Results 7,821-7,840 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: What help is that to people with mortgage difficulties? The Senator's party is now in power and mine was voted out because of what had occurred.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: What has that to do with the Government? It is a private transaction between an English bank and another foreign bank.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It has nothing to do with the Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I will say some home truths.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: On the comment I made earlier to which the Minister took offence, it was directed at the procedures of the House rather than him, in terms of the allocation of one hour to him and only ten minutes to the main Opposition spokespersons, which is unsatisfactory, particularly on such an important Bill. The debate is to be guillotined in that it must conclude at 5 p.m., in respect of which a...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, the Minister's script is 20 pages long. We are 15 minutes into the debate and he is only on page 4.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I have no objection to the Minister speaking at length but the duration of the debate is fixed and Senators will not have much time to contribute. I have only eight minutes to reply.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, that is my point exactly. We cannot respond in ten minutes. I have no objection to the Minister having as long as it takes. It is a long and important Bill but Opposition spokespersons should have a similar time to respond.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It is unsatisfactory that we do not have the same rights as Government Members in this context.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Defence Forces Personnel (15 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: A couple of points arise and there are some major contradictions in the Minister of State's comments. He indicated that vacancies would be given within current locations where feasible but says there are no vacancies in Gormanston. He mentioned the possibility of a review of the decision but that was not brought to my attention by the wives and family members who approached me. I do not...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Defence Forces Personnel (15 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Here we go again. The Government cannot tear up a banker's contract but it can tear up the contracts of loyal Irish Air Corps service men. They serve the country and have done only good for it.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Defence Forces Personnel (15 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Opposition of the time went against everything we did but the Government is now claiming credit for it.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Defence Forces Personnel (15 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I am glad the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, is here to reply to my matter which relates to the Department of Defence. This matter relates to the apparent unfair treatment of approximately ten members of the Air Corps based at Gormanston Camp. In 2001, the Air Corps was based in Gormanston and Baldonnel. However, following a restructuring process the section of the Air Corps based in...

Seanad: Chalara fraxinea (Ash Dieback Disease): Statements (15 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The more one reads about this crisis that has hit Britain and is now hitting Ireland, the more one is reminded of the lines in the Lament for Kilcash:Cad a dhéanfaimid feasta gan adhmad? Tá deireadh na gcoillte ar lár;That is coming true before our very eyes. The country is facing an environmental, ecological and economic disaster and I am not sure the public at large fully understand the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Crime Prevention (14 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for her response. I pay tribute to the Garda Síochána, which is working hard in local communities. I put particular emphasis on community alert, neighbourhood watch and the joint policing committees. More needs to be done in the teeth of Operation Fiacla. Statistics show that burglary, in particular, is increasing. I acknowledge that other crimes, such as...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Crime Prevention (14 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I am grateful to the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to raise this issue, which was listed as "The need for the Minister for Justice and Equality to tackle rural crime". I do not expect him to go out to defuse riots like Churchill did when he was Home Secretary. It would be an interesting proposition but it is not necessary. There is no question rural crime has reached epidemic levels....

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012: Second Stage (14 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire ar ais go dtí an Teach arís inniu. We want to support this Bill. We believe it is important and that anyone who opposes it is opposing the will of the people in the referendum that was held some time ago. The Bill, effectively, was tied up in the fiscal treaty and there are some extra provisions in it but anyone who opposes it is going against the will of the...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (13 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: No, we saved it.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (13 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Fine Gael voted against it.

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (13 Nov 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Fine Gael did not assist in any way in opposition.