Results 2,101-2,120 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: I urge the Minister of State to change his mind and do the decent thing by supporting the young people. He should take the same line as the consumer associations, the Law Reform Commission and everyone who cares about young people who are trying to get into the housing market.

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister of State would then be able to state that a Progressive Democrats Minister refused to do anything about it.

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister of State can blame a Progressive Democrats Minister.

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister of State——

Seanad: Housing (Stage Payments) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (28 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, the Department sponsoring the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill stated that it cannot do this, while the Minister of State has informed Members that it can. Someone is getting it wrong.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: I take grave exception to the comment made by Senator Lydon.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: The last time he made a similar comment to my colleague, Senator Norris, he was invited to his leader's office where he was shown the door or the window to find his way out. He may be due another trip for the same purpose. His comment was quite appalling. A reasonable argument has been put forward on an issue. I did not hear the "Morning Ireland" radio programme this morning, on which I...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: However, I read the piece in the Irish Independent this morning. It was the only newspaper to carry the story, and it has no by-line. This is a matter of extraordinarily serious consequence and I accept that people hold different views. I suspect that views differ on both sides of the House. This morning I had made special note to raise this issue in the House, because people should discuss...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: I want a full debate. If the Leader states the only time it is possible is during the first week back that makes sense. The House should welcome an initiative described in The Irish Times today. The newspaper will make its archive which goes back to 1859 available to every school and researcher worldwide. This is an extraordinary and mind-boggling initiative. It opens up information and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, the unions immediately engaged themselves.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: The unions acquitted themselves——

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: The Senator should not blame the unions.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: They discharged it immediately.

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I welcome the legislation. It is creative and novel and can only be of help. I have a number of questions and wish to make some points. The Minister of State will not be surprised to hear that I particularly welcome the authority given to a plebiscite and the nature of it. That is something dear to my heart. My own home town is currently lining...

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: Dingle, Daingean Uí Chúis. We should continue to remind ourselves that this is Government policy, and that is a good idea.

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: What I like about it is that all businesses will have an equal vote in that first decision whereas businesses might have a different contribution to make when it comes to paying for it. We should look at it in a positive way, which is the way I want to look at it. I see dangers, however, in that some people might get involved in trying to make improvements to their streets but cannot get the...

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: I foolishly took the trouble of looking at the websites of a few county councils to see where all this washed money was. I could not find it——

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: I have heard Senator Bannon make some caustic comments about the fact that he could not find it either. Perhaps we are slow on the uptake but where these local authorities are awash with money I should like to know where it is kept. If they were awash with money, which is not being spent, could it not in the meantime be used for initiatives parallel to what the Minister of State proposes? The...

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister of State would like to cause a row.