Results 2,601-2,620 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I note the Taoiseach indicated last night that he would be around until 2011 at least. That, coincidentally, is the same year as the next presidential election. Is it the intention of the Fianna Fáil leader to do as Mr. de Valera did——

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: ——and move from here to the Phoenix Park in one swift movement?

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: It should be clarified. I am not being mischievous.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: It is just that Senator Norris and I have been wondering whether we should gear up our campaign for the presidency.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Senator Mark Daly brought to my attention the fact that the Dublin Institute of Technology, the largest third level college in the country, does not have access to the Irish Research Electronic Library initiative, while the seven universities do. That is disgraceful. There is no case for excluding the DIT. It smacks of an elite cabal of senior educationalists keeping the institute out. It...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I was seeking information.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I support the Minister for Health and Children on the pharmacists matter. It has been raised twice on the Order of Business by Senators Doherty and Ross. While I understand and approve of what the Minister is attempting to achieve, I do not understand what the row is about. It would be helpful for a debate on the issue to clarify certain matters. The Irish Pharmaceutical Union is not...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: The Senator will have that sorted by next week.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: They never asked me.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Education Policy: Statements (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to share my last five minutes with Senator Norris. I expect to receive any tolerance the Acting Chairman intends to give before we go over to Senator Norris.

Seanad: Education Policy: Statements (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister to the House. Fáiltím roimh an Aire. Ba mhaith liom dhá rud a rá leis roimh a thosaím. What is the best way to contact the Minister's Department to track, for example, a building project? There seems to be some confusion as to whether we should ring the Minister's office or the relevant section. Those in the section send the query to the Minister's office, and...

Seanad: Education Policy: Statements (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I will do so.

Seanad: Education Policy: Statements (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I wrote a letter to the Minister this week with a PS which contains a tongue-in-cheek story of a recent experience. By the way, I must point out that the Minister's officials are always helpful and pleasant to deal with. This is not a personal criticism as the fault is in the system. Ba mhaith liom a rá chomh maith go raibh rud ar an gclár inné that was mentioned by Senators Norris and...

Seanad: Education Policy: Statements (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I tried to do it in other lives but I could not convince my own side, never mind Senator O'Sullivan's side. An rud atá i gceist agam ná seo. An exercise I have tried with people on many occasions is to look at education in terms of serving the community and at the kind of community we now want. If one takes a group of people and asks them what qualities they want to see in the next...

Seanad: Education Policy: Statements (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: ——and if one does the same in the case of trade union leaders, business leaders, etc., they tend to come out with the same list. There are attributes such as creativity, risk taking, articulation, leadership, tolerance, mercy and others which one cannot measure and for which one cannot get points in the leaving certificate or in any examination. How does one deal with that? We should...

Seanad: Education Policy: Statements (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Education Policy: Statements (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: When will the Minister commence the sections of the Education for People with Special Educational Needs Act?

Seanad: Education Policy: Statements (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: No.

Seanad: Education Policy: Statements (22 Nov 2007)

Joe O'Toole: When will the sections of the Education for People with Special Educational Needs Act be implemented?