Results 1,701-1,720 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Clare Street Traffic Management Initiative: Statements. (11 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: There is a surprise.

Seanad: Clare Street Traffic Management Initiative: Statements. (11 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: As it happens, I also, surprisingly, agree with the Taoiseach on that issue. Having stood beside and having been overtaken by those huge cubist trucks, I am afraid of them on the road and I worry about what they do. Their slipstream is like that of a Boeing 747. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Callely, to the House. Having listened to the debate, he...

Seanad: Clare Street Traffic Management Initiative: Statements. (11 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I listened to Senator Morrissey, who tried to explain it. In fairness to him, he made a valiant effort. I would hate to put him on the same level but I think he is as confused as I am about what it might be. The crucial aspect is that the Minister of State told the House earlier that it "will work with existing agencies and within existing governance structures and that it will be the...

Seanad: Clare Street Traffic Management Initiative: Statements. (11 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: That is an excellent idea. It is no good to us, however, because the problem at the city end persists. Standing at Harte's Corner, one can see where the problem lies. The traffic coming into the city is not prioritised. Traffic should be prioritised until it reaches some place where it can disperse and that is not happening on the N2. I could give the Minister of State plenty more examples....

Seanad: Clare Street Traffic Management Initiative: Statements. (11 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: There are acres of space in Senator Morrissey's new constituency, where the Minister of State could also help him out by putting in a park and ride facility at the airport end. There is the proposal, which also relates to Senator Morrissey's constituency, to extend the Metro to Swords, where one could provide a generous sized park and ride facility. Part of the problem with the airport is the...

Seanad: Clare Street Traffic Management Initiative: Statements. (11 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister of State is listening with one ear.

Seanad: Clare Street Traffic Management Initiative: Statements. (11 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister of State could wear the Taoiseach's wellies.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: Before the summer recess, the House discussed the developments in Marino College at some length. I have become aware of some disquieting developments in the college over the past month. They entered the public domain today so I thought I should raise the issue. Put simply, the authorities in the Department of Education and Science entered discussions with the authorities in Marino College....

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, subsection (1), to delete lines 15 to 17. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen. I realise he has put a great deal of work into the legislation. As I said on Committee Stage, this is crucial legislation, elements of which must be examined, tweaked and perhaps changed. In a sense, the effect of the amendment is to throw out the baby with the bath...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: My objection does not hinge on the employee and employer having some agreed basis for agreeing the appointment, it hinges on the fact that the agreement may not include an electoral process. Will the Minister of State or Senator Quinn state if there is a way of agreeing the appointment that would not include some form of electoral process? One elects somebody by way of putting names forward...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I know the points Senator Quinn is making and I have heard them many times from entrepreneurs and others. It would be very helpful if the Minister of State could put on record certain facts so Senator Quinn can convey to the people he meets in future that Ireland has the best or next best strike record in western Europe. It holds this record because many people put much blood, sweat and tears...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I take the Minister of State's points. I will also examine how that model works in other places and return to the matter on Report Stage.

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, I was also unaware that these amendments would be taken together. We did not have notice of this until now and I am not blaming anyone for that. Can the House deal with amendment No. 2 now? When we reach amendment No. 52, we can take amendments Nos. 53 to 62, inclusive, with it. This would give Members an opportunity to consider what is involved. Is that acceptable to the...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: That is correct.

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 3: In page 3, subsection (1), line 20, to delete paragraph (a). I will deal with amendment No. 3 first. I am trying to make life easy for Senator Quinn and the people he might meet in respect of this matter. In order to ensure that he does not have to contact every person in the shop and talk to them alone or in pairs, I suggest that much time may be saved simply by...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: While I have no problem with amendments Nos. 3 and 7 being taken together, I agree with Senator McDowell that amendments Nos. 48 and 49 are different. As such, I suggest we deal with the first two amendments only.

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: Amendment No. 7 proposes to define the word "information" as "the transmission by the employer to employee representatives of data in order to enable them to acquaint themselves with the subject matter under discussion;'". As the Minister of State will note, the amendment proposes a slight change to the current wording in that it deletes the words "one or more employees". The amendment would...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I am taken aback slightly by the reasons set out for rejecting the amendments. Amendment No. 48 tabled by Senators White, Quinn and Coghlan seeks to insert a requirement that employees "be informed and consulted through their representatives (as defined under this Act)". I am happy to support this amendment because it achieves my objective. I am not trying to exclude anything from happening....

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: There may be a misunderstanding on the part of Senator Quinn. This has nothing to do with trade unions. I am not talking about trade unions or unionised workplaces here. I am simply stating that under section 1(1) the Bill defines appointed representatives of employees, the same people who are referred to in amendment No. 48 of Senator White and Senator Quinn, which inserts "to be informed...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (12 Oct 2005)

Joe O'Toole: The belt and braces approach. It is not my intention that consultation, discussions or any engagement between an employer and one or more employees should be excluded. What the Minister of State said is new to me. He stated that if it is not included there, it is effectively excluded. I want more information on that. I would trust the Minister of State's view on it but I can assure him that I...