Results 261-280 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Mistakes were made and Professor Honohan has given a view on it. It is quite clear that passing the budget on 7 December is a crucial part of the timeline of the budget and what is required in dealing with the IMF and Europe. The Opposition parties have accepted that aspect of it. It is also important to recognise that the IMF and our European partners do not have exactly the same level of...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I am heartened to hear the words of Senator Fitzgerald. At a time of economic, civic and political turmoil and instability, we are standing on the edge of a financial abyss. I agree with the Taoiseach's point of view that we need to pass a budget, publish a four-year plan and get through the wedge of financial activity that must be engaged in in the next two months. It is a lot to ask of...

Seanad: Death of Member: Expressions of Sympathy (17 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Let me raise one technical matter, something which always upsets me on these occasions. I note that on the television monitors the late Senator is referred to as Mr. Kieran Phelan. This happens every time there are tributes. To us, Kieran is still a senatorial colleague and will always remain so.

Seanad: Death of Member: Expressions of Sympathy (17 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I have asked about this before and ask that it be corrected on future occasions. It is important because we are speaking about our late colleague. We will miss Kieran's good humour and warm personality. We can only imagine how his death impacts on his family and friends. I speak on behalf of my colleagues on the Independent benches, on whose behalf I extend our deepest condolences. We...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: The issues we raised yesterday about the best decisions for Europe and for Ireland are finally coming into focus and the reality is that this is a European issue and a bank issue in this country. We need to understand those things and to decide on the best way forward. I do not know the answers and I do not know the positions of any of the parties. I do not know the Government position on...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: In terms of impact, the real issue during the past 24 hours, when money is always a serious difficulty and we will always be overwhelmed by the economic problems with which we have to cope, were the stories that emerged from Cork and Limerick yesterday. They gave us an injection of reality and were shock treatment. Surely it should put in perspective that our focus should always be on the...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: We can learn from the issues arising from those horrific, tragic and appalling events. There is the question of mental health and how we deal with it in this country. If one ties those stories together with the series on suicide running in The Irish Times, we have to ask ourselves where we are going in terms of our mental health and what provisions we are putting in place to deal with...

Seanad: Chemicals (Amendment) Bill 2010: Second Stage (16 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State and the legislation which I consider to be progressive, forward thinking and extraordinarily necessary. I take issue with some of the views expressed to the effect that the legislation might present a difficulty for producers or industry. People, especially politicians, should recognise that the chemicals industry employs almost 30,000 people. The Minister...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Once again, taxpayers and the Government are facing into a black hole caused by the irresponsibility of the private sector and its leadership in the banks. It should not be forgotten what they have done to us because we must not come to rely again on those who got us into the mess in the first instance. The Government has taken a responsible attitude towards the redemption of senior bonds...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: They have been given a full guarantee by the State without facing any risk, while enjoying high interest rates. They are raising the stakes in the game ever higher. We must recognise that the game has changed in that respect and our response must differ. Notwithstanding what one reads in Irish newspapers today, Senators should read what is being written in the international media, notably...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Were that the case, one could deal with a European approach to the problem rather than simply an Irish approach.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: The problem is they cannot and are not allowed to connect to the national grid.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Over recent days I have sought from the Leader an indication of the Government's response to the motion that was passed in the House last week. I have given this some serious consideration and have spoken to graduates of DCU and the University of Limerick. Graduates of these institutions have been deprived of a Seanad vote for the past 30 years since the people's decision in the 1979...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: This is important infrastructure and its construction will create up to 6,000 jobs, which will mean wages churning into the economy. In addition, I ask the Government to accept the proposal from Siemens Ireland, which I mentioned to the Leader before, to install a water meter in every house in Ireland at its own expense. This would represent a free loan of €1.1 billion to the Government,...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: An appropriate note of urgency.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: This is a very important week in European history. In most of the countries of western Europe there is a remarkable memory spreagtha on 11 November each year. I made this point some years ago in the Seanad and I raise it again. We in this House showed a lot of support for the Shot at Dawn campaign. We have shown a lot of support over the years for what has happened in our history. Many...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: You have the power in your hands.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Toole: It is important to recognise nothing stays the same. At the beginning of the economic crisis we were told that not only was it bad internationally and nationally but that we had huge personal debt and mortgage problems. In the past two years the size of personal debt has been reduced significantly and it has gone away as an issue. If anyone had listened carefully to the reports on the 83...