Results 1,561-1,580 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Human Body Organs and Human Tissue Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I congratulate Senator Quinn on the amount of work he invested in preparing this legislation, which is very important. It is my privilege to second the Bill. I should declare a related interest in that my sister has been the national kidney and transplant co-ordinator for many years. I am, therefore, quite familiar with many aspects of this matter and I know families that experienced great...

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to share time with Senator Bacik. I have no inhibitions in supporting this bold, courageous and necessary legislation. Senators should take care when commenting in the House and those who make statements should be prepared to back them up. For the past two weeks, outrageous, unfounded and unfair criticism has been made of the Financial Regulator by Members of both Houses and...

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I would like to see how we will make the banks pay for the guarantee. I share Senator Twomey's mistrust of the banks and I do not want the legislation to operate on the basis of trust in the banks. We must have watchdogs operating in the banks as well as additional scrutiny. Their boards should be dissolved and reconstituted. An oversight body should be also established to examine perks...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to pick up on the same points touched on yesterday and to which we attempted to get answers yesterday afternoon from the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, who was extraordinarily coy and reluctant to share information or views with us. One matter about which we know more now than previously is that the banks found it easier and cheaper to get credit yesterday. The Minister of State...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: ——to deal with this and taxpayers should be represented. That seems an obvious requirement. I am pleased the legislation will give the State the authority to take equity in some of these companies and to examine their subsidiaries. An issue raised here time and again and by those involved in the regulatory area — we have the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Economic Regulatory Affairs...

Seanad: Economic Situation: Statements (30 Sep 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister of State made a point when summing up that I did not hear clearly but I would like to have it put on the record again. The fact of the matter is that today, the action by Government has eased the access to credit for the banks and it has cheapened the cost of credit and money to the banks. Therefore, the banks are actually better off than they were this morning because we have...

Seanad: Economic Situation: Statements (30 Sep 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Yes, that is on the record. Is it the Government's view, because the cost of money to the banks is cheaper, that from tomorrow morning effectively the cost of borrowing to the consumer should also be reflected in cheaper borrowing?

Seanad: Economic Situation: Statements (30 Sep 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, to the House. In all honesty, as one who has admired the contributions he has made, his speech today was one of his weaker contributions. It is not a day to come in and tell us we must also take steps to improve productivity or that we must be committed to implementing responsible fiscal policies. That is not today's business — it is...

Seanad: Economic Situation: Statements (30 Sep 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The Government needs to call for a dissolution of the boards, re-establish them and put back on them the good people. We need to ensure that all bonuses, directors' perks and €1 million salaries per year are done away with immediately and the level of due diligence and oversight of the way the banks do their business is made clear. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2000 in the US makes chief...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2008)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, the Leader did not indicate the position regarding the amendment.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The Leader is supposed to be seeking a bipartisan approach. It is appalling that the time cannot be extended.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2008)

Joe O'Toole: It would be worthwhile if the House noted and welcomed the new initiative from the library and research service of the House, namely, a digest of each new Bill. One of the reasons this House wanted such a service was that it would get an unbiased, unprejudiced and neutral view on the legislation and would not have to depend on the explanatory memorandum issued by the sponsoring Department....

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2008)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, I thank the Leader for his unprecedented identification of speakers during a debate. I assure him that he has lost much of this side's co-operation. He should apologise to the Senator he threatened to name. Despite the fact that the Leader of the House stood and asked a Member on this side to read the Standing Orders, he does not have the option of naming anyone.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The Standing Orders are clear and I advise him to read them. Instead of looking at the number of speakers who do not appear for a debate, a matter that will be regularly shoved his way during the coming months, he should read Standing Orders 50 and 51. They state that only the Cathaoirleach may name a Member of the House. An apology and a withdrawal of the threat made by the Leader would...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2008)

Joe O'Toole: There is no misunderstanding. The Leader threatened to name the Senator.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I want to make it absolutely clear that irrespective of whether the Leader asked the Cathaoirleach whether he would name someone, the answer is still the same. Even if the Cathaoirleach said "Yes" to that, the Leader still could not do so. Will the Cathaoirleach clarify that for the House?

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Am I right in saying it is a matter for the Cathaoirleach?

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Cathaoirleach for that.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Yes, and it did not change this morning. The Leader should read the rules some time.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I join other Senators in welcoming the release of Ms Ingrid Betancourt. This is a topical global issue and who knows what minor incremental influence we might have had somewhere along the way, but the fact that nations cared and offered a view on her detention is very important. We are in an age when we are able to watch, when CNN decides to broadcast it, rockets going down streets in...