Results 3,621-3,640 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Apr 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Apr 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I fully respect the Cathaoirleach's ruling that we must be careful in how we deal with the case raised earlier. It would be utterly inappropriate for us to come to conclusions or to offer views on individuals in the context of something we may have to deal with in the future.

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Apr 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Without any reference to the details of the case, there are broad general principles about which we need to know something. This is no reflection on anything we may have to deal with in the future on the rights and wrongs of a particular case. I am not talking about that but I want answers. I want to know how it happened that incorrect warrants were used. I want to know the DPP's thinking on...

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Apr 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I am aware of that and both the Cathaoirleach and I are also aware that in the course of the past 18 months the DPP took the unusual step of explaining his position in one case. I think this is another such situation. The House needs information. It could at some stage in the future be called upon to act on the constitutional position and I want to know from whence the information will come...

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Apr 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Apr 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Is a Fianna Fáil Party Senator attacking the free market?

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Apr 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Is it moving to the left?

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the clarification from the Minister of State. I am concerned with the outcome, although that has nothing to do with the legislation, and wish to pick up on some of the points made by the Minister of State. He said, quite correctly, that it would not be appropriate for the Department to make proposals on this matter to the trustees at this time. I agree fully with this as such...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I agree with Senator McDowell's interpretation of the section, which is paving the way for privatisation. I am absolutely delighted by the changed emphasis to slots over the past two months after an official said Heathrow Airport would do whatever it wanted with its slots, including giving them to airlines without necessarily being sold on. Suddenly the value of Aer Lingus goes up and down on...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The reason we have concerns about slots is that we remember what happened before. The Minister has dealt with slots previously. It is interesting that he referred to Aer Lingus flying to Heathrow. In 1989, following considerable investment in consultancy, planning, advertising and marketing Aer Lingus developed five to seven daily slots to Stansted, but the current Minister, who was then also...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Let us remember that currently Aer Lingus does not have decent slots into Stansted which deprives it of a feed into one of the largest low fares markets in Europe.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I spoke at length on this issueon Second Stage when I indicated I wouldtable an amendment which I have subsequently withdrawn having discussed the matter with the Minister. I thank him and his advisers for their help in going through the issues with me. The issue at the time was that those who had left Aer Lingus since October but who had bought into the scheme and had agreed with the whole...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: It is understandable.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: That is what makes it great.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: On a related topic, Members may be aware of the comments made by Mr. George Soros over the past 24 hours on his visit to Ireland. He dealt with two issues. One represented a road to Damascus conversion for Mr. Soros, in that he said the market has failed to deliver the social structures and supports needed in a fair and equitable society. His argument is worth considering. More important, Mr....

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Agency for the Irish Abroad: Motion. (24 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Now 30 years later, those who worked on the Tube and buses and for local councils are surviving on their pensions. The Irish emigrants, such as those on the recent "Prime Time" programme, are the ones with no pensions, supports, prospects, homes or families. They were never given the opportunity in England. Instead, they were mistreated, abused and exploited right the way through. Senator...

Seanad: Agency for the Irish Abroad: Motion. (24 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, to the House and thank the Labour Party for putting down this crucially important motion. Senator Dooley said that it must not be forgotten where this problem began. However, we must have absolute clarity in our recollections. These emigrants were people from every street, town and county on this island who went across to England under various...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (24 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to seek a manual vote.

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I support the last point made by Senator Brian Hayes. The House should know that it was the arrangement for a number of years, agreed by the previous Minister, that in the event of the system not being able to cope with the demand for child psychological evaluation at primary level, a certain amount of funding was made available to schools to purchase services in the private sector. There was...