Results 2,221-2,240 of 2,476 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister. I pay tribute to him and the officials in his Department, and indeed the HEA and the higher education institutions, which I know have been dealing with many of the challenges that have resulted from Brexit. We need to come up with the least worst option and where we can avail of opportunities, we should do so. I welcome the Minister's reference to further...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I am conscious that we were due to talk to the Minister specifically on Brexit-related issues, but that we have moved to a broader range of questions. I welcome the fact that the Minister is addressing the borrowing framework issue. I also welcome the indications from what he said about student access and the income thresholds for student grants. One of the biggest challenges is for middle...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I agree. It is essential that we send out that message to incoming Erasmus and international students as publicly and loudly as we can.

Seanad: Future of Gambling Regulation: Statements (23 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State and his officials for their work on this long-needed reform of our gambling legislation. I know he is personally committed to it. My colleague, Senator O'Loughlin, has underlined many of the challenges around addiction and I will speak around some of the regulatory issues that will arise. It is important the new regulator's office will cover advertising,...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Priorities for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media: Discussion (20 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I have one question on sport and then I will focus on questions relating to the arts. I have raised my question on sport directly with the Minister and the Minister of State previously. It concerns the Winter Olympics in Beijing. I am of the view that Ireland should encourage moving the Winter Olympics next year from Beijing to deny the Chinese Communist Party propaganda opportunities. I...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Priorities for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media: Discussion (20 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Chair for allowing me back in again. I echo Deputy Crowe's suggestion that we invite the Tour de France back to Ireland. I am sure Deputy Mythen would agree that it would be most welcome if it was to start in Wexford once again, as it did 23 years ago. I wish to come back to the issue of the reopening of theatres. I know that the Minister cannot give a specific date but...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Priorities for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media: Discussion (20 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: What about museums, art galleries and such specific venues as opposed to theatres? Is there a confirmed or likely opening date for them? Are we going to look at May?

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Pension Provisions (19 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House to take this matter. When I tabled this Commencement matter prior to Easter, I was reflecting a frustration as I have been continuously raising this issue about the pension scheme for community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors, along with others, for quite some time but I am glad that we now see that we have had progress...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Pension Provisions (19 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I appreciate that agreement must be reached with the trade unions, which will consider the matter today. It will be important that there is, as I said, clarity around the tax implications and what will happen for those who continue to be in place. I am happy that this looks like the end of a very long journey for nearly 1,300 supervisors and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I wish to follow on from the remarks of the Minister of State, Senator Hackett. Having seen the departure of KBC Bank from significant parts of the Irish market and following the planned closure of quite a number of retail bank branches, it is very clear we are lacking competition in the Irish market. We know that Irish consumers are already paying interest rates roughly double those of...

Seanad: Water Quality: Motion (19 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State, who is passionate about trying to address the issues in the motion. I do not think there is any Senator, as Senator Martin said, who is more passionate about water and water quality than Senator Garvey. The Minister of State will recall that she and I tabled a Commencement matter on this last year. The commitment in the programme for Government on water and...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: New and Future Relationship Between the UK and Ireland: Discussion (19 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Mr. O'Ceallaigh for his presentation. I would like to focus on two issues. First, on completion of its work, the committee will produce a report and will need to make specific recommendations. One of the issues Mr. O'Ceallaigh touched on was the advantages arising out of Brexit for Ireland, in particular in the legal space. In terms of the committee's report, what specific...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: New and Future Relationship Between the UK and Ireland: Discussion (19 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I agree with Mr. O'Ceallaigh, particularly in regard to the areas of arbitration and mediation. It is a matter the committee might look at further. If there is an opportunity for us to win business as a result of Brexit we should definitely explore it.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill (13 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the witnesses for their presentation. I do not think we should underestimate the importance of this legislation. I see its purpose as slightly different from that outlined by Ms Quill. What we must do is ensure that citizens and persons resident in Ireland can engage with the media, including social media, in a safe manner and that their individual human rights are protected. We...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill (13 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Ms Quill and Mr. Shanley. We are firing many questions at them and I will put a few more. Regarding some of their comments, I welcome Ms Quill's last comment on the relationship the media commission will have with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, DPC, with the new gambling commission and, indeed, with the new electoral commission in the area of political advertising....

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill (13 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: One of the proposals is that linear broadcasters and newspapers would be excluded from membership of the commission. People with extensive experience or who were serving in that capacity could be excluded, if I read the heads correctly. My question is on the types of individuals who are allowed to be involved in the work of the commission. This is about conflicts of interest and so on.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Entertainment Sector: Discussion (30 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank everybody for their presentations. I was struck, when my colleague, Senator Cassells, started talking about the vibrant nightlife in Navan, by how fortunate I am to be from Gorey, where we have a great night-time economy. It is exactly as the Senator said: it is only when we lose it and do not see it that we appreciate how much we have missed. Many of the issues have been touched...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach agus is mian liom trí ábhar a ardú le toil an Leas-Chathaoirligh. First, I would like to raise the report of the Higher Education Authority this morning on completion rates for undergraduate programmes. It is to be celebrated that three out of every four undergraduates complete their courses. There is a concern, however, that...

Seanad: Living with Covid-19: Statements (29 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: We very much appreciate that the Minister of State, along with the other Ministers of State, Deputies Butler and Feighan, and the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, come to this House regularly. She is willing to listen to the views of all Members of this House. I join her in commending the front-line workers. This vaccination programme is the biggest ever in the history of the State. We...

Seanad: Matters Arising from the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU: Statements (29 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming before the House and I echo the comments of others in thanking him for his commitment on this rather tricky issue. I also thank all of the officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and other Departments for their work in this area. Some of my colleagues have already covered a number of the issues involved. At the Brexit committee, I raise four issues on...