to the House to discuss the situation. Yesterday, several Senators from the Labour Party and Fine Gael asked what was the big deal. The big deal is that 14 Irish citizens were on a...