Results 7,761-7,780 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012: Second Stage (4 Dec 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Ba mhaith liom an tAire Stáit a fháiltiú go dtí an Seanad arís inniu. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Seanad to debate this important Bill and for setting out the Government's position regarding the substantial amendments to be made to this Bill on Committee Stage. I look forward to debating them. When the Minister of State mentioned the amendments I had anticipated...

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012: Second Stage (4 Dec 2012)

Thomas Byrne: When does the Minister of State expect that-----

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It is unreasonable to talk about somebody with debts of only ¤20,000, who might have a ¤50,000 Mercedes car and ¤300,000 in the bank, looking for a debt relief notice. This is unreal and we need to bring some reality into this. The Minister and his party colleagues do not seem to be in touch with real life and with the sort of people I meet in my clinics - I hope the Minister meets...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: They are not ¤50,000 Mercedes.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Would the Minister live in the real world?

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We had limits.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister is classic Fine Gael. We do not have that kind of money. That is the ivory tower in which the Minister lives.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: And live on ¤15 per week.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It is not.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: That is the basis of the Minister's entire life philosophy and is totally at variance with reality in Ireland.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister should enter a competition with the former presidential candidate Mitt Romney to see who is more out of touch with real life. In the Minister's world view, to qualify for a debt relief notice, a person has ¤15 per week, a debt of less than ¤20,000, assets of ¤400 or less but has a Mercedes worth ¤50,000 parked outside the door, and ¤300,000 in the bank. Where in the world...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: No.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: They are the type of beneficiaries the Minister imagines are in the real world. A person in south Dublin who is unemployed can hop on the Luas or get a bus into town and look for work or, like Norman Tebbit, get on their bike and look for work - perhaps that is the attitude from Fine Gael. For a person in a rural village the car may be the only means of finding a job to get him or her out...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 27: In page 27, subsection (6)(c)(ii), to delete line 35.Can I clarify what the sitting arrangements are for today? I presume we are not guillotining the debate at 1.30 p.m.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We will move on with that threat from the Leader hanging in the air. It is unfortunate, because we are not filibustering. It is a long Bill. In fact, there should probably be another Second Stage debate on the major parts the Minister is adding to the Bill. However, that is another matter. I can anticipate the criticism the Minister will give of this amendment, which merely deletes the...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Amendment No. 27 relates to the value of the car. It is not necessary to put a value limit on a car. The reality for the people who will be able to avail of a debt relief notice is that they will not have a car worth much more than that. It would be a shame if the car was worth ¤1,500 or ¤2,000. Who will value it and how will it be ascertained? Will one have to wait for six months for...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I understand this is a "no fault" insolvency Bill. I do not know why the Minister refers to meritorious versus non-meritorious debtors. I understand no judgment is made, as in our divorce legislation, for example. There is a value limit. It is to be determined by the Minister. He has repeatedly said there is not a value limit. There is. The Minister can determine it. This is provided...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We will allow the Minister decide.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Honest to God, we might as well call a halt to the debate if that is the way the Minister is going to proceed.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It is unfortunate that the Minister has chosen to reduce this debate to the level of the ridiculous. We are talking about people who have debts of less than ¤20,000, people with a disposal income of less than ¤60 a month and people who have other assets of ¤400 or less per month. They are not hoarding the crown jewels in their attic. They are broken people. They may have an engagement...