Results 8,041-8,060 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Second Stage (26 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I completely and utterly disagreed with them but they did not make a promise that they knew was false, like the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, and Fine Gael. The Fine Gael organisation indicated that services would be restored after the election. My colleagues resigned because they disagreed with the decision but they were also realistic in that they did not promise that a decision would...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Second Stage (26 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It is not the excellent system which the Minister purports. We should be cultivating and supporting the public health service, which is the best way to provide health care to the public. The biggest mistake made by Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats with the Health Service Executive was giving it an awful name. Why is the National Health Service in Britain beloved? It is a public...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (26 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: True.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (26 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister will not be.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (26 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Fianna Fáil welcomes this Bill, the introduction of which it proposed in 2008. It is a pity the previous and current Governments delayed in this regard. However, I acknowledge there were other priorities for both. The Office of the Ombudsman is one of the few offices of State which attracts universal respect and praise in terms of citizens' interactions with it. I have never heard a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Centres (25 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar seo a ardú ar an Athló. This important matter has been in the news for the past week and relates to the primary health care centres. Although the row between the Minister of Health, Deputy Reilly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, is ongoing, the public need primary health care. I am...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Centres (25 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. He acknowledged the work of his former party colleague, Ms Mary Harney. Many of his colleagues would not do that, but she did a great deal of work in this regard in Kells. Unfortunately, the private sector let her down. The HSE seems to be continuing with unrealistic negotiations. The Minister and Deputies Hannigan and McEntee promised a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Centres (25 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar seo a ardú ar an Athló. This important matter has been in the news for the past week and relates to the primary health care centres. Although the row between the Minister of Health, Deputy Reilly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, is ongoing, the public need primary health care. I am...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Centres (25 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. He acknowledged the work of his former party colleague, Ms Mary Harney. Many of his colleagues would not do that, but she did a great deal of work in this regard in Kells. Unfortunately, the private sector let her down. The HSE seems to be continuing with unrealistic negotiations. The Minister and Deputies Hannigan and McEntee promised a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Credit Union Bill 2012: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Is it proposed to have a private meeting to discuss the report?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Credit Union Bill 2012: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We are not making recommendations.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Credit Union Bill 2012: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I accept that. I was going to make this point until I heard-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Credit Union Bill 2012: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Did we make recommendations on the whistleblower's legislation?

Seanad: Flooding and Flood Prevention Measures: Statements (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: No, because they did not do that.

Seanad: Flooding and Flood Prevention Measures: Statements (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister of State is contradicting the science.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Credit Union Bill 2012: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Yes, I found this submission interesting and persuasive. While at first glance one would question some of the suggestions to change the titles proposed, when one listens about it in-depth one can see the reasoning behind it.

Seanad: Flooding and Flood Prevention Measures: Statements (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Climate change causes flooding.

Seanad: Flooding and Flood Prevention Measures: Statements (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I did not come to the House today expecting to be shocked, but I am, because there did not appear to be a single reference to climate change in the Minister of State's speech. I can be corrected if this is not the case, but there was evidence in his speech that both he and the OPW are climate change deniers. He said: "There is no firm evidence that this level of variability is reflective of...

Seanad: Flooding and Flood Prevention Measures: Statements (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The quote was "that this level of variability is reflective of anything more than natural variations in our weather."

Seanad: Flooding and Flood Prevention Measures: Statements (20 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Government, countries and scientists around the world have had massive studies carried out of climate change and its impact on flooding. An Environmental Protection Agency report from 2009 co-authored by Professor John Sweeney from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, contains incredible detail about the impact of climate change on flooding. Whether the OPW is going to start...