Senator Joe O’Toole has been an independent member of Séanad Éireann (the Irish Upper House of Parliament), representing the NUI constituency, for over 20 years. 

A native of Dingle, Co. Kerry, Senator Joe O’Toole is a teacher by profession and formerly, General Secretary of the INTO and President of the ICTU.

Joe was a senior negotiator in every National Partnership agreement from their inception in 1987 until 2003.

In Seanad Éireann, he takes particular interest in education, human rights, economics, environment and foreign affairs. 

Currently he is -

t     Chair of Co-operation Ireland Parliamentary Liaison Group;

t     Vice Chairperson of the Personal Injury Assessment Board which has been central to reducing insurance costs over the past few years;  

t     member of National Management Committee of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Ireland’s leading sports organisation and Europe’s most successful amateur sporting body;

t     Director of Croke Park Stadium, Ireland’s premier sporting centre;

t     Board member of IAASA (Irish Audit & Accountancy Supervisory Authority) creating an environment attractive to key foreign direct investment.

Senator O’Toole is a member of two Parliamentary Joint Committees: Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and; Climate Change and Energy Scrutiny.  Throughout his career he has consistently fought for the rights of employees over the demands of big business.

Joe published his Autobiography “Looking under Stones” in 2003.