Results 2,321-2,340 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: We would do our best to work in such a climate. The Independent Members are not in a position to buy our way into office.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: We cannot offer any inducements to the public. We just do our best.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: The issue of education has been raised in the House on a number of occasions recently. Senator Ulick Burke and others have asked for a debate on it. I understood that problems with class sizes in primary and post-primary schools were to be resolved during the lifetime of the Government, but an ongoing war continues to be fought on the issue. It has been reported that new schools have been...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: That is the Department's line.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: The Leader should not rule it out. It is currently only a core principle, but everything could change.

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2006: Statements (13 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Senator Mansergh should relax given that his party and the Labour Party could be in Government together. I did not intend to interrupt him but as the Labour Party Senators are not present, I thought I would help them out. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, who outlined the money being spent on education. I am glad Senator Mansergh is still present...

Seanad: Appropriation Act 2006: Statements (13 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome yesterday's announcement by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources with regard to bio-fuels. Yesterday's "Nine O'Clock News" headlines referred to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council's introduction of new regulations which are more demanding than the national regulations. I spoke on this issue in the House in the last session. In fact, Dún...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I propose a minor amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 16 be taken before No. 1. I ask that we have a debate on the issues raised by the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. As the Leader will recall, I have already asked twice in the past two months for a debate on the constitutionality of mandatory sentencing. I have pointed out that the only mandatory...

Seanad: Credit Union Savings Protection Bill 2007: First Stage (14 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled Credit Union Savings Protection Bill 2007.

Seanad: Credit Union Savings Protection Bill 2007: First Stage (14 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' Time".

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: When the progress of the tribunals was discussed previously in the House, everyone who spoke agreed the tribunals should continue to do their work. We agreed that perhaps the terms of reference might be changed slightly and narrowed to give a more focused approach. There can be no case for closing down the tribunals. Those of us who are Independent Members would not be as sophisticated in...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: ——because we thought this was just politicking with two parties in Government trying to establish their different identities going into a general election. We thought this was just an attempt to win back headlines in a week when things were going in the wrong direction. The Leader may explain this to the House in her reply. It has come to my attention recently that the names of primary...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: We were becoming concerned that the Senator's party was getting lost.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, for the record of the House and the constitutional position, members of the Judiciary sitting on those tribunals do not earn one extra penny, so they can have no additional interest in keeping them going.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: It is a point of order.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: In my 20 years as a Senator the Leader's office has never worked so efficiently as it does now. Anything I say is no criticism of the Leader. We normally receive notification of changes to the Order of Business but did not receive any such notification yesterday. An Independent Member was present when the announcement was made in the House but understood that an e-mail would be sent to...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: It was published for political reasons.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Earlier in the week the Senator said it was in every school in Ireland. I look forward to him proving that.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: They do.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (22 Feb 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Leader.