Results 9,801-9,820 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I will try and do that before the Bill is finished.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: Not from 2004.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: The Senator is absolutely correct. I never sold it as anything else.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: The Senator has good access to me.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: There are a lot more than that. I will tell the Senator about them. I thank Senators for their contributions to the Second Stage debate. It has been a learning experience listening to the diversity of views and perspectives and in terms of the genuine high regard in which local government is held. It has a relationship with central government, While this proposal defines a clear separation,...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: That is Fine Gael policy—

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: —as enunciated in its recent publication, A Democratic Revolution – A Thorough Overhaul of the Institutions of the State.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I do not think there is any equivocation—

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: —unless I am gravely mistaken about the position of the Fine Gael Party. It is written in very strong terms. It is described as A Democratic Revolution. Fine Gael could not have been more explicit with regard to its views on the dual mandate. This has not been withdrawn publicly by the Fine Gael Party. To my knowledge, the Labour Party and its leadership have not changed their view on the...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I will.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: When the Bill was previously before the House, the Fine Gael Party tabled a motion insisting on the removal of the provision for directly elected mayors and cathaoirligh.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: What I did in the context of the Bill is to transpose the position of the Fine Gael Party into legislation, and I thank them for that.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I find the reversal of all these positions very difficult. It is happening for no reason other than to make hay in the House.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: Many important points were made on both sides of the House.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: The democratic revolution meant almost the disappearance of Fine Gael as a serious political entity.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I appreciate the contributions of Senators in regard to the relationship that must exist in light of the fact that Members of this House and the Dáil are public representatives, remain so and deal with many inquiries from individuals, community groups or whatever at local level which require a system at local government level. This must be put in place in regard to the official side on the...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: We should not forget we are changing the roles in the sense of enhancing the whole discipline of local government. We are giving it its own raison d'être in the context of its members. Its members will be just local authority members and we will be just Members of the Dáil and Seanad. We are making that separation and the system must be fair and efficient. I will not give Members of the...

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: The Senator and I discussed this the last day. In a sense it is a contradictory position that he now wants me to force another provision on local authorities rather than leave the decision to them. The Senator knows very well that the waiver system has worked for many years. I am not proposing to undermine the position as it exists. It would be wrong of me to take the action the Senator wants...

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I was good then and I am very good now.

Seanad: Protection of the Environment Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Martin Cullen: I thought the clarity of the statement was excellent.