Results 6,781-6,800 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Seanad: Statute Law Revision (Pre-1922) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (13 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome this Bill. The Labour Party has long advocated that we update the Statute Book. It is unsatisfactory that this independent republic still relies on laws passed by, for example, Henry VIII. The Labour Party favours the establishment of a Statute Book in which all the pre-1922 legislation is repealed. This Bill is a good start. The Minister indicated that more Acts might be added to...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister for her presentation. The INTO's campaign to reduce class sizes is based on the premise that smaller class sizes are crucial in tackling educational disadvantage and providing quality education to our pupils. The Fianna Fáil motion claims there are now 4,000 more primary school teachers and over 2,000 in post-primary schools than in 1997. The Minister for Education and...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: Nothing has been done about the actual pupil-teacher ratio on the ground. Recently the INTO had local meetings between primary school principals and public representatives. At my local meeting, no Government party members were present.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: In my area there were two Labour Party representatives from the same family.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion. (13 Apr 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: For south Dublin, the INTO puts the pupil-teacher ratio at 25:1. South Dublin has three RAPID areas which are included in these figures. However in Lucan and Clondalkin, not covered in the RAPID programme, the pupil-teacher ratios are much higher, some as high as 30:1. There are 100,000 primary school students in classes of 30 students or more. That is the pupil-teacher ratio and all the...

Seanad: Asylum Applications. (24 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: On my question to give compassionate consideration to Olukunle Elukanlo, the student from Palmerstown, which would allow him to return to complete his leaving certificate studies, obviously the question has been overtaken by events. The Minister's decision to revoke the deportation order is a humane one which illustrates the importance of examining the facts of each case. The important aspect...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion. (24 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: Let me refer to a paragraph 2.18 of the Cory report, which may have been quoted already in the House and which was quoted in the Dáil yesterday: Chief Superintendent Breen and Superintendent Buchanan demonstrated all the finest attributes required of policemen. They were proven leaders in the police community and, by example, leaders in the greater community of Northern Ireland. To murder...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion. (24 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: There would not be a peace process if there were not two sides to it.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (10 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister of State and his staff for their dealings with us but I still have many problems with the legislation, even though it is better than the Bill brought before the House prior to Christmas. Senator Glynn referred to the worth of both Houses but we passed an unconstitutional Bill before Christmas and our hands should be slapped.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (10 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I stated during the debate on the previous legislation it was unconstitutional and when passed, it was referred by the President to the Supreme Court. It is too much to expect an elderly person to hand over 80% of his or her pension. Elderly people should retain a greater share of their pensions so that they can have a good quality of life and engage in activities we take for granted. If I...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee Stage. (10 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I support the amendment's intentions but the operation of the new cards should be reviewed much earlier. We need to introduce a more comprehensive measure. Many people will not qualify for the new card type and many who will qualify should be getting a full medical card in any event. If the Government had kept its promises, they would have done so. Senator Browne mentioned the issue of the...

Seanad: Industrial Relations Issues. (3 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: Under the relevant industrial relations legislation, will the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources intervene to ensure, as a prerequisite to any settlement between An Post and SDS workers that a commitment is made to pay increases due under Sustaining Progress and that arrears are paid as a matter of urgency, including payments to An Post pensioners? I have been contacted...

Seanad: Industrial Relations Issues. (3 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I did not get a copy of the Minister of State's script.

Seanad: Industrial Relations Issues. (3 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: The workers at An Post have always been willing to negotiate with the management. The Minister of State mentioned the losses. I understand capital expenditure has been included in the figures in respect of losses. If one said teachers should not be paid their increases because there was capital expenditure on school building or school refurbishments, it would not be acceptable. The losses the...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (3 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: The Labour Party was the first to propose that a portion of the pensions reserve fund be used to invest in infrastructural projects and I am pleased to see that Fianna Fáil is coming round to our way of thinking.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Mar 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: Like the Government.

Seanad: Higher Education Review: Statements. (22 Feb 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I wish to return to a section of the OECD report on page 30 which has already been cited by Senator Ulick Burke. In the context of part-time education, the report states that in many countries it is normally seen as an established route through tertiary education for students, often mature students from disadvantaged backgrounds. As Senator Ulick Burke stated, the report underlines that the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Feb 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: Senator Brian Hayes and others welcomed the enhanced co-operation between the Garda Síochána and the PSNI, which was marked yesterday by the signing of an agreement between the two police forces. There is a far more accountable police service in Northern Ireland thanks to the implementation of the Patten report. The Garda Síochána Bill 2004, currently before the Dáil, has taken account...

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: She gives money back to the wealthy.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Feb 2005)

Joanna Tuffy: I want to make a couple of points regarding the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, regarding the Health (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill, and the fact that the charges deducted from the pensions of nursing home patients were illegal. The Tánaiste likes to portray herself as an upright person and her party as a party of principle. She knew when she was putting forward the legisaltion that...