Results 7,461-7,480 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: On the basis of assurances that the Minister gave in the House on Committee Stage last week and, in fairness, on the basis of assurances that his officials gave me, subsequently for which I thank them, I am not going to push these issues. I am not moving the amendments because the Bill does not facilitate compulsory deployment and does not override collective agreements in the public sector....

Seanad: Register of Lobbyists Legislation: Motion (26 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Fianna Fáil supports the Independent Senators' motion. It is worthwhile that the Seanad would debate the issue today. I had two guests from County Meath in the restaurant at lunch time. I walked from the restaurant back to my office and I met two lobbyists along the way. I greeted them. They are nice people. I have no problem with them. The situation did not just start with this...

Seanad: Register of Lobbyists Legislation: Motion (26 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I would be delighted to publish my own list.

Seanad: Register of Lobbyists Legislation: Motion (26 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I would be delighted to publish the list of everyone who visits me except school groups. It is outrageous that Members can sign someone in and they have free access to the Houses.

Seanad: Register of Lobbyists Legislation: Motion (26 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I do not blame officials. It is our responsibility. Former Members are another issue. I believe that will be dealt with in the legislation. That is an issue. They are allowed to come but one could ask what they are doing. There are people the public would not know if they visited the Houses or saw television cameras pointing them out. We must ask what people are doing and why they seem...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: National Wind Energy Strategy (20 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I am moderate about this because we only found out about it about three weeks ago in County Meath so we are still getting to grips with it. That is the position for the public and I would be grateful if the Government would consider that when thinking about the issue.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: National Wind Energy Strategy (20 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: To be fair to the Minister, his reply has been helpful. However, he should have a public consultation on the review of the planning guidelines. This is especially important given the significant changes in technology that have taken place in recent years. I ask that the companies in question withdraw their projects from the planning process until the guidelines have been reviewed. It...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: National Wind Energy Strategy (20 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: The issue I am raising today is one that is close to Senator Kelly's heart, namely, wind farms and windmills. However, I am not requesting him to stay for this issue. I know his part of the country well and many of the windmills currently in the Roscommon-Sligo area are much smaller than what is being proposed for the midlands, which apparently include large parts of County Meath. This...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (19 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: The Sinn Féin Members will be the subject of international ridicule as a result of voting against this motion.

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (19 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Fianna Fáil supports the extension of the provisions of the Offences against the State Act 1998 as outlined by the Minister of State. It appears from her statement that these provisions have been used multiple times. They are an essential tool for the Garda Síochána and the courts in dealing with this type of crime. As stated by the Minister of State, the Offences against the...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (19 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Sinn Féin is an old-fashioned party mired in the past. The threat of violence remains from former comrades - I do not include Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh - of some Sinn Féin Members. They have to be dealt with. It is about time the Sinn Féin Party came on board and supported the Government in this regard. It is an absolute disgrace, because of what the Sinn Féin...

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister is playing with words slightly. Section 57B of the original Act states: (1) The Public Appointments Service may designate an employee […] for redeployment […]. (2) Where a person who is designated under subsection (1) holds a position by virtue of a contract that is one for a definite period, he or she shall, on the redeployment day, be redeployed to such...

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I understand Report Stage is being taken immediately following Committee Stage, which is unacceptable. If so, I will call divisions. I am prepared to withdraw the amendment and return to it on Report Stage----

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I am hearing rumours that it will happen. We will be happy if Report Stage is not taken immediately.

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I do not quite get the Minister's point, but he gets mine and perhaps he might reflect on my amendment and come up with a superior wording, given the superior intelligence that works for him. Any time the Opposition seeks to bring something forward and the Minister gets the point, there is at least a technical reason it cannot be implemented. I am willing to reflect on this issue and come...

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: It would be worthwhile for the Minister to confirm that there is nothing in the legislation to override the Haddington Road agreement in practice. Collective agreements are recognised by the Government and despite the fact that a procedure for compulsory redeployment is being provided for, which I accept may be needed, the practice has always been that the first to go leave on a voluntary...

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: There is no provision for a redeployment appeals process. Has the Minister considered this issue, given that appeals processes are provided for in collective agreements? It would be sensible to provide for one.

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I did not table an amendment on this issue, but it is worth considering. The original Croke Park agreement provided for an appeals process and stated, "Where a staff member wishes to appeal a redeployment decision, such an appeal will be managed by an agreed adjudicator who will reach a decision within the terms of the scheme within 21 days". An appeals process should be a basic provision...

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I will not pursue it any further. I fully understand there are protocols in respect of redeployment and I fully understand the Croke Park agreement and the Haddington Road agreement. Although I will not pursue it, I do not understand why the Minister cannot provide a statutory basis for some element of voluntary selection or volunteerism, as is the practice. Why would the Minister not put...

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 12: In page 9, to delete lines 31 to 37 and substitute the following:“(c) the terms of any collective agreement negotiated with any recognised trade union or staff association concerned, relating to mobility or redeployment of public service employees or if no such collective agreement is applicable, the terms of any policy for the time being of the...