Results 8,061-8,080 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: What about the Fine Gael tent at Punchestown? I understand it is still open.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It is all there in the Moriarty report.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: No effort is being made to put patients first. We had partisanship in the Chamber before the summer break. We decided that we would not accept an innovative proposal from Fianna Fáil to pass legislation in one day and that we would delay it until after the summer break. The cutbacks that we predicted happened. That is unfortunate, but it is a lesson for the Seanad that we must not...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I would like the Cathaoirleach to address the following issue with the Oireachtas ICT section. There is a problem, apparently, with the online publication of debates for external users. I would like to have it sorted out. It is a misunderstanding and there is no deliberate attempt to stop people from looking at the transcript, but as there is a lot of confusion, perhaps the Cathaoirleach...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Why are Labour Party Deputies out defending it then?

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We do not support it. In fact, we completely reject that principle.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Yes. We want to save the taxpayer €100 million and stop ward closures.

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: My remarks are not directly on the point but relates to the Top Level Appointment Committee TLAC terms to which the Minister referred. The TLAC made changes. TLAC was described to me before as being akin to the Freemasons - that is the way appointments are done. I think the Minister needs to go further. I would remove some of the civil servants who still remain on TLAC. Furthermore, I do...

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I agree with the Minister. The position he has outlined is reasonable. Members of the Oireachtas are in a different position. Members of Sinn Féin often talk about the average industrial wage, but we have not seen much evidence of it. They have not set out their policy on the pensions-----

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: During the presidential election campaign, we saw Martin McGuinness's bank accounts, which did not show any transactions other than in his local shop. From what I could see, he did not have ESB bills or anything like that. It is a matter of public concern that Sinn Féin has never set out its policy on the pensions of its own former members in this jurisdiction and the other jurisdiction....

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We are broke.

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Martin McGuinness's bank statements do not show utility bill payments.

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: His statement did not show any bill payments.

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I wish to state the Fianna Fáil policy on this matter, as set out in a document we published earlier this year. That document was drafted by my colleague, Senator Mary White, who has done a lot of work on this area. Our policy is that Fianna Fáil seeks to end the compulsory retirement of persons at the age of 65, whether in the public or private sector. While the provision in this...

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I have no problem imposing a cap but the Sinn Féin argument is the pure politics of envy. So few people get this type of pension or would ever get it. Most people who will get a public sector pension will get a small pension. It is fair to say that those who have retired on large pensions have caused considerable public resentment. I know this only too well from those I have spoken to in...

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Nothing here needs fixing because so few people are involved. Senator Cullinane is giving the impression to those among the general public who do not have these pensions that everyone in the public sector will be on such pensions. We need to show that people are on a fair pension. I agree that the pensions of some in the private sector have been wiped out and a great deal of work must be...

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: There seems to be a disparity between the proposed cap on salaries of €100,000 and the cap on pensions of €60,000. That does not take into account the averaging of salaries, which I think is a good way of imposing a cap because it will prevent people from coming near the cap. The Sinn Féin figure for the cap is too high; very few will be affected by it. If Sinn Féin had its way and...

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Sinn Féin proposes a maximum salary of €100,000.

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Sinn Féin is looking for it.

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I do not mind Senator Cullinane arguing. I am arguing with him. Sinn Féin proposes a salary cap of €100,000 and a pension cap of €60,000. Its members are simply flying a political flag and have not even thought about the figures and how they relate to each other.