Results 1,881-1,900 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2008)

Joe O'Toole: With the permission of the Leader, I propose a minor amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 14, Credit Union Savings Protection Bill 2008 — First Stage and No. 15, Mental Capacity and Guardianship Bill 2008 — First Stage, which lapsed with the election, be taken today. We will have a long debate on Thursday on the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act. I have been...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I agree with Senator Fitzgerald's remarks on road safety, which is being discussed throughout the country at present. The Leader has made time available for debates on this issue in the past. It might be worth discussing it again. It should be recognised that simple things can be done to improve road safety, but they are not being done. It does not take rocket science to do some of them....

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Joe O'Toole: That is the age for a President.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, I rarely disagree with the Leader but he knows that what he has just done is inappropriate.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I understand that.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Each of us has someone in the Gallery regularly. We should either live with that rule or change it.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I have already made representations to our colleagues from Hungary to ascertain whether they would put in place some pleasure boat facilities on a marina on the Danube in Budapest. They are working on the matter. The House will be aware that in the past week there has been a major row in France between Ryanair and the President about an advertisement but that is not the issue I wish to...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to raise a very serious issue on which I touched recently. It concerns the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act. I do not want to make a mantra out of this matter. The legislation has been passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas and signed by the President, but has not been commenced. Ordinary people do not understand the reasons legislation, even when signed by...

Seanad: Climate Change and Energy Security: Statements (31 Jan 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I appreciate the opportunity to speak and I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I have much respect for the Senator, but when I hear her praise the Chinese for anything I want to spend at least 40 minutes explaining why we should ignore them, no matter how many trees they are planting. Ireland and the rest of western Europe is sending shiploads of waste to China every day. There...

Seanad: Order of Business (31 Jan 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I would like to remind the Leader that when we raised the Ó Cuanacháin judgment yesterday we were not seeking a debate on what the judges were doing or seeking to interfere with what might happen in the Supreme Court. It is a very simple request. We believe the State should pick up the bill for the Ó Cuanacháin family. That is really the only issue we can debate because the Leader is...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jan 2008)

Joe O'Toole: Is the Senator not lucky he lives in the Kerry diocese?

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jan 2008)

Joe O'Toole: I echo the point made by Senator Fitzgerald as regards No. 1 being taken without debate and the time limit on the Order of Business. This was discussed in the House before and referred to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. It has not been disposed of by the CPP, and it is inappropriate to force a division on it today. I regret that the Leader insists on doing that. It is...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jan 2008)

Joe O'Toole: The issue of the child with autism whose parents are faced with an extraordinary legal bill has seized public attention this week. I do not necessarily agree with what the parents are trying to do. I have told the House before I believe applied behavioural analysis, ABA, is a perfectly good system, but that the Department of Education and Science should have more eclectic arrangements in...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Dec 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to bring to the attention of the House a matter arising from the issue we discussed recently, the schools water charges. The bills are being sent out by well-known companies. I have been a Member of this House for 20 years and I cannot remember the House ever deciding to privatise our water or to give our water away to companies. My colleague, Senator Ross, has referred time and...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Dec 2007)

Joe O'Toole: I am seeking a debate. I am concerned about who controls our water.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Dec 2007)

Joe O'Toole: When did we give it away? These companies are working for large profits and that is really the reason for the large bills. If large profits are being supported by large bills from companies such as the ones which run the Luas, the toll roads or which are now taking control of our water, there is a serious question for every politician of all sides and views to discuss. I do not want us in...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Dec 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Let us leave the "isms" out of it for a second and ask whether this is a good idea or a bad idea.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Dec 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Dec 2007)

Joe O'Toole: That is despite all the barristers in Leinster House.

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (19 Dec 2007)

Joe O'Toole: Is that lack of flexibility not equally bad?