Results 1-20 of 112 for going forward speaker:Thomas Byrne

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Select Committee (15 Nov 2017)

Thomas Byrne: ...Minister of State and her officials to the committee today. I thank the officials for the information they provided when I asked for it. That is very welcome. I acknowledge that much work has gone on in recent years to get this right. I acknowledge the work of the various institutions, the officials, Ministers and trade unions. The TUI has been key. It is very important that as...

Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (5 Mar 2019)

Thomas Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an tacaíocht ón Rialtas don dá leasú atá curtha os comhair na Dála agam. Tá mé sásta go bhfuil an tAire ag rá go bhfuil siad ag teacht le polasaí an Rialtais. Ní raibh mé in ann a leithéid de ráiteas a fháil ón Aire aon uair a chuir mé ceist air. Tá mé sásta go...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2017)

Thomas Byrne: ...important question relates to the progress, or lack thereof, of the schools building programme. I started with the list published just before Christmas on 18 December 2014 for schools that were going to construction in 2015. Approximately one third of those schools have not yet started. That is the tip of the iceberg. I look forward to hearing the Minister's response.

Seanad: Mortgage Arrears: Motion (17 Apr 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I certainly do. I know more than the Senator. The amendment the Government has put forward really shows how out of touch it is, particularly its first and last paragraphs, which keep going back to the last Government instead of addressing the crisis that is before us. The Government states it has inherited a huge problem from the last Government----- I am sorry, the Ministers of State are...

Seanad: Pyrite Review Group (22 Mar 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for his response. I look forward to the meeting he mentioned. Like the residents, I have put my faith in the response of the Government on this issue. We are concerned that it seems to be dragging on a little while the problems of residents are getting worse. The cracks in many houses are getting bigger as the weeks go by. I had a frightening experience last week...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Radon Gas Levels (5 Jul 2021)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Senator for raising the matter. There is information available and there are things going on. I will bring the Senator's concerns to the attention of the Minister. Progress on the implementation of the radon strategy is reported to Government regularly. This discussion has been very useful and I have a strong interest in the issue as well. I will bring the Senator's concerns...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: We had a vote ten minutes ago to remove the power of Irish Water to hold and demand PPS numbers and the Government voted against that recommendation. The Seanad has not yet even seen the Water Services Bill. The Dáil has not passed it yet. We were giving the opportunity to the Government to go ahead - quickly - with the recommendation by Senator Cullinane. It has refused. We are...

Parole Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (15 Jun 2016)

Thomas Byrne: ...comhghairdeas leis an Teachta O'Callaghan as an obair dhian a rinne sé maidir leis an mBille seo, agus leis na daoine eile a thug comhairle dó. I congratulate Deputy O'Callaghan on bringing forward the Bill. I expect it will be one of the first Bills to be passed by this Oireachtas. It will probably not be passed before the water charges legislation but it will possibly be...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Pyrite Remediation Programme Implementation (9 Oct 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I am disappointed by the reply. It would be helpful if the Department and the pyrite board gave this information to homeowners on an ongoing basis. The feeling on the ground is that people do not know what is going on. It is helpful to know what is going on, as outlined by the Minister of State. Inevitably, there will be concern about the delay. Members of the Opposition will give...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Amendment) Bill 2015 and Education (Parent and Student Charter) Bill 2016: Discussion (Resumed) (30 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the education partners for coming before the committee, repeatedly at this point. I think there is too much of a focus in the education sector at a Government level on legislation and not enough of a focus on resources. Deputy Nolan mentioned the issue of administrative posts. There is a whole range of resources that are required by schools. I would certainly like to see the focus...

Seanad: Public Expenditure and Reform: Statements (8 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We look forward to more reform, including political reform. There was supposed to be all kinds of reform of the Dáil and the Seanad but it has not happened. The programme for Government promised that the Dáil would continue to sit during the Hallowe'en break. It stated that the Hallowe'en break would no longer be taken. Why was this promise put into the programme only to be ignored, as...

Mortgage Arrears Resolution (Family Home) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Jul 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I think we will all support this Bill and I am delighted to join my colleague, Deputy MacSharry, in supporting it, as I was delighted to join him in writing legislation while in the Seanad. Government Members should cop themselves on and go down to a mortgage court any day of the week, wherever it is on, because they obviously have not been there. I have, as many of my colleagues have, as a...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. I welcome the Minister to the House once again. He has brought forward much legislation, most of it to improve the situation with regard to transparency, open government and the reform of our institutions, which I welcome. I believe the country will benefit from this and the Minister will have a legacy therefrom. Fianna Fáil supports the Freedom...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Funding: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Dec 2016)

Thomas Byrne: I thank everybody for coming here today on the case that they are making, not only today but on an ongoing basis. I agree with the comments of the other committee members that they are a credit to society, in fact, to the education system that we have at present, and of course to their families who have served them well. If, for example, we were to take as a given what Mrs. Justice...

Competitiveness of the Economy: Motion (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)

Thomas Byrne: ...port to Bremore on the border of my constituency will create a large number of jobs in the area. However, the usual voices of opposition are heard. This is not to state that it should not go through a planning process but that when we state we support an infrastructural project, we do everything we can to push it forward.

Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Nov 2020)

Thomas Byrne: Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le gach duine a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht seo inniu. Tá sé an-tábhachtach go bhfuilimid go léir aontaithe maidir leis an mBreatimeacht agus gabhaimid buíochas leis an bhFreasúra as an gcomhoibriú atá déanta acu anseo. I would like to express my thanks to all parties, including the...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Thomas Byrne: ...O'Connor agus Flaherty. Tá 15 nóiméad againn agus tógfaidh mise tuairim agus cúig nóiméad as sin. Táim chun ceisteanna a chur ar an Aire freisin. Táim sásta a bheith anseo agus cuirim fáilte go ginearálta roimh an mhéid a bhí le rá ag an Aire ach níl sé mórán difriúil leis an...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: ...whole thing unnecessarily complex in what is an already complex system. We should be looking to make things easier for people and to make valuations real for people if that is the system we are going to have if the Government is not going to bring in a site valuation tax, which would be much simpler and more efficient. We are going to stay with a complicated and inefficient rates system...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for her reply and am glad to hear that substantial work is going on regarding this school. I fully appreciate and understand the commercial sensitivities surrounding land acquisition and believe that politicians should avoid discussing that issue in the context of schools. The Minister appreciates the urgency of this matter. The school is under the patronage of the...

Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Solidarity-PBP for bringing forward this legislation. It is a welcome reminder of the need to do something about this issue. While I agree that there is an issue there that must be solved, Fianna Fáil cannot, unfortunately, support the Bill because, like a great deal of what Solidarity-PBP produces, it goes way too far. By going to the heart of the ethos of a school, whether...