Results 1,381-1,400 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Let us wait until Fianna Fáil gets into government and it will sort all that out.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: On the constant requests to the Leader for a debate on economic affairs and finance, whereas it makes no difference to me and other Dublin-based Senators that the Seanad will meet on a Friday, it is somewhat unfair to other Members who have to travel here and who may have made other arrangements. It is an extraordinary coincidence that the Friday selected happens to coincide with the Fianna...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I find that extraordinarily convenient.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: It is not a cheap political point, it——

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: ——is an important point to make on that issue. My colleague, Senator Ross, made some important points during the week in regard to FÁS, many of which have been followed up. I hope that debate will not be trivialised by people calling for the resignation of a Minister on the basis of her having had her hair washed. To do so trivialises a serious debate. It is outrageous that it should...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: There are serious issues to be dealt with and they will be dealt with by the Committee of Public Accounts. This is the level at which such matters should be dealt with. The issue of recapitalisation of the banks has arisen once again as individual private equity firms seek to invest in the banks. I again urge that the Government approach this cautiously. The Government, however it has...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Stem-Cell Research (Protection of Human Embryos) Bill 2008: Second Stage (26 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. His contribution was very important. I compliment my colleague, Senator Mullen, on bringing forward this legislation. For the record, I have done everything possible to have this matter raised on the floor of the House. In line with what Senator Ó Murchú said, I believe it is crucially important that we engage with these issues. I do not...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Second Stage (26 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State. It is the first time that we have faced each other in this House but we have dealt with one another in many other situations and I wish him well in the continuation of his Ministry. Like everyone else, I welcome this legislation. Much fine work has been done in the background by the Minister of State's advisers. Many of the matters raised by the different...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Second Stage (26 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Does the Minister of State believe that this encompasses human rights?

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I very much concur with the points made by Senator Fitzgerald. For the record, I am someone who has defended the public service all my life, but that does not mean that I am opposed to public sector reform, rather I am completely and enthusiastically in favour of it. The problem is encapsulated in the example given by Senator Fitzgerald of cutting back on home-school liaison in a...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I am very happy to support Senator Fitzgerald's proposal. My colleague, Senator Shane Ross, has done excellent work on the issue. In the past three or four weeks, I have asked constantly for a debate on the economy. The House will have to vote on this from now on. The Leader promised three or four weeks ago that there would be no problem with having such a debate and that we should have...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (20 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Senator Leyden is in government.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I remind the Leader that we still await a debate on the economy. We discussed nothing but the economy in the Members' bar yesterday. During half time in the match last night, we talked about the economy. The newspapers are reporting on the economy and the Taoiseach made an announcement yesterday about the economy. It is being discussed everywhere except in this House.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The Government is losing opportunities to give some semblance of confidence to people, which needs to be done through discussion and information. The Taoiseach said yesterday Irish banks were adequately capitalised, which is an important statement. That view was not widely shared in this House or within the Leader's party and the media do not accept it. The Taoiseach has received the...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Cathaoirleach for his tolerance. Banks are putting more pressure on small businesses to pay their overdrafts by reducing such facilities. The overdraft facilities for many small businesses is less than the period of the banks' Christmas holidays. How will that impact on business and the flow of the economy? They are only two issues but I could raise ten more. It is time we...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: That is correct.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: When will the report be published?