Results 4,241-4,260 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: We are flying through the Bill.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 11: In page 9, lines 41 to 46 and in page 10, lines 1 to 37, to delete paragraph (e). The amendment proposes to delete the text between line 40 on page 9 and the table on page 10. Why has it been changed to leave the table in the Bill?

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: That is fine. Section 12(e) is the meat of the legislation, without which I would support many of the changes being introduced by the Government. As I stated during my Second Stage speech, the crucial issues to which we object are all included in this section which is inconsistent with the report of the high level group. As I recall – I stand to be corrected – the group did not mention...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: They are fine people.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I have a great deal time for them. They do a very good job and I wish I had some of them working for me. The Bill proposes to place a wall of secrecy around those whose job is to control the flow of information. This is a retrograde step by any standards. The Government will probably respond by defending the honour of special advisers. I will save it the trouble; my comments are not a...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I realise that is embarrassing for Senator Mansergh and that it goes against all his principles.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: We are trying to make it easy for him. I do not know why he is putting himself through all this pain. He is sharing our pain in defending a Government measure to which he is intellectually opposed in principle. That is the reality. I might give way to other speakers at this stage, although I have not yet started on my script. I was merely warming up. I will come back to the amendment.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I am speaking metaphorically. My heart is my script.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: So let us make the move.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: That remark does not become the Senator. It is irrelevant.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I am sure Senator Mansergh knows of a good reason for that.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: It could explain it.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: As our current Leader would say "That was then and this is now".

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Will the Acting Chairman indicate if this is true?

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I feel so embarrassed for the Acting Chairman.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, it is quite in order to quote from speeches made in the other House.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Is the Acting Chairman proposing to guillotine this discussion? Is it embarrassing the Government? I hope nobody hears about this.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: There are also Independent Members.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: So what is the role of Independent Senators? What is the role of Senator Maurice Hayes?

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (12 Mar 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The Senator is going to interpret the Progressive Democrats ideology? This should be good.