Results 201-220 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: For the moment.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I do not doubt the Minister's good intentions and I hope he sees this issue from our point of view. I accept his point, but we are trying to take it on board and determine what concerns remain. The subject of these amendments is one such issue of concern. There will be no ministerial oversight or intervention. ComReg is not answerable. The idea behind introducing independent mediation...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Will the Minister please clarify what he means by an appeal to the court?

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I admit I had not seen the amendment to section 47 which is an important one in that it provides for a right of appeal to the High Court. However, that does not take from my argument. As the Minister stated, if we can spare people going to the courts, we should do so. I note that he did not object in a theoretical or philosophical way to the idea of having an independent mediator. He and...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I do not want to argue with the Minister of State's points, but he is not picking up on our points. The length is not the issue that will preclude innovation. I completely agree with the Minister of State's point on that. Of course roads are different, but I just used that as an example of contracts, pay back and long-term investment. It is up to the Minister State to accept or reject...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Still, however, he has no conscience about using the Eircom phone line.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Well, most of the people who have moved over to UTV or whatever still use it.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Those of us who live miles away in north Dublin cannot get broadband or telephone reception in our houses but that is another day's work. Many of those who have moved from Eircom still use the Eircom copper wires and they do not have any conscience about it until they break down and then Eircom must fix them. That is something we should go into another day, and I accept there are two sides...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 12: In page 19, subsection (3), line 4, to delete "may" and substitute "will".

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 13: In page 19, subsection (3), to delete lines 5 to 10 and substitute the following: "from the expiry of that period designate a Universal Postal Service Provider.".

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: No.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: The Minister has replaced it with another.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I know the Minister was absent on important business, during which time he was ably represented by the Minister of State, Deputy Cuffe. We have had a long discussion on issues we consider are at the core of the Bill such as quality, cost and competition. I will not reopen that discussion, but we are making a mistake in not making various changes to this section. I find it hard to accept it...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: The Bill proposes ComReg can put a price cap on certain services being supplied. This is an interference with the market and we heard a lot earlier from the Minister of State, Deputy Cuffe, about its importance. I have no problem with interfering with the market. That is what regulation is supposed to be about, as long as it is done on a qualitative basis. We know the problem created by...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: That is correct, yes.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: As we approach the budget and there is a focus on the involvement of Independent Members in the other House, in particular, I wish to note the extraordinary imbalance in the commentary. When Ministers vie with each other to direct money from the national lottery to their constituencies, or to secure school buildings or decentralised offices for their constituencies, they are considered to be...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: We were never told by the Government about such a meeting.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: That is not the issue.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: That is not the issue at all.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I do not wish to take up the time of the House unnecessarily. However, this is a mistake. I studied physics for many years. While all other measurements are metered, the kilogram is the only unit of measurement based on a mixture of arithium and platinum that is kept in France. It is the only unit of measurement kept in a solid physical state. It used to be based on the weight of a litre...