Results 6,541-6,560 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I support Senators Brian Hayes and O'Toole in their calls for discussion of the partnership agreement. I presume we will hear another announcement of 10,000 affordable houses to be built to make up for the fact that the last 10,000 houses announced at the partnership talks were never built.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I want to draw the Leader's attention to a motion that my Labour Party colleagues and I have on the Order Paper seeking: That Seanad Éireann will establish a petitions committee and initiate procedures for civil engagement with the Seanad through a right of individuals, community groups and organisations to petition the Seanad and make a request to the Seanad to take a view or initiate or...

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: Senator Norris is directly elected by the masses of university graduates.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: Not all from Trinity College, I am afraid.

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: People like Senator Norris have brought about changes in legislation and it is this tendency in the Seanad to take a broader view that could allow us to fulfil this role very well. It would provide for civil engagement with the Seanad and the right of public access to this Parliament. I urge the Leader to take this proposal on board. I have previously raised the issue of the need to allow...

Seanad: Use of Irish Airports: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome and support this motion tabled by the Independent Senators. Last March the Labour Party tabled a similar motion with cross-party support on this side of the House, which Senator Norris seconded. We likewise proposed an appointment to a select committee of Senators, one of whose main purposes was to establish what mechanisms are in place, and whether our laws and practices ensure...

Seanad: Use of Irish Airports: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: That is not the case. Senator Marty found plenty of evidence that on the balance of probability we should be taking greater care than we have done. The Council of Europe report and Terry Davis, the Secretary General of the Council, concur that laws will need to be put in place. For example, we may need to introduce a criminal offence covering the process of extraordinary rendition. I read on...

Seanad: International Criminal Court Bill 2003: Second Stage. (13 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome the International Criminal Court Bill 2003. I find it hard to understand why it has taken so long to bring the Bill to the Seanad. As Senators have said, the statute of the International Criminal Court concluded in July 1998. We had a referendum in 2001 and the Constitution was amended in 2002. This Bill, which was published in 2003, was debated on Second Stage in the Dáil in May...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I agree that this should not be a time for points scoring. What has happened in the Houses in the past couple of weeks, though it may not be seen that way to the public, is that the Opposition is holding the Government to account. That is our duty. I am glad we are dealing with this Bill today. As the Minister said, were it not for what happened we would not have the Bill today or next week....

Seanad: Supreme Court Judgment on Statutory Rape: Statements. (31 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I would like to begin by quoting the last sentence of last week's Supreme Court judgment: I would allow the appeal and grant a declaration that s.1(1) of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 1935, is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution. That sentence is unambiguous in ruling unconstitutional an entire section of an Act dealing with the particular offence of statutory rape. It can...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I echo the comments of Senators Brian Hayes and O'Toole. Where is the Bill today to address the fact that we have no absolute protection for children from sexual predators? That is the consequence of the Supreme Court judgment handed down last week which ruled that a section of an Act dealing with this issue was unconstitutional. Last week, I and other Senators, asked for urgent legislation,...

Seanad: School Transport: Statements. (24 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister of State gave the figures for the huge number of children who use the school bus service. It is almost a year since the tragic accident last year in Meath, in which five schoolgirls lost their lives. There have been seven accidents since then, with one resulting in a fatality. It is an urgent issue that must be addressed. The Minister of State outlined what the Government is...

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: On yesterday's Supreme Court decision striking down as unconstitutional legal provisions on statutory rape, I urge the Leader to exert pressure on her Government colleagues to ensure legislation is introduced as quickly as possible to close the loophole the ruling has created. Senator Ryan is correct that legislation should have been ready in anticipation of the judgment. I will co-operate...

Seanad: Lone Parents: Statements. (23 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I wish to refer to Senator Cummins's point on the proposal by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. I am a member of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution, the majority report of which proposed that the protection of women in the home would be extended to parents. I support the idea that it should also be extended to carers. The Women in the Home group, when it addressed the committee...

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements. (17 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I wish to share time with Senator Ryan.

Seanad: Ageism Policy: Statements. (17 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome the campaign against ageism and the Say No To Ageism initiative. We should remember that age discrimination affects people of all ages. In launching such a campaign we should acknowledge there is common ground between discrimination against both younger people and older people. The Minister of State has alluded to this to some extent. There is a particular problem in regard to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I support Senator Finucane's comments on the housing crisis we face. I recently listened to Professor PJ Drudy speaking on the radio about this issue. We all know the year on year rise in house prices is unsustainable. We have been listening to the vested interests, such as auctioneers, developers and right-wing economists, telling us the prices will reach equilibrium. That will not happen....

Seanad: Third Level Places. (16 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: The question is self-explanatory so I will leave it to the Minister of State to give her reply.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (10 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 18: In page 60, to delete lines 6 and 7 and substitute the following: "(8) If, on the application, the judge is satisfied that this section applies to the request, and it appears to him or her that there are reasonable grounds for believing—".

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (10 May 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 19: In page 62, to delete lines 37 and 38 and substitute the following: "(9) If, on the application, the judge is satisfied that this section applies to the request, and it appears to him or her that there are reasonable grounds for believing—".