Results 1,101-1,120 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Seanad: School Transport: Statements. (24 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister of State gave the figures for the huge number of children who use the school bus service. It is almost a year since the tragic accident last year in Meath, in which five schoolgirls lost their lives. There have been seven accidents since then, with one resulting in a fatality. It is an urgent issue that must be addressed. The Minister of State outlined what the Government is...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I echo the comments of Senators Brian Hayes and O'Toole. Where is the Bill today to address the fact that we have no absolute protection for children from sexual predators? That is the consequence of the Supreme Court judgment handed down last week which ruled that a section of an Act dealing with this issue was unconstitutional. Last week, I and other Senators, asked for urgent legislation,...

Seanad: Supreme Court Judgment on Statutory Rape: Statements. (31 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I would like to begin by quoting the last sentence of last week's Supreme Court judgment: I would allow the appeal and grant a declaration that s.1(1) of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 1935, is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution. That sentence is unambiguous in ruling unconstitutional an entire section of an Act dealing with the particular offence of statutory rape. It can...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I agree that this should not be a time for points scoring. What has happened in the Houses in the past couple of weeks, though it may not be seen that way to the public, is that the Opposition is holding the Government to account. That is our duty. I am glad we are dealing with this Bill today. As the Minister said, were it not for what happened we would not have the Bill today or next week....

Seanad: International Criminal Court Bill 2003: Second Stage. (13 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome the International Criminal Court Bill 2003. I find it hard to understand why it has taken so long to bring the Bill to the Seanad. As Senators have said, the statute of the International Criminal Court concluded in July 1998. We had a referendum in 2001 and the Constitution was amended in 2002. This Bill, which was published in 2003, was debated on Second Stage in the Dáil in May...

Seanad: Use of Irish Airports: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome and support this motion tabled by the Independent Senators. Last March the Labour Party tabled a similar motion with cross-party support on this side of the House, which Senator Norris seconded. We likewise proposed an appointment to a select committee of Senators, one of whose main purposes was to establish what mechanisms are in place, and whether our laws and practices ensure...

Seanad: Use of Irish Airports: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: That is not the case. Senator Marty found plenty of evidence that on the balance of probability we should be taking greater care than we have done. The Council of Europe report and Terry Davis, the Secretary General of the Council, concur that laws will need to be put in place. For example, we may need to introduce a criminal offence covering the process of extraordinary rendition. I read on...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I support Senators Brian Hayes and O'Toole in their calls for discussion of the partnership agreement. I presume we will hear another announcement of 10,000 affordable houses to be built to make up for the fact that the last 10,000 houses announced at the partnership talks were never built.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I want to draw the Leader's attention to a motion that my Labour Party colleagues and I have on the Order Paper seeking: That Seanad Éireann will establish a petitions committee and initiate procedures for civil engagement with the Seanad through a right of individuals, community groups and organisations to petition the Seanad and make a request to the Seanad to take a view or initiate or...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: Senator Norris is directly elected by the masses of university graduates.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: Not all from Trinity College, I am afraid.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: People like Senator Norris have brought about changes in legislation and it is this tendency in the Seanad to take a broader view that could allow us to fulfil this role very well. It would provide for civil engagement with the Seanad and the right of public access to this Parliament. I urge the Leader to take this proposal on board. I have previously raised the issue of the need to allow...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: This emergency legislation was adopted originally in 1998, so it has been in place almost ten years. Each year it is renewed and that is why we are here again today. It comes around very quickly because it does not seem like a year since we last dealt with it. It is on the Order of Business for both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Minister of State has mentioned that a report was laid by the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: Yesterday was the 61st birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma and Nobel peace prize winner. She has been detained under house arrest by the Burmese military for the past three years and has been detained for nearly 11 years overall by the same regime. Can the Acting Leader inquire as to whether there is anything this House can do to put pressure...

Seanad: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2006: Second Stage. (20 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome the Bill, which is a good initiative. I have worked as a conveyancer, which was my main job while a solicitor, and I never encountered a fee tail or lease for life renewable forever. Despite studying them at length in Professor Wiley's book at college, I did not fully understand what they were. Working with the Law Reform Commission and introducing this type of legislation is a good...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (20 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: What are the schemes a parent of a child in a special needs school might access during the summer school holiday period to ensure continued classes, tuition, supports and so on? Can schools be requested to continue classes for the child concerned and on what basis?

Seanad: Adult and Further Education: Statements. (21 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome this debate on an issue about which I feel strongly. Adult and further education is a key area of the education system. Mention has been made recently of fourth level education, which appears to be a new term because I do not remember it being used in the past. Adult and further education should be called fourth level education. The concept of lifelong learning should be the central...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (27 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: Towards the end of his speech, the Minister stated the requirement for this amending legislation arises irrespective of our participation in battle groups. In this regard, he is basically accepting a point raised by the Labour Party. Former Labour Party spokesman on defence, Deputy Sherlock, pointed out in the Dáil and in correspondence to the Minister that the Defence Acts as they stand may...

Seanad: Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I, too, welcome the Bill, which is a very good idea. I am not the Labour Party spokesman on local government and only found out about the idea this week. I received a very helpful statement from the Dublin City Business Association explaining the concept. It made reference to its website, www.dublinbids.com, which contains a lot of information on the matter. The schemes could benefit my...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I echo the comments of Senator Brian Hayes and Senator O'Toole in welcoming the decision by the US Supreme Court. The decision demonstrates the operation of the basic democratic concept of the separation of powers and how the law can check the abuse of power by a government. Sometimes people say the law is an ass but this case shows that the law works very well, including in the United...