Results 1,441-1,460 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Yes, but they are also regional airports.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I also ask the Deputy Leader to examine the issues surrounding human rights organisations. It is something I intend to raise again when I have had a chance to study the cutbacks that have been implemented in that area. I ask that the Government do something sensible and creative with the budget. There are measures within the budget which could be put to better purpose, a classic example of...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The only people with a different view on the matter are those in the Department of Education and Science. There has been an attempt to use world surveys claiming to show North Korea has a better system of education, and that we might have the same if we increased our pupil-teacher ratio, however, such surveys have nothing to do with Ireland. This is a nonsense and we should have a debate on...

Seanad: Mental Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: This is the same point I asked about before but I am still not clear on it. The constitutional position is that the law protects habeas corpus. The law required the consultant to exercise discretion. This section states "An unexpired renewal order shall be deemed to be valid and always to have been valid". We are saying effectively that if the fail-safe which the law was required to put...

Seanad: Mental Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I see the point about section 28 overriding it.

Seanad: Mental Health Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I thank the Minister for explaining the Bill and taking the trouble to go through it. Unfortunately, my group was not invited to the briefing today. While it would have been helpful had we been so invited, this simply was an oversight. As the Minister sets out on her way home, I should mention that one of the Booker prize nominations this year was Sebastian Barry's novel, The Secret...

Seanad: Mental Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister to the House. While I appreciate the need for this legislation, I am seriously uneasy about certain aspects of it. Unfortunately, I was unable to listen to the debate in the other House and I apologise if the Minister has dealt with some of the issues I am about to raise. I expressed concern about section 16 of the Mental Health Act 2001 in terms of the requirement to...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Deputy Boyle is poacher and gamekeeper.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: How can Senator Boyle be for it but vote against it? Can he explain that?

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The Leader very kindly, at the conclusion of the Order of Business yesterday, spoke about putting factual matters on the record. It is time to engage with fact in the debate on education. There is much unfounded comment that is presented as fact when that is not the case. I would like the Leader to confirm that every time the Minister for Education and Science challenges the teachers'...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I second the amendment. In particular, I wish to focus on the impact of the budget on farming and the west. I raised many times in the House the difficulties relating to fishing and infrastructure in the west. I have raised many issues, such as Valentia and otherwise. I am coming to the conclusion that the Government does not care a whit for the west of Ireland and that it considers we...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The impact of the budget on small farmers, sheep farmers and people in disadvantaged areas is utterly disproportionate. That is the problem with this budget. While everyone is aware that cuts must be made, in each sector they are being made on those who are most vulnerable. A debate on agriculture should take place and I will make a significant contribution on the subject of disadvantaged...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: If the Senator checks the budget he will find an increase of 9 cent on the price of fuel.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: That has nothing to do with the budget, of course.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: We have heard enough from him.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: It is not. The first section has not even been commenced.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I will tell the Senator about them in a few minutes.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The council has no power. The Government does not listen to it.

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Will the Government reverse these proposals?

Seanad: Special Educational Needs: Motion (29 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I will not mind being interrupted if I mislead the House at any stage. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Moloney. It is regrettable that he is being put into the bearna bhaoil. We have heard much that is incorrect. Níl mé ag cur i gcoinne an méid atá ráite ag an Seanadóir Ó Domhnaill. Caithfidh mé scéal amháin a insint. Nach mór bliain ó shin, bhí orm féin agus an...