Results 3,721-3,740 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I also understood that to be the case.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I would like to share time with Senator Quinn.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh. I am glad we are having a general debate in advance of our consideration of the important Bill that will establish NAMA. My tendency is to support NAMA, although I would like certain changes to be made to the legislation. I certainly believe this can work. A great deal of the nonsense surrounding it needs to be cleared up. It is not...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Yesterday I raised the need for a debate on the public sector and how it operates etc. I received a number of queries afterwards about the recent report which came to the conclusion that public servants were paid 25% more than private sector workers. I will give one example to show how wrong is that report. No job assessment or measurement of the input or output of a job was used. None of...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: The big issue being discussed today in the newspapers and everywhere else is that of expenses, although the focus is on the other House. It must be acknowledged that the level of trust and confidence in politicians is at an all-time low. We must also acknowledge that we all share, to some extent, in that failure. Whether people were individually part of the excesses, there is a view abroad...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to raise a point of order which is no way a challenge to the Cathaoirleach's ruling on the incident that occurred on the Order of Business yesterday. There is some confusion which I can understand from all points of view. I do not think that Senator Harris's initial contribution contravened the laws of the House. Will the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, CPP, consider this?...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I do not blame the Cathaoirleach in any way but the initial issue needs to be sorted out because the uncertainty has grown over the years. Afterwards yesterday people discussing the matter wondered what exactly is the position. We need to discuss this matter. Taking up the issue raised by Senator Fitzgerald, we need to have a broad discussion on the economy. We need to hear another view on...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: The debate should be on Thursday.

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (7 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: With the permission of the House, I would like to share half of my time with Senator Doherty.

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (7 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: In line with much of what has been stated previously, I wish to speak in strong favour of the scheme's retention. We have heard much about the rural landscape. The fine report put together by Senator Doherty earlier this year constituted a classic example of what needs to be done. The proposed cutback is a plan to denude rural Ireland of infrastructure and support and to isolate...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I agree with much of what the previous speaker said. We should have a debate on the question of Oireachtas expenses. We have asked for such a debate before. When I was a member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission more than two years ago, I proposed that every application for expenses by a Member of either House should be published in Iris Oifigiúil or on the Oireachtas website. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Death of Member: Expressions of Sympathy (13 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: On behalf of the Independent benches, I wish to be associated with the words that have been offered by the previous speakers. There will be another day when we can have a more formal tribute to Senator Callanan, but as of now, we should note that he was a man with politics in his bloodstream and Fianna Fáil in the marrow of his bones. He died in office in the way that he would have wanted....

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I note the revised programme for Government and offer my congratulations to the Green Party on attempting to add a human, caring element to the hard face of NAMA.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: The provisions on education have given some hope to schools, parents and young professionals because, even if they did not include a lot, they showed somebody cared. The Government can learn a lesson from this. Concerns were expressed that Fianna Fáil might not play ball or that the Green Party would look a gift horse in the mouth rather than make progress. In the event, it was a master...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: We should learn from the experience by moving forward in other ways. A social contract is needed among all groups in society. The Government should give hard leadership by showing what needs to be done and sharing the problems with everyone in society in order to determine what our common objectives should be and agree a way forward. The space outside the gates of Leinster House will...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I will resist the opportunity to make any snide comments at my loyal colleagues in front of me in the Fine Gael benches except to regret the contemptuous way in which they were treated by their leader over the weekend.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: The Fine Gael leader played right into the Leader's hands and I do not know why he is smiling because the world knows that he has managed to outmanoeuvre the Green Party in its attempts to reform this House time and again. The Green Party must also play its part. All I will say about Fine Gael's proposal - unthinking and without rationale as it was - is that it might hasten some action from...