Results 381-400 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Environmental Protection: Motion (23 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: As Senator Coffey and I stated, we do not know how many incinerators are being built. The last time I checked there were possibly eight or nine.

Seanad: Environmental Protection: Motion (23 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: He does not. He and I have sought the information many times.

Seanad: Environmental Protection: Motion (23 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: There are an enormous number of elements involved and certain actions need to be taken. I compliment the Green Party on much of what it has done in government. Like Senator Coffey, I will give credit where it is due. However, certain matters need to be faced. We need to move forward. The Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security is frustrated because the Government is not...

Seanad: Environmental Protection: Motion (23 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I listened to them. I vote on the basis of the wording of a motion. The Government is making a tactical mistake. It should have welcomed the support of the Labour Party and asked it to join with the Green Party.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (23 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, it might be worthwhile for the Cathaoirleach to write a letter to Members of the House explaining that 12 Members need to be present in the Chamber before he can come in. Some Members have the view that he arrives late but he and I know that he cannot come in until a quorum is present. It is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy as Members think we will not begin until...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Last week I referred to the decision-making process in the Department of Finance, the absence of records showing how oral advice had been given, the need for a paper trail in policy determination and the recording of the advice given by advisers. I am glad to recognise that yesterday the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, said he was initiating an inquiry to establish exactly how...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: -----which are urging their bosses to say something more and more ludicrous on the third Monday or Tuesday of each month in order to hit the headlines and have an impact on polling.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I am not having a go at the Green Party, as Fine Gael also does it. It is normal. The people are being undermined and fooled by it. A similar approach caused chaos in some parties in recent times. We should be aware of this and let the general public know what is going on.

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I echo Senator Fitzgerald's points on the local government (Dublin mayor and regional authority) Bill. I have significant interest in that legislation because it is also the intention to deal with the name of a small town in west Kerry in which I have a deep and abiding interest. Last month, I asked my esteemed colleague Senator Boyle about it and he assured me it was in play. I take his...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: It would be worse on the east coast.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I completely support the view that we should have an in-depth discussion on the terms of reference. We raised these issues last night and they were also discussed previously. The question to be asked about Anglo Irish Bank is very simple and has been raised by all sides. It has been dealt with by the Minister for Finance who seems to have changed his mind or, at least, vacillated on a...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: We should hold a strong and firm line on the issue.

Seanad: Confidence in the Taoiseach: Motion (16 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: With the permission of the House, I want to share the last two minutes of my time with Senator Doherty.

Seanad: Confidence in the Taoiseach: Motion (16 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: It is an appalling debate and I have learned nothing from it. It is disgraceful. This kind of thing gets us nowhere — constant heckling, no points being made, just landing blows and nothing to be learned from it. If anybody wants to read this debate next week and learn something from it, show it to me. I listened to it all and it gets me nowhere. I refer to both sides of the House. I...

Seanad: Confidence in the Taoiseach: Motion (16 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: We must consider all sorts of issue. Certainly there were flaws in Government policy and there is no question in my mind but that the Government played into the hands of and made it easy for big builders and developers. That was criminal. The Government also introduced and lived with soft touch regulation. Something else is coming down the road. I have tried to introduce legislation on...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: During the years we have been regularly critical of much of what the United Kingdom has done on this island but one can only stand in awe at the performance and sheer raw courage of Lord Saville in putting the Widgery report to the sword and the facts in front of us. The statement by the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron — I am not his greatest fan — in the House of Commons...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I concur with Senator Fitzgerald on the point she made about the House not sitting last week. The Leader and I have had several disagreements on the matter, but I do not intend to go into the details again. It reflected badly on the Seanad. However, it begs the question of where we stand on Seanad reform. For a variety of reasons, what has happened in the past two weeks has raised more...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I support the comments made. I also note the new chief executive officer of the Competition Authority, Mr. Declan Purcell, did extraordinary work some 18 years ago on the consolidated companies legislation, the most difficult ever dealt with in this House. It has lasted 18 years and the Department is now working on amending it. As it happens, six months ago the Minister of State, Deputy...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jun 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I acknowledge that the Taoiseach listened to Members on this side of the House yesterday. I was somewhat disappointed that there was not more of a response from Members on the other side. No one needed to be disloyal but at least it was good that one voice came from the other side of the House. However, Members on this side dealt with this matter as an issue for the Seanad, which is how it...