Results 3,801-3,820 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I have raised consistently and in a mannerly fashion my concern that the motion passed in this House on 28 May last on auctioneers has been ignored by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: On that basis I will park the issue for another day. On the question of electronic voting and this morning's newspaper reports on it, whereas I do not agree with Senator Brian Hayes that we are one of the oldest democracies in Europe, though we are around for a while, a sufficient number of questions have now been asked about this issue to warrant it being addressed. The only way to do that...

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: ——support me on that point as I know she will.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Last week, Senator Ross raised with the Leader of the House the lack of a response from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform on our motion, tabled on 28 May 2003, on the auctioneering profession. The motion was passed by the House and included commitments from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I also raised the lack of a response three weeks ago and the week...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I am delighted to have this opportunity to contribute to this debate. I have given serious consideration to supporting the Government motion, but I have a personal rule about Private Members' motions which congratulate the Government — they are impossible to support. The Government's approach gives the fingers to the other side of the House. I always appeal to Governments not to propose...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Such an argument sounds better from those who do not intend to stay here. I may not have reflected exactly the points made by Senator Ormonde, but I am pointing out what comes across to me when I hear such speeches. The Dublin-centric view of society holds that we should make space for those of us who have a right to be here. It is a difficult issue. We could be doing many things that we are...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: ——I think it would be a splendid country residence for the President.

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The castle was built many years ago by Ulick de Burgo.

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: We need to examine these things. It will be impossible to implement the decentralisation proposal in three years. The idea that this can be achieved has raised people's hackles. This regularly happens when a good idea is brought forward. There should be a discussion on the principle of the issue and a discussion on its implementation. Everybody gets confused when the principle is lost because...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: If we are wrong about it, somebody should tell us we are wrong. These things are important. We need to consider decentralisation as a proactive measure that ties into other plans. I do not believe it ties into the national spatial strategy. It is not complementary to the strategy at all — in many cases it is quite the opposite, filling gaps left by the spatial strategy in order to satisfy...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: It gets my back up to hear people dismissing places outside Dublin as though they are backwoods in which we would not plant cabbages, let alone place a Department. We need to change that attitude in our utterly Dublin-centric society. I am glad the Government has challenged us by bringing forward the plans for decentralisation. Unfortunately, I cannot congratulate the Government on a plan...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: It was a matter of congratulation.

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister said we had the best water in Europe.

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Voting Labour.

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I support Senator Hayes regarding my constituent, John Hume. We take a broader view from these benches.

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I can assure Senator Ross he has been an NUI voter for many years. I also support what Senator Hayes said about his absolute courage at all times. I remember meeting him here in 1988-89 during the talks with Gerry Adams, which had begun at that stage. I asked him if he was very busy meeting many people and he said none of the party leaders, including those of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or...

Seanad: Israel-Palestine: Motion. (4 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I would like to share two minutes of my time with Senator Henry.

Seanad: Israel-Palestine: Motion. (4 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: To reiterate what previous speakers have said, it is crucially important that we recognise the effort, diplomatic and otherwise, Senator Norris has put into this motion. The motion, which is to become a resolution, praises the Government for its balanced policy. I have no difficulty in supporting it. I have always felt proud of the foreign policy position of successive Governments on the...

Seanad: Third Interim Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements. (4 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister to the House. I refuse to make any political point on this issue and we should all move away from making such points. There is no point trying to blame those currently in authority. I do not believe anybody in Government is trying to cover up anything in this regard, although they might not have handled it as well as I would like. I would like a more pragmatic approach...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Feb 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Last week, there was a perfect example of how badly the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform does its business and tries to interfere with the running of this House.