Results 4,141-4,160 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Female Genital Mutilation Bill 2010: Second Stage (21 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I congratulate Senator Bacik and the Labour Party for tabling this legislation. This Bill is simple, effective and comprehensive. It meets all needs and requirements. I am appalled we cannot have the attitude of accepting that this has been produced by someone of significant legal stature in this country who knows what she is talking about. It is as comprehensive as anything a...

Seanad: Female Genital Mutilation Bill 2010: Second Stage (21 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Until it is the law of the land, people will be abused and controlled, held under foot and oppressed in this way. People will be told that these are cultural values. We took many bad practices abroad with us, as did those in Chinatown and other groups to countries to which they emigrated. Immigrants in Ireland need the authority from us to say stop and to say they will not agree with a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I would like the Leader to update the House on where we stand on the Report Stage of the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009. There was an understanding to the effect that it would come through the House some weeks back and an ugly rumour is circulating that some people on the Government side are somewhat reticent and hesitant to support Government policy on this issue.

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I am sure it is not true, but I would like if the Leader would confirm that the Bill is going through the normal process.

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: There did not appear to be any great reason for it to be delayed after Committee Stage, and some Members would like to express their views further on this matter on Report Stage. I am sure Members in the Leader's party take the same view and I should like him to scotch that ugly rumour, if he would be so kind.

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: In recent times it is interesting to see how the different standards apply. We noted recently that Bishop Jim Moriarty's resignation was accepted by the Vatican on the basis that he felt he should have challenged the culture, and people accept that, rightly or wrongly. If we take a parallel situation within the banking industry, we are aware that there were at least 15 senior bankers who...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: We understand the position of the Senator's party.

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Senator Fitzgerald raised an important issue concerning the women's prison. We must not take a simple approach to this issue, in which there is considerable interest, as there is also a legislative responsibility in the matter. We have created an imperative whereby people who do not pay their television or credit union bills are thrown into jail. What kind of a modern society are we...

Seanad: Women's Participation in Politics: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State. Both of us survived our previous encounter on the high seas. This has been a fascinating and exceptionally good debate which has focused on important issues. I concur with Senator Twomey in most of the points he made. I have seen identical developments in teaching. Twenty years ago, when people were arguing that teaching was about to become a female...

Seanad: Women's Participation in Politics: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: My question was rhetorical. I was a member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission at the time and know exactly what took place. The reason Members did not use the facility was they could not be sure when they would start and finish work. They could not operate in the manner normal workplaces worked. They could not, for instance, leave work at 5 p.m. or indicate that their child would...

Seanad: Women's Participation in Politics: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I am sorry I was unable to make many of the points I set out to make. Will the discussion resume?

Seanad: Women's Participation in Politics: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: As I am still in possession, I will make further points when the discussion resumes.

Seanad: Banking: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. It is important that we continue to have these discussions on developments in the banking sector. We should begin by defining what a bank is, as that would help us in the future. Having banks which were too big fail in the system is what led to the huge problems in the American economy. It was not stated in quite these terms in the...

Seanad: Banking: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: That is the reality, no matter what amount of auditing we put in place. When auditing was established in Victorian times, the function of the auditor was described as that of a watchdog, not a bloodhound. That is the reality. An auditor can only deal with the information he or she is given. If there is a lack of information, for example, where one bank does not reveal major transfers or...

Seanad: School Staffing. (27 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Minister of State for attending the House to deal with this issue on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science, with whom I have discussed it, as well as with her predecessor, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. It concerns the system that operates when a school needs a teacher to cover for an absent teacher. A teacher may be absent for a variety of valid reasons,...

Seanad: School Staffing. (27 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I regret the fact the Minister has not moved one bit since we last discussed this issue. We are dealing with the most disadvantaged schools in many cases. The supply panel presents teachers who are qualified, experienced and vetted at a time when that is important. Withdrawing the scheme is regressive in a way that lacks planning and vision. I cannot understand the figures or how this...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: This is Workers' Memorial Day. During the past week we read that dozens of workers had been blown to smithereens in an explosion when an oil rig platform went on fire. That was a big incident which hit international headlines, but all of us, on both sides of the House, know of other incidents, perhaps involving a farm worker, a farmer, the child of a farmer who drowned in a slurry tank or a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: -----said we should look at retired politicians working in other parts of the public sector, perhaps in order to cut back their pensions also. It is only a matter of time before we look at retired teachers, gardaí or Army officers doing some extra work here and there. It is time leadership was shown on the issue. I am with the Taoiseach on this one: it is for people themselves to make...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Apr 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I want people to consider that the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act was not brought forward by accident or through backroom chat by a number of people here and there. It was brought forward in the hungry 1930s and 1940s when it was considered important to draw people in who could make a contribution to public life and that they should have some element of comfort and safety. We...