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

Seanad: Primary Education: Motion. (11 Dec 2002)

Joe O'Toole: I am delighted to speak on the motion which I hope will become a resolution. I compliment Senator Burke for bringing it before the House. It is both important and timely. I welcome the Minister of State and wish him well on his promotion. The two issues for which he has responsibility, children and education, both tie in with the motion. It would be very fair of a Government to state, "We...

Seanad: Primary Education: Motion. (11 Dec 2002)

Joe O'Toole: It was £27 million in 1989.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Dec 2002)

Joe O'Toole: I wish to raise another point which is related to this significant and serious issue. I do not suggest the Government is acting unconstitutionally or otherwise, but it is acting outside the spirit of the law and the debate in the House. During the course of the debate on the legislation, to which Senator Brian Hayes referred, in this House and the Lower House, there was a lengthy discussion...

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Dec 2002)

Joe O'Toole: Being a regular double-jobber, far be it for me to talk down to people on that issue.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Dec 2002)

Joe O'Toole: It is important these matters are discussed in that way. We must also deal with the matter of where we stand on the council of the west. I will not abandon that issue which is another of interest to people in rural areas to which only half a day's news is dedicated. We have buried the issue of the council of the west and blocked Waterford Airport. We are urbanising the country at will. It is...

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Dec 2002)

Joe O'Toole: I am pleased that the Leader took the time to mention the contribution of John McCabe to the House. He is a good example of a person who is a cog in a wheel which keeps that wheel moving all the time. I have always enjoyed his good humour, pleasantness, general attitude and caring way towards people. He had to cope with personal tragedy in his own life not too many years ago and he still...

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Dec 2002)

Joe O'Toole: While I am at it, I congratulate all those decent Members of both Houses who have had the guts to do what trade unions have to do all the time, that is, defend properly awarded pay increases such as benchmarking for politicians. Nobody is overpaid in those circumstances and we all have a duty to do that.

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Dec 2002)

Joe O'Toole: There are certain signals one gets in life which convince one that one is on the right track. That was one occasion on which I believed I was on that track. I ask that all parties, particularly those on the business and employers' side, to take a national view of issues rather than just looking out for their own interests. All it takes is for everybody to look at the complete picture rather...

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Dec 2002)

Joe O'Toole: I would be happy to do so.

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: None of us on the Independent benches knew the late Senator Farrell. Nevertheless, we would like to be associated with the expressions of condolence to her family and her party. As is always said on these occasions, people come and go through these Houses. Such people took part in the development of this country, this nation, this House and legislation, which makes us who we are. In that...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: It is important to remind ourselves how world views can change so rapidly. This is germane to the points just made by Senator Brian Hayes. Innocuous as it may seem, one of the papers laid before the House and listed on today's Order Paper might remind us of distant events which occurred all of nine months ago. It contains names about which we no longer hear now that President Bush has decided...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I am taking steps to deal with the issue.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Fianna Fáil is entertaining whether it will be a—

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: I do business with Governments, which is all I can do.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order, apart from congratulating the Leader on looking as smart as I have seen her for a long period, let us be clear about one thing, namely, there can be only one motion before the House at any given time. On Committee Stage of a Bill, issues that are different but similar can sometimes be discussed with the agreement of the House. I understand we are debating the Fine Gael...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The national agreement.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: The House is being misled at this point.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: On a point of order—

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: This is the way in which public representatives get a bad name. Every Member of this House filled a form. Every Member of this House was compared and benchmarked against parliamentarians in other countries.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Jan 2003)

Joe O'Toole: Let the record show.