Results 6,641-6,660 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

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

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister is talking of reducing the average class size from 29 to 28 this year, and to 27 the following year. Will a class of 34 drop down to 33 or 32? Class sizes will remain too big for the next couple of years. Despite the Minister's announcement, progress will be slow. The issue of disadvantaged schools was raised by many Members. A recent report has confirmed that in poor areas there...

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (8 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I mentioned last week that the Minister made an announcement but we are yet to see the details of the proposal. If the Government does anything, however, it should scrutinise proposed expenditure in a way similar to what the Committee of Public Accounts does after the money is spent, where often it finds there are serious problems with the figures. There must be pre-evaluation because there...

Seanad: Third Level Education: Statements. (8 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I have 15 minutes and wish to give five of them to my colleague, Senator Ryan.

Seanad: Third Level Education: Statements. (8 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I intend to speak on some general points as regards funding which I have raised before with the Minister. She has attended many debates in this House, in contrast to her predecessor as Minister for Education and Science. I looked at the monitor one evening and noticed she was attending Adjournment matters in the House. She is one of the few Ministers to have attended the House on such...

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: Will the Leader invite the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children to participate in a debate in this House on the proposals for a new children's hospital to replace Temple Street Children's University Hospital, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin and the children's hospital in the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, now situated in Tallaght Hospital? It may be a good proposal...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Feb 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I support the calls for a debate on the M50. My suggestion relates to Senator Ross's statement, that this has been presented as a fait accompli in media reports. I do not know whether it is but, from the points of view of the public and motorists, they will bear the brunt of more costs rather than less. How is this an improvement? From reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General on...

Seanad: Employment Issues: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As my Labour Party colleagues have stated, the Labour Party recently launched a document entitled, A Fair Place to Work and Live. It deals with the issues raised by this motion. I wish to highlight some of the proposals made in this document. The first proposal relates to the issue of the standards that should be applied and complied with when...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (15 Dec 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank everyone for facilitating the bringing forward of this legislation and for their kind words with regard to the Labour Party. In particular I thank the Minister and his Department for accepting the legislation.

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (15 Dec 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister, his staff, the Government and the Leader of the Seanad for facilitating the bringing forward of this legislation, its speedy passage through the two Houses and for the additions to the legislation made by the Minister and the Department. I understand the Minister was very courteous to the family involved in the case that lies behind this legislation. That family are from...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (15 Dec 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank everybody for their kind comments about the Labour Party and its leader Deputy Rabbitte. In addition to raising the issue with the Minister and the Leader of the House, Deputy Rabbitte also impressed on me and colleagues in the Seanad the importance of the legislation and the need for it to have speedy passage through the House. Deputy Rabbitte clearly felt strongly that there was an...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation (Child Sexual Abuse) Order 2005: Motion. (15 Dec 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome this motion. The only issue I will raise is that the Labour Party is unhappy with the 18-month timeframe. The Minister stated in his speech that the legislation allows for the commission to endeavour to submit its report within the specified time period. If, therefore, the commission found it could not submit a report within the 18 months, it could get an extension. That would deal...

Seanad: University College Galway (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (14 Dec 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: On behalf of the Labour Party I support this Bill and the proposed changes proposed for University College Galway. In a general sense, I support the principle of the legislation because it proposes to introduce a more flexible and holistic approach to the Irish language as opposed to the more technical, restrictive and discriminatory approach. There is a need for this type of approach to the...

Seanad: Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2005: Committee Stage (Resumed). (6 Dec 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I missed the previous discussion on this provision. Obviously, it was introduced for inclusion in this Bill in response to the recommendations in a report. However, it should have been dealt with in a separate Bill which could also have dealt with other issues relating to nurses or this provision. I agree with the points made by the other Senators. When something comes up the Government has a...

Seanad: Transfer of Execution of Sentences Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (6 Dec 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: It is welcome that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform adopted a Labour Party amendment on this matter.

Seanad: Transfer of Execution of Sentences Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (6 Dec 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I support the Bill and agree with the comments by other Senators that the operation of the legislation should be monitored. I welcome the fact that the Minister has adopted a Labour Party amendment. I also wish to raise an issue that is indirectly related to the Bill. Other speakers have referred to the rehabilitation of offenders, along the lines of measures already introduced in the United...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Dec 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I support Senator Brian Hayes on the need for action by the Government on information about price fixing by car dealers. It is important that the Government would take action and that there be feedback to this House about what has been done in this regard. I support Senator O'Toole on the need for us to question the United States on its foreign policy. By us not doing that sufficiently, we...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Nov 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I support Senator O'Toole's comments on the school league tables published in various newspapers, some of which have indicated different results although published on the same week. Although the purpose of these tables is allegedly to provide transparency, they contain many inconsistencies. For example, a school may be included on the basis that it caters for repeat leaving certificate...

Seanad: Juvenile Offenders: Motion. (16 Nov 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: It would be a disgrace if the Government backtracks on raising the age of criminal responsibility from seven to 12.

Seanad: Juvenile Offenders: Motion. (16 Nov 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: That provision is in keeping with the rest of the Government's legislation. As the former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Donoghue, said when he held that portfolio, it would totally contradict the principle behind the Act not to bring that provision into force. The Minister of State said he hoped he could persuade the Cabinet to introduce this provision, which...

Seanad: Earthquake Relief. (16 Nov 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: Now is a critical time in terms of supplying aid to the victims of the recent earthquake in Kashmir. The next couple of weeks will be decisive because the weather is becoming very cold. Lives may be saved over the coming winter if people receive medical aid now. I was struck by last night's report on RTE of a child whose broken foot went untreated for a number of weeks with the result that it...