Results 3,261-3,280 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Well said.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, the suspension should continue until such time as the Minister of State has a pair.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Not at this time.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to echo the words of Senator Norris. There is an issue of over-legislating here. The phrasing of our amendment is not the most elegant but we are raising a serious issue of substance. The Minister will recall a long debate over the past two years about the decrease in volunteerism at all levels in Ireland, be it political activism or activism in the churches, in voluntary bodies,...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Section 89 provides for indemnification for either an individual, several individuals or the whole board of directors. It deals with acts and omissions and covers matters relating to negligence, good faith and performance. I will be guided by the Minister of State in this matter because I do not know enough of the background. It seems certain people within a given charity could find...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: We should progress the matter. I recognise the point made by the Minister of State at the beginning. He has hinted the amendment may be in conflict with company law and especially the Companies Act 1990, which dealt with reckless trading. I will put again a question which the Minister of State did not address in his response. We require a more complete answer. I am concerned that if I...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: That is correct.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 28: In page 32, before section 42, to insert the following new section: "42.—It shall be an offence for a person or body to act or purport to act in furtherance of charitable purposes as defined in this Act, whether or not the word "charity" or any derivation of same is used in connection with such person or body, without such charitable purposes having been registered...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I support the amendments on behalf of Senator Mullen, who is not here, but I have serious reservations about both amendments. I have visions of some body or other chasing around Africa to see whether Dr. Livingstone is still alive and saying masses. I agree with the points made by Senator Buttimer; it is not my intention to disagree in this regard. I can see that there is a scam associated...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Simony.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Clarendon Street.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Money changers.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, the Senator can let this go and immediately afterwards speak on the section.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Let us not open up that again. We should stick with Ireland for the moment.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to draw attention to section 51. I must declare a conflict of interest as I chaired the audit review group on behalf of the Government about five or six years ago and I am also a member of the audit and accounting supervising authority of the board of the same. I draw the attention of the House to the demands and requirements under section 51. I thoroughly approve of every one of...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I have a problem with this section. There is a flaw in it which needs to be looked at. This is an important section that deals with the report of the inspectors and who might have access to it. The authority may, if it considers it appropriate, furnish a copy of the report on request and on payment of such fee as may be prescribed to a number of different people, one of whom would be a...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister of State is correct. I should have added a question to it. I see that subsection (3)(b) states a payment of such fee as may be prescribed by regulation. I recognise that and there is no imperative in the regulation that there would be a fee but that there could be a scale of fees. Will the Minister of State clarify that it would not be intended in the regulation to charge the...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I accept that.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Joe O'Toole: In my 20 years as a Member of the House, this is the first time I have seen the Government's asterisk on one of my amendments on the list, as normally my amendments are copied into other ones. I appreciate the positive news it conveys to me. The reason I put down this amendment related to the role of the charity trustee and, in light of my earlier comments, the auditor. I saw a conflict in...