Results 181-200 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I agree with other Senators that it is a waste of time to debate the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill today, particularly when it is to be considered further by the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service. I also agree that we should be debating the war on Iraq today. I am glad we are debating it tomorrow, but it is really an afterthought. As Senator Ross said, if we want to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: As is happening in the Dáil, we should be giving the war in Iraq priority today.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I say to the Leader of the House that when we have a debate on drink, the emphasis should be on under-age drinking, which is illegal. We must realise that people over the age of 18 years are adults and there is a limit to what we can do in that regard. If RTE can film people drinking in pubs on the night the junior certificate results are issued, I do not understand the reason the Garda...

Seanad: Foreign Conflicts: Motion. (21 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Having listened to the speeches from the Government side today and yesterday, the Government position is full of contradictions. It is either moving towards an outright shift from our neutral position or it is full of confusion. For example, Senators Dooley and Morrissey said we should take a stand and support the US and the UK over Iraq, but what about supporting and upholding the UN? We are...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I do not agree to the grouping outlined.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I do not agree to the grouping of amendments Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: No, they relate to substantially different points. One deals with the right to run for election, while the other deals with the dual mandate. I have separate points to make on each issue.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, line 17, to delete "either House of the Oireachtas" and substitute "Dáil Éireann".

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I wish to make a number of points to support the case for Senators. The Government should let the practicalities determine who runs for what office. Few MEPs also serve as Deputies because it is not practical to do so. However, it is clearly practical to hold a local government mandate and be a Member of the Oireachtas. Why ban that? There are anomalies in that there will be the dual mandate...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I am sticking to the amendment, which relates to Senators. I think I should be allowed to make my point. The Minister will probably speak for as long as I do. There is value in having the voice of local government in the House. One of the problems that will arise is a high turnover of Senators because councillors like to elect sitting councillors to the Seanad. Nominated Senators have a...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I am addressing the amendment.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: This is what the amendment is about. All politics is local, as Tip O'Neill said. All legislation has a local dimension and vice versa. I realise that political correctness says otherwise and says that legislation and local issues are somehow separate. I totally disagree and those on the ground say different by electing national representatives at local government level. There are practising...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister has mentioned the example of the European Parliament. The dual mandate will not be abolished in the next election because it will operate in respect of European Parliament Members and Deputies. There are stronger arguments for first abolishing the dual mandate of a Deputy and MEP or a Senator and MEP. The Minister has mentioned groups, including political parties, which want the...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I know that, but we want a proper debate in the House. I will not be muted by political correctness. We should be free to debate these issues and do what is right.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: That is more important in getting more people involved in local government and making it relevant to people's lives. Again I would say—

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I did not say that.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I said, "That is more important in getting people involved." It is more important to reform local government in the holding and timing of its meetings. Getting greater numbers of people involved in local government is more important than the abolition of the dual mandate, which is a red herring. I fear that local government will be then cast aside and left to defend itself. Government moves...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Many Members will not be Senators in the future because of the amendment the Government is introducing. I ask the Minister to reconsider.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, line 18, to delete "from being elected or co-opted to, or". An Oireachtas Member should be allowed to run in local government elections. This Bill provides that Oireachtas Members must first give up their seats in the House before they run in local elections. If they fail to be elected to a local authority, they end up without any mandate. At all other...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister has said he would not tolerate a situation where a Deputy or a Senator could run for a local authority and then not take the seat, yet in the Bill he is permitting a person to run for two local authorities but hold one seat. That creates an artificial situation which contradicts what he has just said. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.