Results 3,781-3,800 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole
- Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: ââand the right to seek employment in this country. This is not an anti-immigrant policy. These matters must be properly structured. I have frequently criticised the Government's immigration policy but this would not be a basis for further criticism. With respect to our colleague from France in the Visitors Gallery, every time I go to France I find Irish meat cheaper there than in...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: It is a Bill I hope every politician will reject.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: It is remarkable that yesterday when we were honouring Senator Maurice Hayes on his accolade of European of the Year, the big boys club of Europe was meeting the big boys from the UK, France and Germany. Most of Europe cheered when the Taoiseach at the beginning of our Presidency made it clear that Europe did not see itself working in a two-tier direction. I do not know what these chaps...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: To concludeââ
- Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I had not concluded.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I am sorry I upset the sensitivities of the post-empire view of my colleague on the Labour benches on this matter.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: On that basis, it would be useful if we had a further debate, although not immediately, with the Taoiseach on this issue. He was good enough to come in some weeks ago and halfway through the Presidency it would be worthwhile to debate the matter again. Such a debate would give the Taoiseach the opportunity to raise this issue. In that sense, I point out to my Labour colleague that this issue...
- Seanad: Revenue Commissioners: Motion. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: The motion has prompted many levels of agreement on all sides of the House, but we should cast our minds back. It is not that long since a Taoiseach addressed a St. Patrick's day group in Washington with the infamous words that income taxation was still something of a novelty in Ireland. As we have been finding out ever since, that is part of the problem. There was a macho view until very...
- Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I understand the Minister of State's point and I agree with much of what he said. I disagree fundamentally with this section but I must accept the democratic decision of the people. If a teacher in a school of particular religion tries to inculcate the students with a different set of religious values, that is utterly unacceptable and should be a sackable offence, a view I have always held...
- Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: That is exactly my point. I agree with the Minister of State.
- Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I cannot ask for any more from the Minister of State. I wish to draw out the example a little further because I believe the Minister of State is correct. We used the example of a person drinking in his or her private time and the example could also be a teacher having a child outside marriage. What the Minister of State said in response is the key to my motivation for tabling this amendment....
- Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 15: In page 17, line 39, to delete "ground" and substitute "marital status, family status, disability, sexual orientation, age or membership of the traveller community grounds". This amendment seeks to make doubly sure that we do not simply use the gender ground in regard to such circumstances. I will deal with amendment No. 16 first. It is a belt and braces type...
- Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I am trying to make sure that the section fully reflects what is in the directive. I listened to what the Minister of State said and I will go back and read it. I thought my amendments more fully and comprehensively reflected what is in the directive. I accept what he said regarding the additional two qualifying words in the second amendment, that because they are not in the directive they...
- Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I will not press them on that basis.
- Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: Certainly on this issue, the Bill does not flow easily. I can see the sense behind what the Minister is trying to achieve, except for the phrase, "A difference of treatment which is based on a characteristic related to the gender ground," which the Minister might explain. In my understanding of equality legislation, no one could argue if an employer took a decision on the basis of: (a) the...
- Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: While the amendment is well motivated and the manner in which Senator Terry has phrased it is understandable, I have considered this section deeply and have difficulty in supporting the amendment. The issues involved go far beyond what is contained in the amendment. One of the objectives of successive Governments has been to bring the percentage of people with disabilities in the workplace up...
- Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I support Senator Terry's amendment because she is 100% correct. It would be disgraceful if the previous section were abused. It could be abused, as Senator Terry has pointed out, unless her current amendment is accepted. The previous section and her current amendment will provide protection. No one could accept from an employer anywhere a situation whereby people with disabilities were paid...
- Seanad: Equality Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 14: In page 17, line 35, after "by" to insert "inserting in subsection (1)(b) after 'it takes action' the words 'on the religion ground' and". Section 37 was the most divisive section of the Employment Equality Act 1998. It was appalling that it allowed discrimination in certain instances, after a high profile discussion in which the Church of Ireland took a leading role,...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I thank the Leader. I am very appreciative.
- Seanad: European of the Year: Statements. (18 Feb 2004)
Joe O'Toole: The Leader says it is great to see one of us being given a distinction. The Independent Members consider Senator Maurice Hayes one of us and we have always kept a seat for him on this side of the House. Regarding the star of the County Down, I remember years ago reading his autobiography and being delighted to see that he might be more likely to be called the rose of Tralee as all his roots...