Results 7,961-7,980 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We did not present this Bill to the Oireachtas.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: They may have paid everything else.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: They might have to pay the banks.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: When I first encountered this Bill, it was with some surprise that I discovered it fell within the remit of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It should be under the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The question of rates is central to the issue of jobs, especially given the fact that small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, are being crucified by rates. An...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We do not hear that too often.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: He acknowledged that.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I wish the Acting Leader well in his temporary role.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: As I also am in a temporary role, this is from one temp to another.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I propose a slight amendment to the Order of Business to enable Members to make statements on the issue of public sector allowances before taking the Valuation (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill. As the Minister is coming into the House for the debate on that Bill anyway, I suggest Members could eat into some of the time allocated to it by debating the issue of public sector allowances. Massive...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Some the allowances date back to the 1950s, or the 1940s and to the inter-party government.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We instituted The Gathering.

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Senator Walsh for sharing time with me. The reason we are opposed to these cuts is clear, namely, they target the most vulnerable, including those in need of home help and those who are disabled, while nothing is being done to tackle the drugs bill. I am not sure if the Bill dealing with this issue has been introduced in the Dáil yet. Implementation of that would result in savings...

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: -----as part of the stimulus package, every Senator and Deputy in the areas connected with these centres issued statements welcoming their construction. It became apparent later that only 20 of the 35 announced in the stimulus package would be built. Senator Leyden referred to the lack of progress being made in Boyle and Ballaghaderreen. The same applies to Kells in County Meath, which was...

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: People will be offered competing insurance. It is a privatised version of the health service, with insurance companies deciding what people can have. They will purchase the health care and will have control over the hospitals. I do not accept the HSE is the failure which everyone paints it to be. At the end of the day, the HSE is a public health service purchasing public health care for...

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: What about the other 15?

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I will withdraw the amendment. I will bring it back on the tax issue, which is a serious one. I raised the trolley issue and the Minister came back with an answer. If I am not correct with regard to that figure, I will take it back because the figure was not from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. It was given to me today by a person concerned with that area. I accept that this...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 26: In page 27, before section 23, but in Part 2, to insert the following new section:"23.?Any officer/employee of the Executive shall be tax resident in Ireland for the duration of his or her employment with/by the Executive.".This amendment has been tabled to highlight an issue about which the Taoiseach expressed concern in the Dáil. Deputy Micheál Martin raised the...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The special delivery unit is not an outside body. It is a fundamental part of the Department which the Minister established. The individuals who have benefited from these legal arrangements were selected by the Minister and he has publicly praised them for their expertise. Along with Mr. O'Brien, he stated the State is lucky to have their expertise. The Minister did not employ their...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: This is an illegal tax avoidance scheme in this country but legal in Britain and this is the issue I am trying to highlight. I am happy to withdraw the amendment, reformulate it to address some of the concerns raised and re-introduce it on Report Stage.