Results 881-900 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I do not blame the Cathaoirleach in any way but the initial issue needs to be sorted out because the uncertainty has grown over the years. Afterwards yesterday people discussing the matter wondered what exactly is the position. We need to discuss this matter. Taking up the issue raised by Senator Fitzgerald, we need to have a broad discussion on the economy. We need to hear another view on...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Joe O'Toole: The big issue being discussed today in the newspapers and everywhere else is that of expenses, although the focus is on the other House. It must be acknowledged that the level of trust and confidence in politicians is at an all-time low. We must also acknowledge that we all share, to some extent, in that failure. Whether people were individually part of the excesses, there is a view abroad...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Yesterday I raised the need for a debate on the public sector and how it operates etc. I received a number of queries afterwards about the recent report which came to the conclusion that public servants were paid 25% more than private sector workers. I will give one example to show how wrong is that report. No job assessment or measurement of the input or output of a job was used. None of...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I am glad we have an opportunity to discuss the economy later. However, I would like to refer to the issue of public sector bashing, which is giving pleasure to some of the people who got us into this trouble. IBEC was first in the queue. Has the media forgotten that the six largest members of IBEC - our large banks and financial institutions - got us into this mess? IBEC and the media...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: In the meantime, I would like us to have a discussion on the public sector and what it is contributing to the economy in order that those working within it would see there is respect for them in some parts of public life. During the summer the Leader of the House issued a statement on Seanad reform. Is he ready for it? We know about the University Senators and will go along with it. What...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Senator Bacik has moved to the Labour Party benches.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Of course, we were informed.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, I am being misrepresented. On no occasion did I offer a view or was I in favour of getting rid of Private Members' time. Private Members' business should be taken this evening. I said that consistently to the Leader. I acknowledge I asked for a debate on the economy.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I also understood that to be the case.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I would like to share time with Senator Quinn.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (23 Sep 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh. I am glad we are having a general debate in advance of our consideration of the important Bill that will establish NAMA. My tendency is to support NAMA, although I would like certain changes to be made to the legislation. I certainly believe this can work. A great deal of the nonsense surrounding it needs to be cleared up. It is not...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: The House will note that a former Leader of the House, the former Senator Maurice Manning, who is now the head of the Irish Human Rights Commission, has expressed extraordinary concern about the fact that the commission is being deprived in terms of its budget to do the work that it has been set up by these Houses to do. It is also critical and concerned about the rushing through of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Might I interrupt? This is the third time in the last fortnight that someone has allowed his phone to ring and gone out to answer it. Anyone can forget to turn it off, I am not being precious. The last person I saw doing it in these Houses was a Member of the Upper House in the other jurisdiction. It is insulting to the House.

Seanad: OECD and IMF Reports: Statements (10 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I believe St. Benedict said that.

Seanad: OECD and IMF Reports: Statements (10 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: It was interesting to listen to the points made by Senator White, and I agree with much of what she said, but when I hear members on the Government side talk about an issue, I wonder whether they ever listen to what they are told. I raised the price of electricity in this House ten years ago and pointed out time and again that the Government strategy was to raise the price of electricity to...

Seanad: OECD and IMF Reports: Statements (10 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: That was the policy of the Senator's party and of the Fine Gael Party. It was done quite deliberately because Irish electricity was too cheap and the private sector could not get involved in that field. The regulator was given this job to do to raise the price of electricity and we are all paying the price for it. We all knew it would happen. The Senator is right in what she said about...

Seanad: OECD and IMF Reports: Statements (10 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Dr. Whitaker.