Results 3,421-3,440 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: International Development Association (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (7 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State and I am glad to have the opportunity to say a few words on this issue. I support the Bill and hope it will pass through the House in good time. Senator Kitt touched on a number of issues about which I feel strongly. The first issue with which I want to deal is that of globalisation and the World Bank. We should recapture the term "globalisation" from those who...

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...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: He should have his own budget and decide how he spends it.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Is it courage on the part of the Fianna Fáil Party Government that——

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Yes, but it does not interfere with the Minister's rights.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I have listened with interest to the contributions of Senator Fitzgerald and the Minister of State. The Senator referred to the State's requirement to make "proper" provision, whereas the Minister of State referred to the requirement on the Minister to make "adequate" provision. Neither word appears in the legislation nor in the relevant section of the Constitution. This is precisely the...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: ——one can specify the precise number of children with autism or other special needs and so on. The Minister for Finance would be required to prove that he had taken all these facts into consideration before allocating a provision that is adequate. The Bill does not provide any guarantee of such adequacy and allows the Minister for Finance to come up with a figure for special educational...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: I am attempting to strengthen Senator Fitzgerald's hand for the next occasion he makes representations to the Department of Education or Science or the Department of Health and Children. He will be pleased that I made it possible for him to demand that adequate provision be made. This is about responding to the needs of children with special educational needs by ensuring that this legislation...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

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 dtí an Tigh. Is é atá idir lámha againn an tábhacht a bhaineann le cúlra culturtha an linbh a chur san áireamh maraon leis na deacrachtaí a bheadh aige nó aici ó thaobh cursaí 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: 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....