Results 661-680 of 2,805 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: I sincerely thank the mayor for his contribution and welcome him to Ireland. I also thank the embassy team, led by our good friend Ambassador Norio. The team has been doing extraordinary work building the strong friendship between Ireland and Japan. That can be measured in many ways. Japan is now Ireland’s fifth largest trading partner. We do €23 billion in trade every...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: I, too, welcome the students from Tipperary. I also welcome a Bill put forward by Senator Martin, the Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021, which was strongly supported by our colleague, Senator McGreehan, on honey bees. In light of events last week, I wonder whether we also need to introduce a honey pot Bill in this House.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: No. I want to raise an issue which is covered by The Irish Times today, the challenge of rapidly growing areas and ensuring there is an adequate number of school places. I raised this issue in the House in a Commencement matter last week. There is a significant problem, particularly in what we might call the wider commuter belts around our cities, ensuring that we have an adequate number...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I will speak specifically to this section. I refer to the case of the National College of Ireland, NCI, which Senator Clonan and I raised on Second Stage. This also applies to a number of other private colleges that are offering level 8 programmes. The challenge with this legislation is that as a result of its enactment, only the graduates of those...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: I ask the Minister to allow an intervention. He might raise this with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, and ask that he supply to me and other Members of the House an update on that process, particularly as it is critical in the context of this legislation.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: The Leas-Chathaoirleach is buying.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister. I welcome that. I wish Senator Clonan the best of luck in the 2029-2030 Seanad elections when Technical University, TU, Dublin and Dublin City University, DCU, will be included. I would also remind him that-----

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: -----the National College of Ireland is also a northside institution now, so hopefully it will be designated by that stage as well. I would certainly agree with the Minister in terms of the register of electors. Most universities are even moving to that situation now whereby they are ready to encourage people and ask them as they sign up to graduate whether they would like to be added to...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: It is, so I have no doubt that will start to happen. What is being proposed makes sense, but it is the supporting campaigns of information and so on that will be critical.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: I have some sympathy, but the question here is around the purpose of the advisory committee. The purpose of the advisory committee is not to advise on higher education policy more generally. It is on the functioning of the register of electors and how this electorate is constituted. It is also critical to remember that it is electing Members of the Seanad. They are not representative of...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: I have sympathy with Senator Higgins in the context of where she is coming from. Again, this is not prescriptive. For example, there is no requirement that it shall include a nominee of employers’ representatives or particular grades of staff, whether academic or non-academic. It comes back to the core question around competencies. I disagree with Senator Higgins on one point. I...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: I have some sympathy with the idea of An Coimisiún Toghcháin conducting research on who votes, but it is probably going to be slightly more challenging in Seanad elections given the nature of the electorate. For instance, An Coimisiún Toghcháin has already started to conduct qualitative research. Both in the local and European elections and during the referendums in...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: I wish to speak briefly because I am conscious we are out of time. I know An Coimisiún Toghcháin has been asked to look more generally at the issue of list systems rather than by-elections. I raised with the Minister the question of whether list systems will apply more generally and whether it is his view it should apply more generally, whether to other Seanad elections or indeed...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: These are not requirements that are too difficult. If you are not able to get 60 names to assent to your nomination, and I appreciate we want to encourage people to run, but 60 is not a huge number to get when we are talking about a potential electorate of up to 1 million. While we want it to be as broad as possible, if somebody is serious about contesting an election they will be either...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (10 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. Given the rapid growth in population in Ireland, one of our key requirements is to ensure that we have an adequate number of school places at primary and second levels. I am aware that there is a forward-planning unit within the Department. My question is to look at how that unit operates,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (10 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. I am always heartened when I hear that the Department is having regard to local area plans and national plans. As he is well aware, however, just because the Office of the Planning Regulator and the national planning framework state that a particular location is where population growth will happen does not mean that is always the case. I want to avoid a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: I note that this week marks the centenary of bilateral diplomatic relations between Ireland and the United States. It is fitting that the Taoiseach is meeting with President Biden. It was a for a new State when the United States recognised Ireland and established those diplomatic relations. It was important. Our relationship has had its ups and downs, but the United States and Ireland...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I too welcome delegation from Stormont who have arrived for an important discussion on electoral reform of this Chamber.There is nothing politicians like to talk about more than electoral reform and changes to the operation of politics and so on, but this is a piece of reform that is long overdue. I doubt there are a few in this House that would even...