Results 861-880 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Seanad: Industrial Relations Issues. (3 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: The workers at An Post have always been willing to negotiate with the management. The Minister of State mentioned the losses. I understand capital expenditure has been included in the figures in respect of losses. If one said teachers should not be paid their increases because there was capital expenditure on school building or school refurbishments, it would not be acceptable. The losses the...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (10 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I support the amendment's intentions but the operation of the new cards should be reviewed much earlier. We need to introduce a more comprehensive measure. Many people will not qualify for the new card type and many who will qualify should be getting a full medical card in any event. If the Government had kept its promises, they would have done so. Senator Browne mentioned the issue of the...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (10 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister of State and his staff for their dealings with us but I still have many problems with the legislation, even though it is better than the Bill brought before the House prior to Christmas. Senator Glynn referred to the worth of both Houses but we passed an unconstitutional Bill before Christmas and our hands should be slapped.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (10 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I stated during the debate on the previous legislation it was unconstitutional and when passed, it was referred by the President to the Supreme Court. It is too much to expect an elderly person to hand over 80% of his or her pension. Elderly people should retain a greater share of their pensions so that they can have a good quality of life and engage in activities we take for granted. If I...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion. (24 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: Let me refer to a paragraph 2.18 of the Cory report, which may have been quoted already in the House and which was quoted in the Dáil yesterday: Chief Superintendent Breen and Superintendent Buchanan demonstrated all the finest attributes required of policemen. They were proven leaders in the police community and, by example, leaders in the greater community of Northern Ireland. To murder...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion. (24 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: There would not be a peace process if there were not two sides to it.

Seanad: Asylum Applications. (24 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: On my question to give compassionate consideration to Olukunle Elukanlo, the student from Palmerstown, which would allow him to return to complete his leaving certificate studies, obviously the question has been overtaken by events. The Minister's decision to revoke the deportation order is a humane one which illustrates the importance of examining the facts of each case. The important aspect...

Seanad: Statute Law Revision (Pre-1922) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (13 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome this Bill. The Labour Party has long advocated that we update the Statute Book. It is unsatisfactory that this independent republic still relies on laws passed by, for example, Henry VIII. The Labour Party favours the establishment of a Statute Book in which all the pre-1922 legislation is repealed. This Bill is a good start. The Minister indicated that more Acts might be added to...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister for her presentation. The INTO's campaign to reduce class sizes is based on the premise that smaller class sizes are crucial in tackling educational disadvantage and providing quality education to our pupils. The Fianna Fáil motion claims there are now 4,000 more primary school teachers and over 2,000 in post-primary schools than in 1997. The Minister for Education and...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: Nothing has been done about the actual pupil-teacher ratio on the ground. Recently the INTO had local meetings between primary school principals and public representatives. At my local meeting, no Government party members were present.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: In my area there were two Labour Party representatives from the same family.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: For south Dublin, the INTO puts the pupil-teacher ratio at 25:1. South Dublin has three RAPID areas which are included in these figures. However in Lucan and Clondalkin, not covered in the RAPID programme, the pupil-teacher ratios are much higher, some as high as 30:1. There are 100,000 primary school students in classes of 30 students or more. That is the pupil-teacher ratio and all the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: On behalf of my Labour Party colleagues, I add to the congratulations to Senator Ross. The award is well-deserved. New research to be published today by the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy Brian Lenihan, concerns a local study that was carried out by the Tallaght west childhood development initiative. The research has relevance and broader application to...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (19 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister for taking on board the amendment we proposed on Committee Stage and for tabling a version thereof. Amendment No. 34 is probably better worded than my amendment.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (19 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 40: In page 7, between lines 37 and 38, to insert the following: "(3) Where a person has been found guilty of an offence, but prior to passing sentence the court becomes of opinion that the person is suffering from a mental disorder, the court having imposed a sentence may recommend that the sentence shall be served in a specified designated centre until such time as the...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (19 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 89: In page 13, line 46, after "oath" to insert ", affirmation". The purpose of the amendment is to include the word "affirmation". The Interpretation Act 1937 is not fully comprehensive in this regard. The Minister said on Committee Stage this issue would be covered by the inclusion of the phrase "or otherwise", as provided in Government amendment No. 95. This represents...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (19 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister and his staff for their work on this legislation. I thank the Minister of State for taking on board the amendments which I tabled on behalf of my colleagues. In particular I thank Senator Henry for bringing her expertise to bear today and on Second and Committee Stages. We must monitor this legislation to see if any changes need to be made.

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I wish to raise the plans by the Minister for Education and Science to link the funding of third level colleges to a college's performance and whether it cuts back on costs. I would like to hear more on these plans before I judge them. More important than placement in university leagues is a college's function to educate students, and it is our performance in that area over the years that has...

Seanad: Immigrant Workers: Motion. (4 May 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Minister. Senator O'Rourke referred to Ireland as having an immigration policy. As I have said a number of times in this House, we do not have a coherent policy. It is very much a case of crisis management in that something happens and the Government usually responds in a negative manner which has led to legislation regarding carriers' liability and such...

Seanad: Registration of Deeds and Title Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 May 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: On the last point raised by Senator Dardis, as a solicitor who dealt largely in conveyancing, it is one of my bugbears that while auctioneers make much more money out of conveyancing than solicitors, they do not take on the same level of responsibility, liability and so on. For example, they do not have to certify title. Many people complain about solicitors' costs, but the same people do not...