Results 141-160 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The Senator is quite right. We thought the Freedom of Information Act was overly progressive in its own way, but we will now be obliged to change it. It is always a good indication that there is no sign of an election when Fine Gael get both matters on the Adjournment. Today is the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes and is known as a day for miracles. Yesterday, the Minister of State, Deputy...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Part of the new partnership agreement on sustaining progress states, "The successful river basin strategy will be extended by promoting and assisting the establishment of integrated local authorities led river basin management projects". I hope the House takes due note of this as it is a major step forward.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I am happy the social partners are more prepared than Members of the House to listen to good advice on some of these issues. The new partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress, will be published today or tomorrow. It should be debated in the House while the different pillars are considering it. The House has discussed the issue of housing on many occasions and this is included in the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The social partners care about the environment.

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: This is a crucial amendment and I support it. The Minister of State should bring this to the attention of the parliamentary counsel. The words removed go completely against the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement. No one in the Minister of State's Department is responsible for this. The parliamentary counsel have a particular approach, but they should be told that they must look out for this...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I find this section utterly confusing. Perhaps the problem is in relation to my command of the English language. I support the amendment, which makes perfect sense and I hope the Minister of State will accept it. Section 7 gives Science Foundation Ireland certain authority such as, for example, in paragraph (f), under which it will "carry out such other functions that concern oriented basic...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I understand that. I am delighted the Minister of State accepted Senator McCarthy's amendment. It certainly adds significantly to the section. It is hugely important that competitiveness should go hand in hand with environmentally sustainable development. What I am really asking is a serious question in terms of how the foundation will work. The foundation will carry out functions which are...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I surrender.

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: That is the point. I accept that explanation; it makes sense. However, it is going to produce something broad. That is the opposite to my understanding of oriented. There is a simple way to deal with this. Would it be possible at some stage to insert a description? I am not an expert in this area but "oriented basic research" might have a scientific meaning. If it has, the solution is simple....

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Who can argue with that?

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: That is the new board.

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I agree with what Senator McCarthy said and have committed to it. However, I have often been in a room full of people articulating that view yet, when they have the opportunity of nominating, they suddenly forget it. Even though I agree with Senator McCarthy, there is a difficulty in that one cannot say more than is in the Bill. If the only person considered suitable for a position is male...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Kilrush.

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I agree with Senator Daly and this is something about which the House should be keen. Will the Minister for State accept an amendment that the board should meet or be based outside Dublin? I was not joking about Kilrush but there are other towns and not specifically in that area. This agency could bring life to a place outside Dublin. As it stands, it will be part of the great congested...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I am building support.

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Monsignor.

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Throughout the previous session, I opposed the inclusion of provisions of this nature in every Bill that came before the House. Such provisions are appalling. On the Order of Business, a Member referred to the pressure politicians are under to complete so many declarations of interests and so on. On each occasion a provision that oppresses, deprecates and diminishes politicians and makes them...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: No. What does the Minister mean by "no taint of party or independent politics attached"? We know what it means; it means we will be answering the question. All those boards on which this has happened are mistakes.

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Senator.

Seanad: Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (11 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I disagree with that.