Results 1,801-1,820 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I know that my colleague, Senator Norris, will say something about aeroplane landings but Dr. Condoleezza Rice reportedly said in Germany this morning that European Governments using intelligence obtained by the CIA or other American authorities should not question how it was obtained. This is an appalling reflection on the West. Is it any wonder that we are in trouble with the rest of the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: The House might note a happy photograph in today's main newspapers. It is of two happy Members of the Oireachtas, one of whom, a Member of this House, Senator John Hanafin, was being presented with his masters degree in the company of his sister, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin. We should extend our congratulations to the Member of the House.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: On a more negative note regarding the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, there is a woman from the Morning Star Mother and Baby Home who has been outside the gates for the past number of weeks. Others have raised this issue. I do not wish to elaborate because it is not appropriate to discuss it on the Order of Business. However, that woman has suffered. I am one of those who have written to the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister of State is entitled to have the truth disclosed and we are entitled to know the truth. I will not go any further than that. We cannot merely ignore the fact that everybody else is talking about it. We need to get clarification on the matter.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister has a problem.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, would this be a change to primary legislation or a regulation?

Seanad: WTO Negotiations: Statements. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear. That is absolutely correct.

Seanad: WTO Negotiations: Statements. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I thank Senator Quinn for allowing me the opportunity to contribute to the debate and welcome the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Coughlan. Since being elected to this House 18 years ago, I have spent most of my time defending Ministers for Agriculture and Food, mainly against the Opposition party, but almost as often against the Ministers' own party. I make this point in all...

Seanad: WTO Negotiations: Statements. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: She should note the difference. Vegetables are dumped in north Dublin because they will not pass through the sorters for the Dublin market, while in Provence they would be on display. People will go in and buy a beef tomato with four sides or a hugely distorted pepper. If it looks healthy, clean and luscious, they will buy it. Why does that happen there but not here? That and the Abattoirs...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2005: Motion. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the budget and I also welcome the opportunity to say a few words about it. It is always difficult to assimilate such an enormous amount of information in such a short time, but there are certain matters we sought on the record and against which we can measure to see where we currently stand. In the main, I welcome this budget as a progressive measure containing some important steps...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2005: Motion. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: Whichever way it comes, it saves them €2,000 of after tax income, which is important.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2005: Motion. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I also think the €10,000 relief is welcome. Whoever tried to work out the cost in the Department of Finance, however, I would bet my house that they have underestimated it. Nobody knows the way that Irish people can flexibly use that kind of an arrangement and it may well be for use in their own houses. It is good, however, because it legitimises something that people have been forcing...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2005: Motion. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome those aspects of the budget. The Minister did not mention any proper accreditation system for the child care package. This is very important because once we start creating choice for parents, we must ensure that some checks and balances are included. Both Senator O'Meara and myself have regularly raised that important point. I note from the Budget Statement that people availing of...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2005: Motion. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: That is a welcome step. The Minister also said that the county committee on child care would be in a position to give information, support and small grants in order to make it happen, but we need to hear more about that. I have no doubt that Senator O'Meara will have questions to ask about this as well. I would like to know how that proposal will work. I am glad there is a registration...

Seanad: Budget Statement 2005: Motion. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: ——and create what he describes as fourth level education, which I am somewhat amused by. Whatever fourth level might be, I would like to see it established that institutes of technology have as much access to PhD courses as traditional universities. That is very important. As a representative of graduates, I liked the Minister's positive words about the quality of Irish graduates. I...

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: I must register my hurt with the House that in offering thanks and recognition all over the place, Senator Brian Hayes chose to ignore the fact that Senator Ross and myself tabled a Private Members' motion on child care.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: Will it be in order, a Chathaoirligh, for me to remove from the Order Paper No. 21, motion 19, in my name, the first part of which calls for the extension of maternity leave to 26 weeks? I will now rewrite the item, although I welcome the fact that it has been delivered. That matter was proposed by Senator O'Meara and myself on a number of occasions over the last year.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: In fact, Senator White did not even speak to the motion that was tabled by Senator Ross and myself. I was upset about that because I was looking forward to her contribution.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: Some of us on this side of the House would be quite willing to support a Bill on child care that has been prepared by supporters of Senator White.

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Dec 2005)

Joe O'Toole: We look forward to her own support for her own Bill, but I suspect that she will not give us the honour of doing that.