Results 8,161-8,180 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister of State raised this issue and I am responding to what he said. The sale of State assets is an invention of the Government, it has nothing to do with the troika agreement. The Government has told the troika that it wants to sell State assets and the troika has stated it can put so much of the proceeds towards investment. I wish the economy was growing. The Minister of State is...

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I am responding to points the Minister of State made.

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: If others were allowed to raise the issues of rent allowance and house insurance, I will refer to issues that the Minister of State raised on the section.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It came into his head as he was arriving in Citywest.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: You were banned from speaking.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Why are there no people here?

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Some of your other Members have said what the Government espoused.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I hope that my county colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, conveys the deep anger that has been expressed in the Chamber today about his party colleagues being banned from speaking in a debate. He would never want to be banned from speaking because he is outspoken and rightly so. They have been banned.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The evidence is there.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: A stream of Opposition speakers have made their contribution. In all my time in the Seanad it has never happened that nobody-----

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Contributions has gone from one Opposition speaker to another.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Nobody from the Government has offered and that is evidence that they have been banned from speaking. No Government Senator spoke and that is the evidence. It is a shambolic day for democracy in this country.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It is revenge for two Government defeats in the Seanad this morning. It was a good jolt to remind the Government that this country is a democracy and run by the people and not as my colleague, Senator Marc MacSharry said, by 15 people around the Cabinet table. I urge the Leader to get his colleagues into the Chamber to offer their views no matter whether they are for or against the motion....

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We have had more Committee Stage debate immediately after Second Stage than ever before.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: As I understand it, the guillotine was rarely used-----

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The guillotine was rarely used in previous terms of the Seanad. There is a specific commitment in the Programme for Government to have at least a week-----

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: -----between Second Stage and Committee Stage and between Committee Stage and Report Stage. That rarely happens. I acknowledge that the situation has slightly improved. The commitment to reform by the Government side has been shown for the sham that it is.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It is smoke and mirrors. The impression of reform has been given but things have got far worse. Never before in the history of a European democracy have Members of Parliament been told by their Government not to speak. It is incredible and never before has it happened. Shame on Fine Gael and the Labour Party for allowing it to happen. Little more needs to be said. I hope that the Seanad...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, is nobody from the Government offering? Some of them did complain.