Results 3,661-3,680 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I am well aware that the proposer of the motion has an equal view of worker-directors on semi-State companies in that they have no business coping with the major decisions on the running of a company. At least Senator Ross is consistent in that view, although I do not support it. That is an important point to be made. I would like to see this area reformed along the lines outlined by Senator...

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: That is healthy. It is an indication of grown-up politics, which is important and something we should applaud. When they discharge those responsibilities with distinction it reflects well on political life and public representation. Senator Hayes touched on a very valid point which has been abused by all parties, namely the interregnum appointments. No party is clean on that one. I remember...

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I have learned so much in the meantime.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: On the same issue, in a previous job I had a colleague who dealt with people who insisted on taking people through the courts. In her very first discussion with them she always told them that if they were looking for justice they should go to heaven but if they were looking for the law they should go to the courts. The courts are never the place for justice. They have never been intended to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: ——because it is a broader issue which arises every time there is a victim in a court case. I would like to add to that an issue which I have raised three or four times over the past few months, namely, the question of serving of sentences. When people are given concurrent sentences the method of calculating time off and parole should be completely different from that involving people who...

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: That is why Justice wears a blindfold on the statue at the top of the Four Courts.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Unlike the All-Ireland finals.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister and compliment him on introducing a Bill that is creative and goes into new areas. I hope it works. The Minister was present throughout the Second Stage debate to hear the very interesting points made in Members' contributions and I look forward to his reply. However, let me apologise at this stage because I will not be present for it, but I will look very closely at...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I am sorry to upset a Member on the far side and on my own side as well. I would be reassured to know that gardaí were not members. I know that there is a connection between police forces in Europe and the masons, which has bothered many people and has been stopped in some countries. Will the Minister confirm that it would be inappropriate for a garda, having taken this oath, to be a member...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Let us think about it. The Bill provides for the appointment by the Government of persons to the ranks of deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner and chief superintendent and superintendent. It is valid that the Government may do this and I do not have a difficulty with it. If one reads the Civil Service legislation, one will see that until recently, a civil servant at the lowest level...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I have no problem with the GRA and my comments are not meant critically. The GRA is a member of the ICPSA which is a nominating body for the Seanad's labour panel. While I see nothing wrong with the active role the GRA has always played in the ICPSA, I cannot see how it is amenable to the legislation.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: That is the second element which refers to trade unions of which gardaí cannot be members. The subsection above means the GRA itself must be independent of and cannot be associated with a body or persons outside the Garda Síochána. At the moment, the GRA has full membership of the ICPSA which is not amenable to the provisions of the Bill. I would be happy to hear the Minister tell me that...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: That is parochial.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I agree fully with the points made by Senator Brian Hayes, and I want to raise a related issue. IBEC, with which I do not normally agree, produced an excellent report recently about the lack of investment in industry in the west and mid-west. I ask the Leader to make time available to discuss that report. I have raised in this House many times before the importance of the rail link between...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to share my time with Senator Ross, by agreement.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Bill. I remember the dark days of the last quarter of 2001. I know what went on at the airport and in Government. It looked as if Aer Lingus would go down, although that was not for want of support. It is important to remember that the Government was prepared to put money into Aer Lingus but that was not allowed because of European competition legislation. While President Bush...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The Senator does not like workers owning the company.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: He feels he has gone far enough to the left today. The House should not worry about him.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: If we only had the newspapers on our side, we would be fine.

Seanad: Address by Mr. John Hume, MEP. (3 Mar 2004)

Joe O'Toole: On behalf of the Independent benches, it gives me great pleasure to welcome Mr. Hume to the House. It has always been a continuing difficulty which I have discussed with Mr. Hume on many occasions that because he has had so many titles, we never knew whether to call him the Right Honourable, or my honourable friend, or Excellency. I have always tended to irritate people by referring to him as...