Results 1,161-1,180 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole
- Seanad: Commissions of Investigation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I intended to raise this issue on Second Stage but the debate clashed with a number of committee meetings and I did not have the opportunity to do so. The section, which relates to the terms of reference, resonates very much with Judge Mahon's recent report and his proposal to seek an amendment to the terms of reference of his tribunal. A commencement date is not provided for in the...
- Seanad: Commissions of Investigation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: We are all equally guilty.
- Seanad: Commissions of Investigation Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: In other words, the tribunal's terms of reference will be dealt with separately.
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I move amendment No. 15: I leathanach 10, fo-alt (6), lÃne 18, tar éis "potential", "and shall take account of the child's cultural background and linguistic needs" a chur isteach. Is é atá i gceist sa leasú seo ná an deacracht a bhÃonn ag daoine nuair nach bhfuil a dteanga ar a dtoil ag na daoine atá ag déileáil leo agus nuair nach bhfuil tuiscint acu ar a gcearta. Pléadh na...
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: There are various Irish forms of the name. Baile Bhlainséir is what people call it also.
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: The difficulty of not respecting people's language is borne out by the Minister of State's tale. He is absolutely right. When I moved jobs I came to a place in north Dublin called Man O War, which was a corruption of Meán an Bhóthair. It was perfectly understandable that Meán an Bhóthair would become Man O War until someone in high authority decided to call it Long Cogaidh.
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: It is always as a result of a mistake. Such mistakes are evident all over the city. However, they impact culturally. Throughout this city one finds this lack of understanding of cultural background. There is a place on the north side of Dublin called Larkhill. Before the city spread it was in the middle of a wood and was called Lár Coille. Lár Coille became Larkhill. However, it has now...
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I have much more to say on this issue. We will return to this tomorrow morning. I would like you to listen closely, a Chathaoirligh, because I am trying to illustrate that people who are well intentioned but are not rooted in the background, beliefs, cultural values and language of the people with whom they work find themselves in difficulty. There is no shortcut around this. The Minister of...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: Issues have been raised by the Leader and responded to by the leader of Fine Gael in the House so I will expect some latitude on this issue on the basis that I have raised it time and again on the Order of Business for the past two weeks. It is an absolute charade. I share Senator Brian Hayes's view that the Leader of the House did her absolute best and defended the integrity of the House,...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: We must decide if we order our own business or if others effectively pull the strings elsewhere and order us to do it. The rights of the travelling public, SFADCo workers, people in the Shannon area and union members have all been disregarded in this charade of a Bill, the purpose of which no one can understand. Fair play to Michael O'Leary, his advertisements have worked. Whatever impact he...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: It is not that I reject the authority of the Chair but this issue has been raised. What we are doing is wrong and we should look carefully at how we are doing business. The Taoiseach has stated that he wants us to deal with the Bill. I do not understand why because it will upset everyone everywhere. No one is in favour of it and it is completely wrong. I will hold what I have to say until...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: Members praised how well the Irish Presidency was served by senior civil servants. It is absolutely disgraceful, therefore, that our senior civil servants are being deprived of the normal review of their salaries to which they are entitled. As much as I admire the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, in many ways, this review should go ahead. The senior civil servants are entitled to it....
- Seanad: Business of Seanad. (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I was going to make the same point. An hour is the minimum that should be allocated for such debates.
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtà an Tigh. Is é atá idir lámha againn an tábhacht a bhaineann le cúlra culturtha an linbh a chur san áireamh maraon leis na deacrachtaà a bheadh aige nó aici ó thaobh cursaà teanga de. In addressing the educational plan it is crucially important that there be a reference to and an understanding of the child's cultural background. I was...
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive reply. I agree with her comments on cultural background and the importance of language. However, a distinction must be made, although it will not be addressed in this legislation. I am here long enough to know that. My amendments relate to other matters in addition to doing business through Gaeilge or whatever language but I appreciate that...
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: With great reluctance I disagree with this amendment. The idea of the parents being the primary educator is completely misunderstood and abused. This is a question of whether parents should have a choice to accept the designated school. With great respect to the Minister of State's grandfather, I believe it is unfortunate that the Constitution made parents the primary educators of their...
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: I read a sad case in the newspaper yesterday which relates to the issue raised by Senator McCarthy. The mother of an autistic child, who was driving the child to Dublin from south Kilkenny, was involved in a fatal car accident. I do not say this is the basis on which we should make a judgment. Nevertheless, travelling extraordinary distances is disruptive of people's lives and there should be...
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: In section 9, we agreed that money would be available for principal teachers or for whoever is designated by him or her. I welcome that. Section 10 requires that the burden of proving that a school does not have adequate resources to enable it to meet the needs of the child concerned shall be on the board of management of the school. Resources could be required to do that work and to present...
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: The subsection does not require the council to consult the school. The council could come to a decision on the basis of its own notes or understanding. I accept the Minister of State's point. The reference in the subsection to the additional resources to be made available to the school goes to the core of the operation and management of the school. The principal teacher and board of...
- Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)
Joe O'Toole: During the Second Stage debate and in a number of other discussions on the Bill, it was acknowledged that the legislation would stand or fall on the application of section 13. I agree with the points made by Senator McCarthy on these amendments. It may be a question of syntax but if the amendment is not accepted, the legislation will be at the mercy of an official in the Department of...