Results 1,141-1,160 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (29 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The issue is how it is done. It is not an issue of setting up a superstructure with a great amount of administration. I will outline a solution to the Minister that is so simple it does not need to be written down. The amount of administration required to spend €250 million will be the same whether it is done by an independent body or the Civil Service. Therefore, those good people in the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The thing to remember about benchmarking is that it was such a success that we are now talking about benchmarking mark II. It is a bit like New York: "so good we named it twice". We might do it many more times. The matter I want to raise has nothing to do with drinks sponsorship, although it is related to the issue of sponsorship in general. We had a discussion last night on the dormant...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Can we obtain a written explanation regarding this rescindment? I would be happy with that.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The Deputy Leader is saying that the Bill will not come to this House any time soon.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: We were not told about it.

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon. I broadly welcome the Bill. I feel a need to discuss decentralisation as the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service was censored from having a debate on it by a recent vote of Government, which was quite appalling. The Minister of State was equally bemused by this, as I put the question to him. He assured me he was quite happy to...

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Exactly. However, decentralisation cannot in any principled way be opposed with a safe intellectual argument. I agree with Senator McDowell that the issue is how it is to be implemented and I agree with his use of the word "voluntary". I stated in the House that decentralisation would be a great idea if the timescale of three years was replaced by one of ten years, and if this was made clear....

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: If a Department was relocated to Dingle there would be plenty of applications. The points made by Senator McDowell are correct. Decentralisation will only work if it is done on a voluntary basis. It cannot work if it is done in the way proposed.

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Are we to call the Seanad Parlon country?

Seanad: Maritime Safety Bill 2004: Second Stage. (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State. I welcome the legislation, which is needed. I do not have the slightest difficulty in supporting it because it is sensible. I have a certain difficulty with the tone of the speeches so far in this debate. It is easy to be prissy and nannyish about such matters. I have been bothered by jet skis and power boats in places as far apart as Dingle, Dromineer and...

Seanad: Maritime Safety Bill 2004: Second Stage. (30 Jun 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: We raised the issue of decentralisation in this House yesterday with the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon. The House will be pleased to hear that his position changed somewhat on "Morning Ireland" this morning when he explained why we were outvoted in the finance committee when we sought to have a debate on decentralisation, which was warmly supported by the Fianna Fáil chair of the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The Leader should use her good offices and her experience to highlight this matter. She has been through this and knows the issue better than anyone.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Thank you, a Chathaoirligh. Members are a bit unruly on the other side this morning.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The Aer Rianta Bill, RIP.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Leader and her office for giving more time to the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill. Members on every side are delighted that it can be debated next week. I recognise the flexible approach which the Leader showed in dealing with it. All Members believe that due to the urgency of the matter the legislation's provisions should be in operation for the start of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: It is important the House recognises that the auctioneering review group has been established and is up and running, arising from an initiative in this House which was pushed and supported very much by the Leader. This is worth recognising and I refer particularly to those people who are constant critics of the House. The Personal Injuries Assessment Board has advertised for people to deal...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: It is the Fianna Fáil Party slush fund.