Results 4,461-4,480 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I listened to every word the Minister of State said.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I would like to know what kind of businesses are struggling because of the minimum wage. I have not come across such businesses. I have asked for information about them but I have not found them. Perhaps the Department has the information and it would be very helpful if this information was shared with us. The people on the minimum wage are people without a voice. They have no connection...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister of State is right; I could continue for some time yet, but I will take a break at some stage to hear a little of what is coming back to me. We are making the inequality in our society even worse and I do not believe it will create an extra job or save any industry. I ask the Minister of State to come back and contradict me with hard evidence. I am not talking about a shop here...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply and accept the point about employment agreements. He did not deal with the issue of where the jobs would be created and where they would be lost. He half dealt with the issue of the gap between welfare and minimum wage by dealing with jobseeker's allowance. That does not take from the force of the argument I made previously. I have...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I look forward to the discharge of the commitment given by the Fine Gael Party to reverse this appalling measure as soon as it gets into government. I thank the Government for making it easier for Fine Gael to do so because the reversal can be effected by ministerial order rather than by legislation. All could be well in the future.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (15 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (15 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Croke Park Agreement: Statements (15 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Áine Brady, and acknowledge the generous comments of the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary. I was stunned by my colleague's remark that P.J. Fitzpatrick does not inspire confidence because I know he has a vision. Perhaps there is a communication issue and people need to have clearer understanding. I will undertake to organise for Mr. Fitzpatrick come...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: The Leader did not explain the procedure for taking the Appropriation Bill.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Is it intended to take all Stages of the Bill?

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: My notes indicate that Committee Stage of the Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) Bill 2010 will be taken at 4 p.m.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: The House has debated air traffic, flights, etc., on a number of occasions recently. I ask the Leader to walk down the road to his neighbour, Mr. Michael O'Leary of Ryanair, and ask him whether he misled us. While I accept people from Castlepollard would not promulgate untruths-----

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I hope the Leader is not defending him. Mr. O'Leary promised to deliver 6 million additional passengers to Ireland if the airport travel tax was abolished. His response to last week's decision by the Government to reduce the air travel tax from €10 to €3 was to cut six routes out of the country. The same individual told us he would save Shannon Airport, but he cut the number of flights...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I made a personal request to the Leader.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, that is incorrect. The judgment this morning confirmed the Irish Constitution and asked that it be implemented. The judgment does not ask us to legislate for abortion.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) Bill 2010: Second Stage (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I do not see any speaker on the other side of the House. It will be quite appalling if Fianna Fáil, the main Government party, takes only two speaking slots, one of which is shared, on this important Bill. Its doing so reflects the contempt with which this House is being treated in certain places. This is probably the most crucial Bill-----

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) Bill 2010: Second Stage (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I am entitled to make that comment. I was very tempted to call a quorum but decided not to in favour of putting that remark on the record. In welcoming the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, I speak as one who has tended to support all the main decisions of the Government over recent years. I had an argument with the Minister during the week. He challenged me on why I had supported a...

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) Bill 2010: Second Stage (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I may well have to do so. It should be pointed out to my colleagues in the Labour Party that every time they say they did not vote for the guarantee, every significant financial commentator says those who voted for it were absolutely correct. Commentators have pointed out the chaos that would have been created had there been no guarantee. Professor Honohan's report is very clear-----

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) Bill 2010: Second Stage (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: -----on what would have happened had the credit guarantee scheme not been introduced two years ago.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) Bill 2010: Second Stage (16 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: There may well be a question of width, but in terms of quality, the guarantee was necessary. We are making a huge mistake with this legislation. I have seen this happen before with rushed legislation. I note we are amending the Building Societies Act 1989. It was rushed through this House and caused problems thereafter. I do not understand what the Minister refers to as the recitals in the...