Results 6,621-6,640 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Seanad: Lourdes Hospital Inquiry: Statements. (9 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I have agreed to share five minutes of my time with Senator Browne.

Seanad: Lourdes Hospital Inquiry: Statements. (9 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I sympathise with the women and their families who were affected by this. I share everybody's horror at what happened in the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. I also commend Judge Harding Clark on her report and Patient Focus on its work. I welcome the members of Patient Focus who are in the Visitors Gallery for this debate. The report has implications for the health system as a whole. Judge...

Seanad: Road Safety. (8 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I will be brief because I have a pretty definitive question to put to the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher. Like many people, I am concerned about the number of deaths on our roads. When I have read about road accidents in newspapers, I have often noticed that one of the vehicles involved has been a truck. I am conscious there have been many tragic accidents involving pedestrians and...

Seanad: Use of Irish Airports: Motion. (8 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister of State referred to the investigations on extraordinary renditions that have been set up the Council of Europe and the European Parliament and said that it "is difficult to see what value an additional inquiry here would add to these investigations". I have just read the working document of the temporary committee of the European Parliament on the alleged use of European...

Seanad: Use of Irish Airports: Motion. (8 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: Although proposed changes to the European Union must be voted on by referendum, none has taken place on this matter. As legislators and Members we have a duty to protect Ireland's sovereignty.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I support the calls that have been made by Senators Brian Hayes and O'Toole for a debate on gun culture, in light of the murder of a young mother on Saturday night. It is obvious that we need to consider, as part of that debate, the introduction of an amnesty for illegally held weapons which have not been used to commit crimes. We should then discuss the introduction of harsh penalties for...

Seanad: Public Order Offences: Statements. (2 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I join in the condemnation of the actions of the rioters and I support the response of the Minister and the Garda. Many people have asked whether the riots could have been foreseen but it is easy to be wise in retrospect. Although there is obviously something latent there, this has never happened before and I was surprised by it. One must ask why it is happening now and who these people are....

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (2 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I am in favour of the principle of mutual assistance between countries, particularly EU member states, to solve crime. I wish to raise with the Minister a number of points regarding certain sections. He might clarify, if he can, the position and that will enable me to table amendments on Committee Stage, if necessary. These questions came to mind during the debate and they may be considered...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (2 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: He does not have to reply. There is an appeal on the Minister's desk about Kunle, a student from Palmerstown. I made inquiries about the course he is doing in Greenhills College. It is a one-year course in engineering technology which will give him a FETAC qualification. He will finish his last exam on 12 May this year.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (2 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I wish to put one very quick point to the Minister.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (2 Mar 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: Will the Minister allow the student to finish the course and then review the position? If, arising out of this course he gets a place in an institute of technology, or if he gets a job here, the case can be reviewed further. He is in the middle of doing a course and the Minister feels strongly that people should receive an education and complete their qualifications. That was a factor in his...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second and Subsequent Stages. (23 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: This is a technical Bill and I will not go too far into its background, but as it deals with something retrospectively and ensures that something is not invalidated, as described in the memorandum, then I worry whether the Bill will be legally sound. I presume the Minister obtained full legal advice about it. People who are not experts about this can never know for sure and we are not experts...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second and Subsequent Stages. (23 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister of State and his staff.

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I support the call of Senator McHugh yesterday for a debate on the survey of young people that was carried out by the National Youth Council. Some of the young people surveyed felt they were the subject of negative attitudes on the part of some sections of society, including politicians and the gardaí, which attitudes the young people reciprocated. The message for politicians is to do more...

Seanad: Local Authority Services: Motion. (22 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: The relationship between the Seanad and local authorities has changed since the abolition of the dual mandate. Many of us were elected to this House as county councillors, although that changed a few years ago. However, we had a unique link with local government and most of us are still elected by county councillors. I welcome the decision by the Progressive Democrats to table this motion on...

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: Now she is trying to legalise it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: In regard to the issue raised by Senator Finucane, there are not many Ministers whose Bills have been deemed unconstitutional. I understand the only Minister in this Government for whom this is the case is the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. In introducing the legislation to retrospectively legalise illegal nursing home charges, she attempted to deprive elderly people of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (16 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: This wrong came on top of a wrong that had gone on for many years. The continuing delays over this issue further compound the wrong done by the Government in regard to the rights of elderly people. An article in today's edition of The Irish Times discusses the existence of an interdepartmental report which apparently proposes that elderly people should be obliged to sell or remortgage their...

Seanad: Medical Cards. (15 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: My question to the Minister of State concerns a particular case of a married couple. The husband is in receipt of an old age contributory pension, and claims qualifying adult allowance for his wife. Their joint income is €298.80. In October they qualified for the medical card, under the medical card income guidelines. It has come to my attention that because of the budget increases, that...

Seanad: Educational Services: Motion. (15 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister and Senator Ormonde are responding to this motion by blaming the schools. The Minister spoke of an imbalance in schools whereby there are some classes of 16 and others of 35. There could well be a reason for classes of such different size. Different years might be involved. Perhaps the Minister can produce figures to show that for some students in the same year, such differences...