Results 1,601-1,620 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I refer the House to section 142(1) of the Bill which states: (1) Subject to the exceptions mentioned below, a person shall not keep or have in his or her possession anywhere in the territory of the State a television set save in so far as such keeping or possession is authorised by a television licence for the time being in force. I will repeat my question. Have the inmates of Portlaoise...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: These are their own sets; they do not belong to the prison authorities and that is my point.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: A person shall not keep or have in his possession a television set, save in so far as such keeping is authorised by a television licence.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I feel in all honesty I must press the amendment.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power, back to the House and I wish to respond to the points he made. I intend to state, as succinctly as possible, that under section 114 of the Bill, there is a commitment, as far as practicable, to the whole community on the island of Ireland. The object of RTE is to establish, maintain and operate a national television and sound broadcasting...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 110: In page 144, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: "(c) No person shall be sent to jail as a consequence of any conviction for non-possession of a TV licence. However, an order for attachment of earnings may be made by the court in order to discharge such an obligation.". This amendment concerns the extraordinary situation that exists currently where...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: In tabling this amendment I want to ensure that no person shall be sent to jail as a consequence of any conviction for non-possession of a TV licence. We should have a long discussion on TV licences, although not now — Members can relax — because I do not know how this is done. I would like to know from the Minister how much we are paying for all the very entertaining advertisements...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Can people go into the prison and check the position in that regard? People with no money are ending up in prison because they cannot afford to pay for the licence. I wonder if the inmates in prison with plasma screens have licences. That is a fair question and I would like to know the answer to it because the situation is ridiculous. Other countries have more sensible ways of collecting...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I am sure the Minister will make me aware of that. This system is a nonsense. The Minister should accept this amendment. It makes no difference to him. There are better ways of dealing with the matter. In the other House this morning the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform said that approximately a dozen people were in prison for not paying fines. I do not know how many of...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 99: In page 121, line 25, after "licence" to insert the following: "and at all times practicable that RTÉ use the maximum power levels as sanctioned by the ITU and licensed by ComReg in the case of an LF broadcast transmitter serving the island of Ireland and or Irish communities abroad". This amendment concerns the issue of long-wave broadcasting, which is of concern to...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Report Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: We could receive it only at night when the signal could travel. The reverse was the case with RTE. Broadcasting on medium wave, its reception was much clearer at night than on long wave. Long wave radio needs to have its output and strength increased at night rather than decreased. Why is RTE broadcasting only at 62.5? I did not really want to start this speech and I have not even...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: No. We cannot agree to conclude all Stages by 5 p.m. if we are not finished dealing with matters. Six or seven Senators wish to speak. I am quite happy to resume at 4.30 p.m.

Seanad: Legal Practitioners (Irish Language) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. Fáiltím go mór roimh na leasuithe atá romhainn in ainm an Aire. Chuir sé isteach go mór orm nuair a thuig mé go raibh seans ann go mbeadh deacrachtaí acu siúd ata ag freastal ar an gcúrsa úd faoi láthair. Tá mé an-sásta leis na leasuithe atá molta aige. I will withdraw my amendments because the Minister's ones deal with the...

Seanad: Legal Practitioners (Irish Language) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Tá an cheart ag an Aire.

Seanad: Legal Practitioners (Irish Language) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Agreed.

Seanad: Legal Practitioners (Irish Language) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, táimid imithe ó Chéim an Choiste without dealing with Report Stage.

Seanad: Legal Practitioners (Irish Language) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Aontaím leis an Teideal. An deacracht atá agam ná in case anybody challenges it afterwards. We moved straight from Committee Stage to Fifth Stage without taking the stage in between. We must agree that there are no amendments on Report Stage.

Seanad: Legal Practitioners (Irish Language) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Fair enough.

Seanad: Legal Practitioners (Irish Language) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Could I be associated with those remarks? Mar a dúirt mé nuair a bhí mé ag caint níos luaithe, fáiltím go mór roimh na leasuithe a dhein an Aire ar an mBille. Bhí sé thar a bheith tábhachtach that the Department listened leis na rudaí a bhí ag cuir isteach ar daoine. Tá réiteach na faidhbe seo againn. Tá mé an-sásta leis. Ó thaobh an obair atá déanta ag na advisers,...