Results 2,101-2,120 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (13 Sep 2007)

Joe O'Toole: ——but in finding his way to that particular Damascus, he found more routes than the Michelin guide has to offer. I wish him well. Senator Ross looks very comfortable in the role of Cathaoirleach. Among this group there was a feeling that he might have considered a nomination to that office but as he declined, we will not propose anybody at this point. We believe it would be appropriate...

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (13 Sep 2007)

Joe O'Toole: That is what the Leader said.

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (13 Sep 2007)

Joe O'Toole: We have established where the leak is.

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (13 Sep 2007)

Joe O'Toole: On behalf of the independent Senators I offer my warmest congratulations to the Cathaoirleach on his appointment. We are delighted for him and are confident he will do a fair and equitable job as he always did in his previous roles in the House. They may even celebrate in Lusmagh tonight; that will be the real test. I thank the Cathaoirleach for the courtesy he always extended to us in his...

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (13 Sep 2007)

Joe O'Toole: We need another look.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to be associated with the sentiments expressed by Senator Finucane regarding the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I appreciate the way he brought his Mayo sense of calm to the workings of this House over the past five years, and I wish him well in the election.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I neglected to welcome our new Leader back yesterday. He has not taken umbrage in regard to that, but I wish to put my welcome on the record now. There are many people whose last day in the Seanad this is. However, on behalf of the Independent Members I would like to say a special thanks to our colleague, Senator Mary Henry, who has been a Trojan worker in all aspects of her work while she...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: But she is not the Whip.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: There is no point fighting that old fight; it is over.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Tá sí réitithe agus socraithe.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: A ministerial order will do fine.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Minister for bringing this legislation before the House. My colleague and fellow Kerry man, Senator Coghlan, accused the Minister of rushing the legislation but if I had my way, it would have been before this House last April. Far from being rushed, the Bill was published last April and there have been newspaper articles about it over the last three months. Everybody has had a...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Senator Coghlan's remarks are very helpful because they reduce this to a simple issue. For the past four or five years, Senator Coghlan has been a supporter of the work of the PIAB in reforming this area. I wish to focus on the issue of access to the courts. I reiterate the point I made in 2004, namely, that if the PIAB was doing anything to curtail the rights, constitutional or otherwise,...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I take the point made by Senator Coghlan and know now where he is coming from. I have not read the explanatory memorandum but I know what he is talking about. It is a misinterpretation. Perhaps the memorandum is inelegantly written. It says that people may not have legal costs awarded to them because there was no legal activity. What it is saying is that when somebody fills in a form and...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: He lost the vote as well.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Minister for his reply on Second Stage. It was a very interesting outline of the economy as he saw it and it is very important for us in this House to hear these things. I value it. I must always make the point to Ministers that we are on the non-Government side, which is not the Opposition side. These are the Independent benches and we look at the issues as they appear before...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2007: Second Stage. (3 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister to the House and I welcome this legislation. I believe the Minister has done a good job. While I agree with much of what is contained in the Bill, I must take up Senator Ross's final point. I do not mind facing a howling crowd or facing down an argument. However, what I find most difficult to deal with is a telephone call on a Sunday afternoon from an elderly lady...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Fáiltim go mór roimh na daoine nua atá tagtha isteach sa Seanad inniu. Tá mé ag tosnú leis na entrances and exits, etc. I welcome the new people — fáiltím go mór roimh an fhear nua ó Chorca Dhuibhne atá istigh anseo den chéad uair. In addressing a word of welcome to Senator Dorgan from west Kerry, I say to my friends on this side of the House that the word on Senator Dorgan...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I listened to a most heated and energetic debate at the INTO Annual Congress this year on that issue. The Minister has met representatives of the educational communities at local level who have pointed out to him how inadequate are their grants to meet the demands on them in terms of different local authority charges. I am not opposed to local authority charges in a general sense but it is...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Would it not be an easy thing for the Government to compensate schools for the additional cost?