Results 161-180 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

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

Joe O'Toole: We should let democracy take its course.

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

Joe O'Toole: I am glad the Senator is calling a vote on it.

Seanad: Private Business. - The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Charters Amendment) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill, which I support. My memories of the Seanad election count, to which Senator Quinn has just referred, are slightly mixed. Happily, we were both elected on two occasions. However, while on the first occasion I established my rightful place at the top of the poll, I was displaced from that position by Senator Quinn on the more recent occasion.

Seanad: Private Business. - The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Charters Amendment) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: There is no justice.

Seanad: Private Business. - The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Charters Amendment) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: This Bill represents a modernisation process and progress. It is appropriate that we should deal with it with some despatch. Its objectives are admirable.

Seanad: Private Business. - The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Charters Amendment) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Or "the Whatettes". I wondered would we have to find a new name for County Meath, not to mention what would happen in the case of the royal family. I am not sure what the royal family or Jim Royle and his family would make of all of this. People who cannot accommodate their history should find a different place to live. This is the name of this distinguished college. I might say it is the...

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: That is unfair.

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: We have had to listen to two hours of an appalling debate and we should be entitled to inject some sense into the discussion before we finish.

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This has been as bad a debate on agriculture as I have heard in my time in this House – and that refers to both sides of the House. I hope the IFA president, John Dillon, has been listening to the debate. If he has any sense, he will rush back into the partnership talks while he still has a chance of getting some level of support.

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Of course there is an agenda. I have defended the CAP reform proposals of the then Commissioner MacSharry against Fianna Fáil in this House. (Interruptions).

Seanad: Fischler Proposals for Agriculture: Motion. (12 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Yes, against Fianna Fáil. There was a similar situation earlier tonight when Senator O'Brien had a go at his party colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Food. I also defended the then Minister, Ivan Yates, against Fine Gael in this House. It has been a consistent issue for me that farmers were never told the truth by the leadership of Irish society. It was as clear as could be from...

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: At a time when Government is slow to look at issues like price controls or involving itself in that area, the only other device we have is the Competition Authority. There are now criminal investigations in this area, but the authority does not have sufficient resources. Money raised by the CAB should be used to fund investigations by the Competition Authority, which has only three detectives...

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I am glad the Cathaoirleach mentioned that. Agriculture was on the agenda last evening and a few of us made a serious attempt to discuss it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I am asking for a debate on agriculture where Members from both sides do not avoid the issues by complaining about Ministers for Agriculture and Food, whether current of previous. I think the Ministers for Agriculture and Food over the past 15 years have done their best. We should try to have a debate on agriculture where people would be obliged to give their views on the issues and not call...

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I know I embarrassed people by what I said, but I did not mean to do that.

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Had John Dillon attended last night's debate he would rush back into partnership because that is where his friends are.

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Will the Senator support it?

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: That is fair enough. We should not ask the Minister to sit through it. We can have the debate without him.

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: It can be got at a good price.

Seanad: Order of Business. (13 Feb 2003)

Joe O'Toole: They are sure winners.