Results 4,321-4,340 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Senator Fitzgerald has raised an important point, but I do not fully agree with her. Since the Government has decided to proceed with the by-election, it could not be said justifiably that appealing the decision to the Supreme Court is an attempt to stop people from voting. That is just a logical position. However, the Senator's earlier points were absolutely correct. An issue needs to be...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I am not coming down on one side or the other, but I am worried about crossing that border. Senator Fitzgerald is correct that it is long past the time when the by-election should have taken place. The Government acted with alarming alacrity in response to the decision of the High Court yesterday. On the basis of the importance of the Houses of Parliament regulating their own affairs, it...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I do not know what we can make of the fact that this is the most attractive country for foreign direct investment, but I am delighted about this also. I am also delighted that the value of our exports in the third quarter of the year is the highest it has ever been. These are important points. There are steps that can be taken. Why will the Government not take a decision on the metro north...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I do not mind Senators disagreeing with me on this, but they should listen to what I have to say first. Siemens Ireland which has been based in this country since it gained independence and which built the Ardnacrusha power generating station offered to put in place for free water meters in every home. This would create jobs and a new conduit for the Government. We should take advantage of...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I agree.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: It is actually €300 million.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: It is important to recognise nothing stays the same. At the beginning of the economic crisis we were told that not only was it bad internationally and nationally but that we had huge personal debt and mortgage problems. In the past two years the size of personal debt has been reduced significantly and it has gone away as an issue. If anyone had listened carefully to the reports on the 83...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Will the Leader inform the House where next with this matter? Over the weekend the main Opposition party published a policy document, Reinventing Government. It contains many proposals with which I disagree, but it is an intriguing and innovative document that raises issues that need to be discussed. It contains many positive proposals which I welcome and at which the Government should look...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: This is a very important week in European history. In most of the countries of western Europe there is a remarkable memory spreagtha on 11 November each year. I made this point some years ago in the Seanad and I raise it again. We in this House showed a lot of support for the Shot at Dawn campaign. We have shown a lot of support over the years for what has happened in our history. Many...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: You have the power in your hands.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: An appropriate note of urgency.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Over recent days I have sought from the Leader an indication of the Government's response to the motion that was passed in the House last week. I have given this some serious consideration and have spoken to graduates of DCU and the University of Limerick. Graduates of these institutions have been deprived of a Seanad vote for the past 30 years since the people's decision in the 1979...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: This is important infrastructure and its construction will create up to 6,000 jobs, which will mean wages churning into the economy. In addition, I ask the Government to accept the proposal from Siemens Ireland, which I mentioned to the Leader before, to install a water meter in every house in Ireland at its own expense. This would represent a free loan of €1.1 billion to the Government,...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: The problem is they cannot and are not allowed to connect to the national grid.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Once again, taxpayers and the Government are facing into a black hole caused by the irresponsibility of the private sector and its leadership in the banks. It should not be forgotten what they have done to us because we must not come to rely again on those who got us into the mess in the first instance. The Government has taken a responsible attitude towards the redemption of senior bonds...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: They have been given a full guarantee by the State without facing any risk, while enjoying high interest rates. They are raising the stakes in the game ever higher. We must recognise that the game has changed in that respect and our response must differ. Notwithstanding what one reads in Irish newspapers today, Senators should read what is being written in the international media, notably...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Were that the case, one could deal with a European approach to the problem rather than simply an Irish approach.