Results 141-160 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: That happens anyway.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: We need to improve the way the Oireachtas operates in addition to reforming local government. In their current forms people are excluded because they are so family-unfriendly and unsuited to those who have other professions and so on.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: In order to get more people involved at any level we need to make it more amenable to those who cannot get time off during the day. I have a problem attending joint committee meetings, not because of local government commitments but because they clash with the Order of Business in the House. If there was reform, it would actually make it easier to hold the dual mandate, in addition to helping...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I am not saying this will happen but if it is made a full-time job it will be the case. That would not be a good move. There is also the financial implication. It is not financially feasible to say to the public that we have 1,000 full-time paid politicians as opposed to 166 Deputies and 60 Senators. That would be totally unacceptable from the general public's point of view at a time when...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I know the Minister has not said that. Given that it has been put about that he would make local authority members full time I consider I should address the issue during this debate. Much has been said in the media about the dual mandate and that it has to do with the money. County councillors were not paid for most of the period of local government's existence. There is a cost to people in...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Much has been made of the fact that when the Fianna Fáil Party has held meetings it has to do with the money aspect more than anything else.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I know from speaking with Members of the Oireachtas that is not true. The people involved in it have a passion for it. Senator Bannon raised the issue of the local mandate, as I have done. As a Senator I do not have a local mandate. I would like to have that local mandate and to retain it.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: The Senator does not have a local mandate and that is the reality. The Minister mentioned the derogation for Irish members of the European Parliament. I apologise – I was not aware of that. The fact is they have held it, they still do and they have got a derogation. That is another aspect of the reasoning behind my second amendment which I will explain later. The point is that one can...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: It is 40% in the Labour Party.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister is deliberately misinterpreting what was said.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Especially Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Especially Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I have a right to respond to a distorting remark from the Minister.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: My statement is being distorted and I have a right to respond.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I never said that local government politicians should not be paid but that local government positions should not be made full-time. Community involvement would be deterred if the posts were full-time. I also raised the financial feasibility of having 1,000 full-time political posts. I have noticed the Minister has kept quiet since he was questioned about this on radio. There was a reaction to...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I am responding to the Minister. You have a different policy for the Minister of State when he speaks than when I do. You are allowing the Minister to digress.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: It is not unrelated.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: To finish, some 10% of places in local government will become available with the abolition of the dual mandate. That will do nothing for the participation of women and is a total red herring. How many women from Senator White's party were Oireachtas nominees in the Seanad elections?

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: That highlights Fianna Fáil policy regarding the participation of women. It is the choice of candidates, the parties and the public as to who gets elected and their gender. There is a constitutional provision that anybody can stand. The Minister said that the same people can stand for the Dáil and Seanad. Does he know that is not the case? One has to qualify for a Seanad panel, some people...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Mar 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I withdraw the amendment but I would like the Minister and the Fianna Fáil Party, particularly its Senators, to reconsider it. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.