Results 421-440 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I support Senator Terry regarding Dáil and Seanad secretaries and the need to pay them properly. Senator Norris referred to the move by Ireland to sponsor the motion condemning anti-Semitism, which I welcome. Will the Leader invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, into the House to speak on the issue? Given our impending assumption of the EU Presidency, it is important to...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Second Stage. (20 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Senator McDowell has already raised many of the issues I wished to raise and I support his comments. I am a solicitor and a member of the Law Society, but I have never practised in the area of personal injuries. There is an element in the conclusions drawn from the reports that focuses on legal costs, particularly at the expense of the other costs involved in insurance claims. The right to...

Seanad: Adjournment Matter. - School Accommodation. (20 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I previously raised this matter on the Adjournment. Some progress has been made, in that temporary accommodation was provided for Griffeen Valley Educate Together national school in the prefab buildings previously occupied by another school, Lucan Educate Together. This move is welcome. The accommodation is much more satisfactory than was previously the case. The Lucan Educate Together school...

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: A speech in which the Taoiseach stated civil servants must earn their benchmarking payments has been widely reported today. Many people will be asking questions about Deputies, Senators, Ministers and the Taoiseach. I do not agree with making simplistic, headline-seeking remarks on the number of days we sit or the way in which we sign in because most politicians, including me, work at least...

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I am raising a valid point.

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: My question for the Leader—

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I also wish to make a point.

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I apologise, a Chathaoirligh, I thought you were preventing me from speaking. The Labour Party has produced proposals on Dáil and parliamentary reform. Will the Leader have a proper debate in the House on how we can organise our business more effectively? This should involve examining changes to Standing Orders, ways in which we could have proper parliamentary investigation and so forth?

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I did not object to the visit by Pat Cox, MEP. I merely wondered why Mr. Cox was to come before the House again.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Senator Hanafin mentioned older people. Perhaps the Leader could arrange for a debate on the findings of a report by the National Council for Ageing and Older People which found that we have the lowest life expectancy of 17 European countries. A number of recommendations were made which I would like discussed in the House, including that a fund of €5 million should be provided to support...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I support this Fine Gael amendment and I am glad that Senator Leyden supports the underlying principle of the amendment because the Labour Party raised a similar amendment yesterday. I was interested in Senator Leyden saying he expected the Dáil to amend the legislation. What does that say to the Senate about its legislative role?

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: That is my understanding of what the Senator said.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: The Senator said it does not involve legal arguments when it comes before the board. Everything is legal just as everything has a legal dimension. This is supposedly an administrative procedure and there is administrative law. We are removing an area from the determination of the courts and putting it into the hands of the board. Of course it is a legal matter but it may be dealt with in a...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I second the amendment. The Labour Party raised a similar issue yesterday. This feature of the legislation is a major catch-22 for the individual claimant. It is another aspect of the legislation that disadvantages the claimant relative to the respondent. If the claimant is not happy with the board's determination, he or she is faced with the prospect of having everything reviewed again at a...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I second the amendment. Amendment put and declared lost.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I second the amendment. Amendment put and declared lost. Amendment No. 7 not moved.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome the fact that there is a time limit. One reason I, as a Labour Party member and solicitor, support the legislation in general and the setting up of the board is that many people who are entitled to awards do not make compensation claims after an accident. They are deterred by the prospect of going to court and the time it will take. There are many aspects of the board that I welcome...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I second the amendment. I am a member of the Law Society of Ireland. It was very unfair of Senator Mansergh to state the amendments have been tabled on behalf of vested interests. It is true that similar issues have been raised by the Law Society of Ireland or the Bar Council, but this does not mean they are not valid. Senator O'Toole mentioned legal practitioners making a living at other...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Nov 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: However, Senator O'Toole expanded on it and talked about people lining up and making a living on the day of a court case. My sole way of making a living is as a Senator and that does not mean that I or Senator O'Toole cannot advocate on behalf of people and draw attention to their rights. Similarly, the legal profession is an advocate of people's rights. I thank Senator Maurice Hayes for his...