Results 4,001-4,020 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: It is the role of this House to ensure children are protected from abuse and other threats. Whether bishops resign is not our business, nor do I care, but it is our business to recognise that bishops are patrons and managers of schools and making rules for them. They are doing so without any form of vetting or clearance. They can sack teachers if they believe their lifestyle is in conflict...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: At the same time, they can protect abusers and thereby undermine their own Christian ethos and be completely safe. Irrespective of whether one is a bishop or a lay person, one should be properly vetted and be regarded as safe to be in charge of a school. There is an inherent conflict between the bishop as line manger of a priest against whom a complaint is made and the bishop as champion of...

Seanad: Power Sharing Agreement in Northern Ireland: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister and acknowledge the extraordinary energy, commitment and expertise he has shown recently in working in concert with all the parties in the North and their party leaders, as well as with the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister. I thank him for doing this important work which should be recognised. I am sure he would be the first to say others put in a huge effort...

Seanad: Power Sharing Agreement in Northern Ireland: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Yes. I move amendment No. 1: After "Northern Ireland." to add the following: "Recognises the efforts of the Taoiseach to advance the establishment of the civic forum and determines that there be a report to the Seanad at least once each session on developments in the North South Ministerial Council." The amendment proposes a minor addendum which I have discussed with the Minister, to the...

Seanad: Power Sharing Agreement in Northern Ireland: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: It is the same as the trains to Kerry.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: If a motion of such moment is to be dealt with by the House, it should be done as soon as possible. The rest of us can work out our positions on the motion when we see what is being proposed.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: That is fine. However, the sooner it is dealt with, the better in order that there will be no uncertainty about the role of the Deputy Leader or anything else. I shall hold my comments until then, at which time, I can assure the Cathaoirleach, the House will receive an independent view on what is being proposed. Last week in the House the question of the Education for Persons with Special...

Seanad: Ombudsman Report on the Lost at Sea Scheme: Statements (18 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire Stáit. Is mian liom "go raibh míle maith agat" a rá leis as ucht an jab atá ar siúl aige ar ár son sa Bhruiséil agus áiteanna ar fud na tíre. Go n-éirí leis. Mar is eol don Aire Stáit, I come from a fishing town, Dingle, and when going to school half of my class were from the fishing community. Anybody of my age from a town like...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I extend congratulations from these benches to Senator Dearey. It is important that people put their names forward for public representation at a time when politics is not really the dish of the week for most. I thank Senator Dearey for so doing. I welcome him and wish him well. His appointment raises an issue about methods of election and nomination but it seems to have been ignored by...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: County Louth is very well represented in the Seanad. We look forward to all the delegates from the county telling us how we should do business and make an input. I congratulate the Senator and wish him well. The issue raised by Senator Fitzgerald about the banks is a very important one. I support, in general, the Government's banking policy, although it is not handling the issue well and...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: We do not need legislation to allow credit to be extended. The ability to do that is in place at the moment. It would be much more honest if people were told exactly what the situation is and when, where and how credit will be extended.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I support Senator Fitzgerald in congratulating the Minister for Health and Children on establishing a review of the carrying out of symphysiotomies. The television programme on this matter was the most nauseating I have watched for a long period. What happened to the women concerned was appalling. I would like to know what were the values held by and instincts of those who carried out...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Report of Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children: Statements (24 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to share time with Senator Mullen.

Seanad: Report of Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children: Statements (24 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State and congratulate him on the important work he has done. I have some reservations with regard not to what is contained in the joint committee's report but rather in respect of what is missing from it. I wish, therefore, to make two significant points - I know the Minister of State will take them on board - and ask two questions. It is stated in the report that...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (24 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate and congratulate Fine Gael for tabling it. I also welcome the Minister. We have soldiered for many years in various fora, both for and against each other. I stress to my colleagues on the Government side, particularly the new Green Party Members, that while the Government is always presented as speaking with one voice, it does not mean...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (24 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: It is about strategy and getting a result. That is what should be done. Much has been said about SENOs that I would like to go into. They are not the ones who do the assessments and there are problems arising from the involvement of SENOs in many cases. I spoke on every section of the Education for People with Special Educational Needs Act and dealt with every part of it. When it was...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: I was disappointed that the Leader did not find time yesterday or today for a debate on banking.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2010)

Joe O'Toole: He gave us a very solemn promise on Tuesday-----