Joe O'Toole
Encyclopedia
Joseph John "Joe" O'Toole (born 20 July 1947) is a former Irish
independent
politician, who was a member of Seanad Éireann
from 1987 to 2011.
He was born and brought up in Dingle
, County Kerry
, O'Toole was a teacher for ten years and then a school principal in County Dublin
. From 1990–2001, he was appointed General Secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation
(INTO), and from 2001–2003, he was President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
(ICTU). He lives in Kilsallaghan, County Dublin
.
He was first elected to the 18th Seanad in 1987 for the National University of Ireland
(NUI) constituency, he has been re-elected by the same constituency at each subsequent election.
In the Seanad, he is a member of the Parliamentary Joint Finance Committee. His autobiography "Looking under stones: roots, family and a Dingle childhood", was published in 2003.
He retired from politics at the 2011 Seanad election.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
politician, who was a member of Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
from 1987 to 2011.
He was born and brought up in Dingle
Dingle
Dingle is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. The only town on the Dingle Peninsula, it sits on the Atlantic coast, about 49 kilometres southwest of Tralee and 71 kilometres northwest of Killarney....
, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, O'Toole was a teacher for ten years and then a school principal in County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
. From 1990–2001, he was appointed General Secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation
Irish National Teachers' Organisation
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation , in Irish Cumann Múinteoirí Éireann, which was founded in 1868, is the largest teachers' trade union in Ireland. It represents teachers at primary level in the Republic of Ireland, and at primary and post-primary level in Northern Ireland. The head office...
(INTO), and from 2001–2003, he was President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Irish Congress of Trade Unions
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions , formed in 1959 by the merger of the Irish Trade Union Congress and the Congress of Irish Unions , is a national trade union centre, the umbrella organisation to which trade unions in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland affiliate.-Influence:There...
(ICTU). He lives in Kilsallaghan, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
.
He was first elected to the 18th Seanad in 1987 for the National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland (constituency)
National University of Ireland is a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, through which graduates of the National University of Ireland have elected members of various legislative bodies including currently Seanad Éireann.-Summary:...
(NUI) constituency, he has been re-elected by the same constituency at each subsequent election.
In the Seanad, he is a member of the Parliamentary Joint Finance Committee. His autobiography "Looking under stones: roots, family and a Dingle childhood", was published in 2003.
He retired from politics at the 2011 Seanad election.