Results 661-680 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole
- Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Second Stage (26 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I am glad to hear it.
- Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I am delighted Senator Fitzgerald has raised this issue, as it is one I have raised time and again. It all reverts to the non-implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. The sections which deal with the matters mentioned by Senator Fitzgerald have not been commenced. It is crucial that the Minister discusses this issue in the House. The Act passed...
- Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: Last Thursday I drew the attention of the House to the motion proposed by Senator Norris and seconded by me, which read: "That Seanad Ãireann urges the Government to introduce legislation aimed at regulating the sale of dangerous, non quality controlled and indeterminately compounded substances through so called 'Head Shops' ". The Leader kindly agreed to take the motion if there was...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: We had it here in 1987.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: Taking up the last point made by Senator Fitzgerald, I want to be careful not to give the predictable response. The Government made a rash, uninformed and overly quick decision on the NUI. It was done without sufficient consultation and in the course of a review of third level education, but I will wait to see what the Minister has to add to it. In the meantime, there are a number of...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: It is a little late to do it now.
- Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I thank my colleague, Senator Norris, for his impassioned contribution to the House. I also thank him for asking me to second his motion which I will do in a restrained fashion. I support his general points. I welcome the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. While he has taken this issue in hand, it is important to recognise that he is being outmanoeuvred by the...
- Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: We could formulate the new system in such a way that far fewer Senators would be elected by local authority members. As stated previously - some consider my remarks in this regard sacrilegious and do not agree with them - in fairness to colleagues on the Government benches who have built up constituencies on the various vocational panels, I would be satisfied if the Minister decided to...
- Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: The idea of people having seven votes is nonsense. There are other issues with which we must deal. Those who state that the Seanad should have more power do not understand its function, as established under the Constitution. It would be completely wrong for the Upper House to pervert permanently the will of the people as expressed in the Lower House. Our job is, by force of argument, to...
- Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: There is no amendment.
- Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: It is not fair.
- Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I also wish to be associated with what the Leader and Senator Fitzgerald said in congratulating Senator Mooney on his re-election, welcoming him into the House and wishing him well in his restarted career. I wish him the best of luck in that. I hope he can bring some reform to his party's policies in certain areas and I look forward to that. I completely agree with the points made by...
- Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: Absolutely.
- Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I would not count on that.
- Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, the one thing I learned on my first day in the House 22 years was that one could talk about every single aspect of the economy, except taxation, in the debate on the Appropriation Bill. Senator Boyle is out of order in referring to the carbon tax.
- Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Joe O'Toole: I think the Senator will find I am correct.
- Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Joe O'Toole: It does not deal with taxation.
- Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Joe O'Toole: It is not an unreasonable question, but it is the wrong time to ask it.
- Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Joe O'Toole: In fairness to the Senator, there is a reference to the Consolidation of Taxes Bill in the Appropriation Bill. It is a fair question to ask of Fine Gael and the Labour Party. I support the carbon tax, as it is essential. The approach the Government has taken is progressive. There are aspects of it over which I am not exactly exultant. However, it was necessary. I would have thought all...
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Joe O'Toole: I thank Fine Gael for allowing me to speak first. I welcome the Minister of State, who knows my views on this important Bill. I am completely, utterly and implacably opposed to it. The statement of the Minister of State contains some elements that are misleading. Knowing him so long as I do, I do not believe he would do this deliberately. It is important to address the question of the...