Results 301-320 of 4,608 for speaker:Joe O'Toole
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I agree with many of the critical comments. I have been a Member of this House for the past quarter of a century and have consistently sought reform but I do not believe the Government will bring it forward. One of the greatest disappointments for me is that every Government along the way has made such proposals but we have effectively missed the boat. There is no goodwill or support for...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: The Senator does not appear to have shared the view of his party leader on the future of the Seanad. I do not see that he has taken a public position different from his private position. There were a number of interviews yesterday by a learned professor who came from British Columbia to Ireland to speak about civic society. A week before that many of us were in the North discussing with our...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I have appealed to colleagues on all sides on the issue. The inner and outer panels should be changed. The panel where potential Senators are nominated by Members of the Oireachtas should become an election taking in members of local authorities and the outside panel should be an election by people attached to a relevant profession. The agricultural panel would have an electorate in the...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I am still an optimist after a quarter of a century.
- Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I would like to speak about an issue that arose in the North in the last week. I refer to the question of apartheid in education, which I have been raising for many years. It has always been a problem in the democracy in which we live. Last week, Peter Robinson proposed the adoption of a ten-year plan whereby all the children in the North are educated together.
- Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I am aware that the suggestion has received a cold reception from people in the nationalist community. It has not been accepted by the SDLP or Sinn Féin, where such people tend to lodge their votes. This proposal should be considered on an all-island basis. Some of us fought viciously against the provisions of the Equal Status Act and the Employment Equality Act that facilitate appalling...
- Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: Regarding the budgetary figures as they emerged yesterday, it looked good to see all the different party groups going in and going through the issues with the Department of Finance and coming out with a clear message. There is also a need for us to give a further message, that we have been in this place previously - in the 1980s when the national figures were equally bad. It is important we...
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (14 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: That is a bit ridiculous.
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (14 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: Will the Leader raise the other issue with the Minister?
- Seanad: Order of Business (14 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I am glad someone was listening to us over recent days when we were urging people to get together, hold hands and meet around the table. It is good to see this happening and I look forward to hearing a response from the Labour Party later today. The Labour Party seems to be taking its time on this decision and it is the first time in a while that Fine Gael got out of the traps ahead of the...
- Seanad: Order of Business (14 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: It is interesting to watch this from the sidelines and we wish them all well. I apologise for raising the matter of public sector reform day after day. We had a long, important debate in this House yesterday. The Government's policy on public sector transformation must have a trickle-down effect to every part of the public sector. If it does not, it will not work. A superb report was...
- Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Tá an t-ábhar ata idir lámha againn sa dÃospóireacht seo thar a bheith tábhachtach agus fairsing. Ba mhaith liom dÃriú isteach ar ghné amháin de leasú Fhine Gael - an giota a dhéanann déileáil leis an Acht EPSEN.. I want to focus on that issue. Members are aware I have raised this on many occasions. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ãine...
- Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I welcome the Minister of State and appreciate the work he has done in recent months in this area. I also thank him for acknowledging the commitment of public servants. Those who are not part of the Croke Park agreement cannot have pay protection, pension protection and job security. The Taoiseach said something similar this morning and it is important trade union leaders who are not party...
- Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I spoke with a senior person in education. I come from the same background and will touch on it, as I do not want the Minister of State to believe I am keeping away from anything. A new contract for teachers is to be negotiated, but there has been no meeting yet. There was an agreement three or four months ago - the Minister of State should correct me if I am wrong - and a commitment of an...
- Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I thank the Cathaoirleach for ensuring there was no problem with the Order of Business. I thank the Leader also for accommodating my colleagues by allowing a debate on CIE to take place during the discussion on the national spatial strategy tomorrow. That certainly will be very helpful. One of the issues we have discussed many times in the House over the past 20 years is the democratic...
- Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: FáiltÃodh le déanaà an straitéis 20 bliain don Ghaeilge. Tá an straitéis foilsithe agus ar fáil anois. Tá moladh ann gur chóir go mbeadh dÃospóireacht ar an straitéis sa Dáil agus sa Seanad. I ask the Leader to arrange, chomh luath agus is féidir, go mbeidh dÃospóireacht sa Teach seo ar an tuarascáil sin - b'fhéidir an tseachtain seo chugainn nó an tseachtain ina...
- Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: I am sure he did not like the way it was done but this is the reality of political life. He should grasp it, make it happen and take control of it. We need to stop the phoney war of popularity. It is not a populist beauty contest. The country and the economy are at stake and the populism that is rife at the moment will melt like snow in the desert after an election. People should examine...
- Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2010)
Joe O'Toole: On a related theme, namely, how we are spending our time, Members raised a number of points about numbers yesterday. There are only three Government Bills on the Order Paper. Six Seanad Bills are not being dealt with in the Dáil and there are 16 Private Members' Bills on the Seanad Order Paper. I make this point to see if the Leader will consider addressing it. If the Government cannot...