Results 121-140 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Senator Ross has already made up his mind on it. I do not think he should be allowed to debate it. He has a closed mind on the issue.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Censorship. It is amazing that the Labour Party should propose it.

Seanad: Development of Rugby: Motion. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Development of Rugby: Motion. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The Senator is stretching it a little.

Seanad: Development of Rugby: Motion. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: When I heard the moral sermonising from these benches today about what might or might not be appropriate to debate this evening, I was reminded of my first year here and meeting somebody who I thought might enter national politics. He informed me that he had decided not to do so because he was putting his family first. It knocks one for six to hear moral certitude of that kind. It took me...

Seanad: Development of Rugby: Motion. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister touched upon one point I would love him to have developed, namely, that rugby plays an important role and delivers significant social benefits in terms of helping to provide our young people with a healthy and enjoyable outlet. I would not stand here and defend the reduction of a grant towards sports and leisure facilities in any part of Ireland – from inner city Dublin to Tory...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I support that request. I raised this issue before Christmas after the murder of Brian Fitzgerald. This problem is spreading and it is writ large in Limerick at the moment. There is a crime problem that needs to be addressed. Our discussion should focus on Limerick if necessary but it is a wider issue. We need to know that the Garda have a handle on it in the future.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: As somebody who spends a great deal of his time involved in negotiations, I have always felt that timing is important. I would appreciate if the Leader could convey her personal congratulations to the leader of the Fine Gael Party in this House on his extraordinarily excellent timing in tabling the motion on Connacht rugby last week rather than this week. The choice of motion was courageous...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I assure the House that nobody, including people in this House and the Lower House whose jobs were thoroughly analysed and scrutinised, will receive more than they deserve from benchmarking. I would like to place these matters on the record as it is helpful for the House to be aware of them.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Let me make a point of order, a Chathaoirligh, although I do not wish to be misunderstood. The Leader has just seconded a proposal by Senator Leyden who listed the names of the unfortunate astronauts who were killed. We must be careful about setting a precedent. It would be very easy for Senator Norris, for example, to read the names of the 400 people killed in Baghdad. While Senator Leyden's...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The latter point made by Senator Brian Hayes could be dealt with if the report on the first couple of meetings of the sub-committee of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges brings to the attention of the House proposals in relation to moving this matter forward. While I have no objection to a debate in the House, it would be a repeat of the previous debate on the subject. I would prefer...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Neither of those would describe himself as an economist.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (5 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to share time with two Fine Gael colleagues. Senator Quinn has kindly indicated that he will also share a minute or two of this allocated time with them. I suggest that we are each given three minutes.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (5 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I want to make a number of points. While I was doing some research during the course of the day, I discovered that, amazingly, there were 37 or 38 road traffic deaths for two months in 1946. In light of the fact that there were few cars on the road at the time, what we have achieved to date is extraordinary. My second point relates to driving tests, an issue at which I ask the Minister of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The House should be reminded that the legislation to which Senator Brian Hayes referred was substantially amended by the Seanad. When we proposed to shorten the commencement date, this House was given undertakings that the Act would come into operation very quickly and that everything was in order for it to proceed. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I wish to raise an issue related to the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: We have heard the question, the Senator should now give us the answer.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Including the River Shannon.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Or was it Minister Daly's Shannon River Council Bill?

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Will the debate be critical of Government policy?

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The only problem is when such legislation goes through the Houses nobody will oppose it because everyone is afraid of the electorate.