Results 901-920 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

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

Joe O'Toole: Dr. Whitaker did a massive job for Ireland. Political leadership is important. It is also important that we look at how we got to where we are. I listened to an extraordinary discussion on radio recently between a well known figurehead of the Irish motor industry and a member of the Green Party, who is a Member of this House. I listened in astonishment to the head of the Irish motor...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: On Seanad business, perhaps the Leader might raise this issue with the Government Chief Whip. Half our business today and much of it throughout the week has been the recommital on Report Stage of Seanad Bills that have been changed by the Dáil. There is nothing wrong with that, but on many occasions the changes made in the Dáil relate to an issue that has already been raised in the...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Why do we need to clarify it further if it cannot be any plainer?

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: October 2.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: We would never do that.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Rather than repeat comments made by previous speakers, I propose examining where the proposal on blasphemy sits within the law, what is its intent and where it came from. I gently correct the Minister on the matter of where the offence of blasphemy stands in the Constitution. While the offence is referred to in the Constitution, it existed before the Constitution was drawn up, yet no one...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Even if defining the offence of blasphemy were a constitutional imperative, and I do not accept that is the case, it would not constitute a sufficient reason to support the Minister's logic. The Minister referred to the Law Reform Commission's report on the crime of libel. The report stated there is no place for the offence of blasphemous libel in a society which respects free speech and...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I would like to correct one thing. I understand the Cathaoirleach's ruling, but this is not a resubmission. This amendment was never submitted as it was too late. This is the first time it has been submitted to the House. In that sense it is not a resubmission.

Seanad: Twenty-Eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty of Lisbon) Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Le cead an Tí, ba mhaith liom mo chuid ama a roinnt le Seanadóir Pearse Doherty, le do thoil.

Seanad: Twenty-Eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty of Lisbon) Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I congratulate the Minister and his team on the work done in Europe during the past few months, which has been, as I stated previously when the Minister was not in the House, very impressive. The Minister has done difficult but important work. I extend those words of congratulations to the Minister's team of advisors who I am sure also did a huge amount of work in this regard. It is very...

Seanad: Telecommunications Services: Motion (8 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: With the permission of the House I intend to share time with Senator Doherty.

Seanad: Telecommunications Services: Motion (8 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister to the House and I do not doubt his commitment on this issue. I worry about the slowness of the roll-out of broadband and I have discussed it with him many times over the years, long before he became a Minister. To confirm Senator Brady's points, I live 17 miles from here, 2 km off the N2, but I cannot get broadband at home, except wireless. I am paying three times,...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, this is misleading.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: It is not dealing with that. He is misleading the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: My apologies.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Even the devil can quote scripture at times.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Yesterday was such a bad day for the House that the Leader should make serious attempts to ensure that over the next week the image we are projecting does not continue. I was watching the House from afar yesterday and it was embarrassing. Responsibility lies with the Leader. He has never found wanting co-operation from this side of the House as long as we understood what we were doing.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: Senator Fitzgerald should be heeded and the necessary arrangements should be made for next week. When people raise the current electricians' strike, we should insist they have an idea what they are talking about. Yesterday some people talked about an electrical contractors' strike while others spoke about the need for the union to resolve the issue. We must be serious and look at this in...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2009)

Joe O'Toole: I have raised the Ryan report with the Leader on a number of occasions. It is far more important for the House to reconvene to deal with that than some of the issues that are being dealt with on 14 and 15 July. The Leader is organising business in his own way and I do not object to that but this is a crucial matter. I do not know if people realise what is happening on this issue. People...