Results 381-400 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I also welcome Deputy John Bruton to the House. His statements were very interesting and stimulating. The House is in the Deputy's debt for the work done by him and his colleagues, the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, and Mr. De Rossa. I regret that this important work is not making a greater impact on Irish society as it should. What is happening in the House is an important part in the...

Seanad: Motor Insurance: Motion. (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I second the motion. I wish to make a formal declaration of interest, since I am member of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board. I very much share Senator Ross's view that it was entirely unnecessary to table an amendment. I agree that we should make no excuse for the insurance industry. I have seen surveys showing that insurance costs have risen far higher in Europe, including Ireland,...

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the decision of the Leader of the House and thank her for it. It reflects a correct assessment of the need for proper participation in the democratic process. I found the debate on the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill this week excruciating due to the manner in which it exposed contradictions in the Government's approach. This move will give the House an opportunity to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: We need to examine the ordering of our business in the context of Report Stage of the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003. Given the joint committee's unanimous agreement that the Bill requires further significant amendment and the need to ensure the Bill is passed by both Houses by 18 April, the Government should agree to make and accept amendments today. If it does not, we should...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Fianna Fáil only left Kildare.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 2: In page 5, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: "1.–The long title of the Principal Act is amended by substituting "PERSONS". for "MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC". I welcome the Minister for Finance. I made remarks similar to those of Senator McDowell, in relation to the Minister's trip to Cheltenham, on a previous occasion. I have many differences with the...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The Senator did not actually hear what I said, which was that the Government will decide at the end of the day.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: In fairness to the Minister, he did no such thing. He said he will listen to the views and make his decision then.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: That is the way it works.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I did not say that he should accept anyone's view, I said that the final decision rests with the Government.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: No.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The example offered by the Minister was discussed at some length last week and I do not agree with it. The person whose name is on the application is the one to whom we are relating. I do, however, see the point the Minister raised in the earlier part of the argument. I can see that having a triple interpretation of the word "person" could cause confusion which was not my intention. I do not...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I will not rehearse the points I made earlier. I look forward to the Bill being returned from the Lower House when whatever changes on which the Minister decides have been made. In the course of a long and, at times, difficult debate, during a spat with our good colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ahern, the impression may have been given that the Minister's advisers were lacking...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I will vote against this repressive legislation. I hope that it will be better when it returns from the Lower House.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister will like the next part. I listened with great interest to Senator Ryan saying the legislation will be reversed. I have heard this many times before in the House, although not from Senator Ryan. I was a Member of the House when the votes of a few Independent Members increased the number of Ministers of State from 15 to 17 or 17 to 19, whatever the figure was, and Fianna Fáil...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I offered odds of 17 to 15 against it ever doing that. I was also Member of the House when the Road Traffic Bill was being debated and Fine Gael was in Opposition. When Fianna Fáil fell over the small fences and the Government changed without an election, Fine Gael, which had been opposed to the Bill, the points system and people having to carry their licence when driving, became a party of...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: If there is a reversal when a change of Government comes about, it will be the first occasion on which something of that nature will have happened. It will be a great thing to see. This is poor legislation in the main, although it has good points. It gives a bad impression of politics and feeds the cynics. I hope the Minister gives it some thought and that, when he returns with it to the...

Seanad: Tributes to Deputy Head Usher of the Houses of the Oireachtas. (20 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: It gives me great pleasure to add a few words to what has been said. When I was first elected in 1987, Tony was the first person who greeted me with "Hello, Senator." I looked around to see to whom he was talking. From that time he has always been helpful, supportive and, as the Leader has said, unfailingly courteous – sometimes to the point of deference. He has always been utterly...

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to pick up on the point raised by Senator Coghlan about the costs in various professions. It ties in with an issue I would like to have clarified. I am aware of one individual who was concerned about the costs of medical services and felt that some of them could be delivered more cheaply. He went to the trouble of investing privately in an MRI machine that would be made available at...

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

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Leader for providing a day to conduct this important debate. I also thank the Minister of State for his broad input. It was far too broad for the subject required, but that is in the nature of things. It is the way the Department works and we understand that.