Results 801-820 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: We need to examine these things. It will be impossible to implement the decentralisation proposal in three years. The idea that this can be achieved has raised people's hackles. This regularly happens when a good idea is brought forward. There should be a discussion on the principle of the issue and a discussion on its implementation. Everybody gets confused when the principle is lost because...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: If we are wrong about it, somebody should tell us we are wrong. These things are important. We need to consider decentralisation as a proactive measure that ties into other plans. I do not believe it ties into the national spatial strategy. It is not complementary to the strategy at all — in many cases it is quite the opposite, filling gaps left by the spatial strategy in order to satisfy...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: It gets my back up to hear people dismissing places outside Dublin as though they are backwoods in which we would not plant cabbages, let alone place a Department. We need to change that attitude in our utterly Dublin-centric society. I am glad the Government has challenged us by bringing forward the plans for decentralisation. Unfortunately, I cannot congratulate the Government on a plan...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: It was a matter of congratulation.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Last week, Senator Ross raised with the Leader of the House the lack of a response from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform on our motion, tabled on 28 May 2003, on the auctioneering profession. The motion was passed by the House and included commitments from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I also raised the lack of a response three weeks ago and the week...

Seanad: European of the Year: Statements. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The Leader says it is great to see one of us being given a distinction. The Independent Members consider Senator Maurice Hayes one of us and we have always kept a seat for him on this side of the House. Regarding the star of the County Down, I remember years ago reading his autobiography and being delighted to see that he might be more likely to be called the rose of Tralee as all his roots...

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I have raised consistently and in a mannerly fashion my concern that the motion passed in this House on 28 May last on auctioneers has been ignored by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: On that basis I will park the issue for another day. On the question of electronic voting and this morning's newspaper reports on it, whereas I do not agree with Senator Brian Hayes that we are one of the oldest democracies in Europe, though we are around for a while, a sufficient number of questions have now been asked about this issue to warrant it being addressed. The only way to do that...

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: ——support me on that point as I know she will.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Leader. I am very appreciative.

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Certainly on this issue, the Bill does not flow easily. I can see the sense behind what the Minister is trying to achieve, except for the phrase, "A difference of treatment which is based on a characteristic related to the gender ground," which the Minister might explain. In my understanding of equality legislation, no one could argue if an employer took a decision on the basis of: (a) the...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: While the amendment is well motivated and the manner in which Senator Terry has phrased it is understandable, I have considered this section deeply and have difficulty in supporting the amendment. The issues involved go far beyond what is contained in the amendment. One of the objectives of successive Governments has been to bring the percentage of people with disabilities in the workplace up...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I support Senator Terry's amendment because she is 100% correct. It would be disgraceful if the previous section were abused. It could be abused, as Senator Terry has pointed out, unless her current amendment is accepted. The previous section and her current amendment will provide protection. No one could accept from an employer anywhere a situation whereby people with disabilities were paid...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 14: In page 17, line 35, after "by" to insert "inserting in subsection (1)(b) after 'it takes action' the words 'on the religion ground' and". Section 37 was the most divisive section of the Employment Equality Act 1998. It was appalling that it allowed discrimination in certain instances, after a high profile discussion in which the Church of Ireland took a leading role,...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I understand the Minister of State's point and I agree with much of what he said. I disagree fundamentally with this section but I must accept the democratic decision of the people. If a teacher in a school of particular religion tries to inculcate the students with a different set of religious values, that is utterly unacceptable and should be a sackable offence, a view I have always held...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: That is exactly my point. I agree with the Minister of State.

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I cannot ask for any more from the Minister of State. I wish to draw out the example a little further because I believe the Minister of State is correct. We used the example of a person drinking in his or her private time and the example could also be a teacher having a child outside marriage. What the Minister of State said in response is the key to my motivation for tabling this amendment....

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 15: In page 17, line 39, to delete "ground" and substitute "marital status, family status, disability, sexual orientation, age or membership of the traveller community grounds". This amendment seeks to make doubly sure that we do not simply use the gender ground in regard to such circumstances. I will deal with amendment No. 16 first. It is a belt and braces type...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I am trying to make sure that the section fully reflects what is in the directive. I listened to what the Minister of State said and I will go back and read it. I thought my amendments more fully and comprehensively reflected what is in the directive. I accept what he said regarding the additional two qualifying words in the second amendment, that because they are not in the directive they...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I will not press them on that basis.