Results 661-680 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I point this out because the matter will be taken without debate. I know some people, certainly on the Fine Gael side, would have liked a debate on the matter, which was discussed at some length by a committee. I would like to refer to the Minister for Education and Science's recent statement on Sustaining Progress. We have had long debates in this House on the commitments given in respect of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: It is right that we should monitor issues such as implementation of the reports. That is perfectly in line with what we have discussed previously.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Let us hope those decent hardworking members of local authorities get their benchmarking award when it becomes due. I am sure everyone will support that.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Yesterday, Senator McCarthy sought a debate on the prisons issue. We need to know what is going on in this matter. Can the Leader ask the Minister to come to the House to explain to us what he is thinking of doing? It may be that he has the answers but I do not understand the issue, no one else does and I have been trying to get information on the row between the prison officers and the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Indeed. These things are better left to the experts, however, I would like to hear why, with such goodwill on both sides, a resolution to the problem cannot be found or why it cannot be dealt with by a third party. It seems that people are taking strong positions unnecessarily and that we are walking ourselves into trouble, which we do not need to do. People talk about the closure of some of...

Seanad: Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second and Subsequent Stages. - National Drugs Strategy: Motion. (12 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I am thankful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate. We have debated this problem on many occasions over the years and nobody has the answer. In the developed western world there is more and more use and misuse of drugs, and hard drugs have become recreational drugs for many and have become part of their lives. We have to think differently about how we approach the question of...

Seanad: Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second and Subsequent Stages. - National Drugs Strategy: Motion. (12 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: They certainly do kill people, but these deaths comprise the minority. The biggest problem being created by drugs today is the associated crime. It is absolutely hypocritical for anybody to stand up in the House and say he is driven by constituents who are worried about drug abuse. The people who drive us, telephone us and write to the newspapers do so because of the crime associated with...

Seanad: Courts and Court Officers (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second and Subsequent Stages. - National Drugs Strategy: Motion. (12 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: There is no question that this would happen and that one would encounter many problems. Can the Minister of State indicate a problem greater than those we currently face, where people are being shot, killed, robbed and tortured? I may have considered all these issues when I organised a pan-European drugs conference in 1986 on behalf of the Council of Europe and the European Community, but I...

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: If we paid people the level of wages in the Far East and refused to pay our workers, we could probably do much more with the money. However, that is not how the world works.

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Earlier this year, I raised the issue of the various reports on the medical services, including the Hanly and Brennan reports, before they were published. At that stage, I requested a debate where people could establish their positions on the matter, rather than taking up political positions afterwards. We had a debate and people said what they had to say. However, the matter is now bringing...

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: And business.

Seanad: Report of Tourism Policy Review Group: Statements. (19 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: In welcoming the Minister of State to the House, I would emphasise that we have seen huge changes in tourism over a number of years. Ten years ago many people, including trade unionists, looked at tourism as a part-time industry with part-time jobs that were not real and could not be developed. This is thankfully beginning to change, but not quickly enough. Many places are taking a new look...

Seanad: Report of Tourism Policy Review Group: Statements. (19 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I know. This is another thing one does not find in Ireland. I guarantee one could search every butcher shop in this town and not find a bit of mutton. Nobody remembers what it is anymore. We can all talk about the big issues, but I want to concentrate on simple, practical things. There are some things that we are not doing that we could and need to do. In fairness, successive Governments have...

Seanad: Report of Tourism Policy Review Group: Statements. (19 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I was just about to start reading from my script. We support all the attempts to advance tourism into a year-round industry. Will the Minister tell people about the beauty of walking along a beach in west Kerry in the middle of a raging storm in the bright light of winter? Is there a more attractive experience in the world?

Seanad: Stem Cell Research: Statements. (19 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I thank Senator Norris for sharing his time and I support his comments on Senator Henry's earlier contribution.

Seanad: Stem Cell Research: Statements. (19 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I fully and completely support the position of the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the views she expressed earlier. She outlined the only reasonable, sensible and sustainable position one can adopt. In a sense, we are getting an easy ride in that we are able to adopt this approach. It would be wrong to try to impose whatever particular values we hold on...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I also have access to BBC Parliament on digital television and I support the points made by Senator Brian Hayes.

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Nov 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I am talking about all of us.

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

Joe O'Toole: I take exception all the time.

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

Joe O'Toole: Would the Senator swap it for the hospital?