Results 1,241-1,260 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I cannot imagine the college opposing the common good of the citizenry.

Seanad: Veterinary Practice Bill 2004: Second Stage. (4 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The Department of Agriculture and Food is to be congratulated on bringing forward this legislation. I welcome the Minister to the House. This is my first time to engage in debate with her in the House since her appointment and I wish her well in her new responsibilities. I know she will discharge them with energy and commitment, as did her predecessor. In the past ten or 15 years we have been...

Seanad: Veterinary Practice Bill 2004: Second Stage. (4 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: A current television advertisement for one of the pension companies which shows a vet out in the middle of the night captures my image of friends who are veterinary surgeons. It is superb. The Minister should recognise the issue that was missing from her speech, namely, that we have a duty to win the trust and confidence of the veterinary profession in this legislation. We need ordinary...

Seanad: Veterinary Practice Bill 2004: Second Stage. (4 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Is that in the Bill?

Seanad: Veterinary Practice Bill 2004: Second Stage. (4 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: If so, I probably missed that section. Whatever about the membership of the board, the Minister should consider the membership of the board's education committee. I firmly believe that committee should have a majority of members of the profession. The Minister should amend the Bill to allow for that. Such people should be there to work out the relevant educational processes, qualifications...

Seanad: Veterinary Practice Bill 2004: Second Stage. (4 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: The subsection refers to "the nature of the evidence", rather than the evidence. The person should be given the absolute evidence against him or her. The practitioner should not just be entitled to have somebody there representing him or her or be present at the inquiry, but should also be entitled to question the people giving evidence against him or her and to test the evidence. If not, the...

Seanad: Veterinary Practice Bill 2004: Second Stage. (4 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: She would settle for two and a half years.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I raised the matter of class sizes with the Leader last week before the story broke in the media because I was suspicious that a timeframe or schedule had not been provided. I requested that the Minister come before the House to explain the situation because this matter is of interest to Members on both sides. There are many variables with which we must deal at this stage. The reality is that...

Seanad: Public Transport in the Greater Dublin Area: Statements. (9 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Public Transport in the Greater Dublin Area: Statements. (9 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: With the permission of the House, I wish to share time with Senator Norris.

Seanad: Public Transport in the Greater Dublin Area: Statements. (9 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I am glad the Minister has returned to discuss the state-of-the-art modern transport system in Dublin which he mentioned en passant last week. The Minister made no reference in his speech to the Navan line. This was in the national development plan when it was first published. It is crucial this issue be developed. It would take much pressure off the N2 and N3, and would provide a service to...

Seanad: Public Transport in the Greater Dublin Area: Statements. (9 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Nobody can object to this proposal. I tested the height of tunnels in France and Italy and other European countries. There is nothing particularly wrong with what we did. It has been presented as being reactionary, but I do not accept that. I have been overtaken on my bicycle by these big "cubes", as I call the supertrucks. They are frighteningly dangerous and create a slipstream, similar to...

Seanad: Public Transport in the Greater Dublin Area: Statements. (9 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: We should ban the super-cube transport from the city and immediately begin the line to link the Luas services. Let us ignore the begrudgers who say that will tear up the city. It needs to be done; let us do it. We should also have compulsory purchase orders which would allow the construction to proceed. If people object to compulsory purchase, the money offered should be put in the bank, as...

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: We are within a month of the budget and the Estimates will shortly be published. This will set the tone of taxation for the next year. Whatever people think of taxation, tax breaks and the importance of having an attractive tax regime, the idea that people who earn millions pay no tax at all is utterly unacceptable to ordinary people around the country. People should not be able to write off...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (10 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Where they wait 16 hours.

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (10 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome this progressive and necessary legislation. Other Members have referred to the difficulties that have arisen in many different parts of the country in recent times as a result of people putting themselves forward as being medically qualified in certain areas. I should have done so already but I welcome the Minister of State. This is my first engagement with him since his promotion....

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (10 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister and thank her for her attention on this issue. I agree with Senator Morrissey. We have discussed this issue on a few occasions over the past few weeks. The headmaster and his staff have put together an impressive report. I know Mr. John Lynch and his staff and it is a highly committed school. The work they have done in producing this report is something which would make...

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (10 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I can see it now. It will be my fault the school does not get a teacher.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs. (10 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Will the Minister come back to Senator Morrissey and myself after examining this issue? It would be helpful to know of an entitlement, even if they were not to get it right now, so that it could give them some hope.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2004)

Joe O'Toole: While I agree with the words of Senator Brian Hayes on Margaret Hassan, I would prefer to wait until we are absolutely sure she is dead before I comment. It would be appropriate to speak at that time. On reading this morning's newspapers, one would believe there were only three people working in Aer Lingus. People have forgotten that, over the past 12 or 13 years, Aer Lingus has reduced its...