Results 7,161-7,180 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Jan 2004)

Joanna Tuffy: The Irish Times today mentions the latest annual report of the national parasuicide registry, which states that in 2002, 8,500 people, including children as young as five years, attended accident and emergency departments with injuries suffered during attempted suicide or self-harm. The report highlights the ways in which these cases were dealt with, which varied according to health board...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Jan 2004)

Joanna Tuffy: I refer to a report in the Irish Examiner today about the distribution of apparent pornographic images of a schoolgirl via mobile phones. The wide availability of pornography needs to be debated in the House. An EU report published last week found that 70% of Internet sales relate to pornography. We should do what we can to limit, control and monitor the availability of pornography. Many...

Seanad: Report on Future Skills Needs: Statements. (22 Jan 2004)

Joanna Tuffy: Some speakers mentioned the need for urgency in the implementation of these recommendations. Senator White stated that we cannot be complacent. The Minister of State's speech was very informative, especially his reference to the next phase for the expert group and the advisory committee. It is helpful to have that information. The Minister of State listed the recommendations in the different...

Seanad: Youth Services. (22 Jan 2004)

Joanna Tuffy: I am glad the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan, is here to listen to this debate because I know he is familiar with the centre about which I wish to speak. I am sure he has visited the Carline Centre for Learning in Lynch's Lane in the Clondalkin-Lucan area. The centre was established some years ago by a nun who works in the area,...

Seanad: Youth Services. (22 Jan 2004)

Joanna Tuffy: I understood I had tabled this matter for response by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Seanad: Youth Services. (22 Jan 2004)

Joanna Tuffy: I had understood that officials of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform had been involved in discussions with Carline. While the Minister has said no application is outstanding, I understood someone from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform went to the centre before Christmas. I can table the matter for discussion again.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, to delete lines 18 to 25.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: Senator Cox has expressed matters as well as anyone could. The amendment was proposed because the Minister of State, during the debate on Committee Stage, undertook to examine the matter again. I hope the matter can be reviewed before the Bill goes to the Dáil. If not, Senator Cox's suggestion that the matter be raised at European level is the right approach.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 7: In page 9, lines 17 and 18, to delete "(other than the last 3 classes in such a set)". It is wrong to exclude the right to leave for the last three antenatal classes. For example, if the last three classes are held before the employee takes maternity leave, she would not have the right to attend them. This is an unfair restriction. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Dea,...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank both Senators for supporting the amendment, which I intend to press because the point is sufficiently important. It seems so unnecessary to exclude the three classes. I can understand that employers might have concerns about the cost to their own businesses, but many employers would not deduct pay if a pregnant employee attended antenatal classes. It is in the interest of their...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I move amendment No. 8: In page 11, to delete lines 13 to 17. This amendment was also tabled on Committee Stage when we sought to oblige employers to provide facilities for breastfeeding in the workplace. This amendment does not go that far but we feel it is wrong to state that the employer does not have to provide such facilities. We had a detailed discussion on this matter on Committee...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: The purpose of amendment No. 10 is for clarification. A similar amendment was tabled on Committee Stage but it has been changed to facilitate the Government because the current wording of the section goes beyond what it should. My understanding is that the way the section is currently worded means an employee who is breastfeeding and who has not taken advantage of the provisions of the...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister of State and I welcome the legislation, which is positive and represents progress. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dea, and his officials for their work on the legislation. I also thank the Senators present for their contributions, including Senator Henry for her contribution earlier and Senator White for her contribution on the previous occasion. I particularly...

Seanad: Address by Mr. Brian Crowley, MEP. (11 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome Mr. Crowley and thank him for his speech. I was introduced to him just a couple of weeks ago but met him a few years ago during one of the Cork by-elections either in Cork North-Central or South-Central. I knew from the reaction of people meeting him that day that he was well thought of and well liked in his constituency and nationally. I found Mr. Crowley's contribution very...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (9 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome this Billand my Labour Party colleagues and I will facilitate its quick passage. We are not proposing amendments. It is very important that the Government and the Oireachtas give wholehearted support to the work of the tribunals and in particular to the tribunal which this legislation affects. Hopefully, the legislation will help in that work. It is important too that the Government...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (9 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: The public perception is that there is still corruption in politics and the tribunals have an important role in establishing what went wrong and what needs to be done to ensure politics is above board and to restore public faith. The public image of politics has been damaged especially by the revelations from the tribunals and it will be damaged further if the tribunals do not complete their...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) (Amendment) Bill, 2003: Committee and Remaining Stages. (9 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I support Senator Terry and Senator Dardis and I ask the Minister to consider the amendments again. Senator Terry's amendment No. 2 may be correct with regard to punctuation.

Seanad: Independent Monitoring Commission Bill 2003: Second Stage. (9 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I welcome the legislation which the Labour Party supports. We will facilitate its quick passage through the Seanad and Dáil by not tabling amendments. Northern Ireland is not my area of expertise but, on reading through the legislation, I can see it is part of the bigger picture in the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the adherence to democratic means over violence for...

Seanad: Adjournment Matter. - Schools Refurbishment. (9 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I note the text I submitted was substantially cut.

Seanad: Adjournment Matter. - Schools Refurbishment. (9 Dec 2003)

Joanna Tuffy: I had planned to read the whole text because it sets out the background to my request.