Results 801-820 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Policy (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Seanadóir as an ábhar seo a chur faoi bhráid an tSeanaid. We know that vacancies arise on a daily basis in the approximately 146,000 social homes owned by local authorities. It is critical to the Government and Members of this House that such homes are refurbished and re-let to a family or individual on the waiting list...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Policy (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Since taking office, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Government have embarked on the largest voids programme ever undertaken. Funding was granted for 3,607 voids in 2020, 2,425 voids in 2021 and 2,307 voids in 2022. The target for this year is 2,300 voids. The funding provided has tackled a large number of long-term vacant stock and brought them thankfully back into use. It...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wastewater Treatment (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir. As the Senator will be aware, the Department provides funding for water services in rural Ireland where no Uisce Éireann services are available. The Department's multi-annual rural water programme uses Exchequer funding to deliver improvements to water services in rural Ireland. As part of the funding provided, the Department currently...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wastewater Treatment (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: In making these improvements to the scheme, it is hoped to encourage more householders to avail of the funding available. This will help to reduce the risk of negative environmental impacts from defective septic tanks. The changes come into effect on 1 January 2024 and it is expected that the improvements made will result in more applications for septic tank grants in 2024 and beyond.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it lets me have the opportunity to provide an update to the Seanad on the current position relating to the provision of a new school building for Clonturk Community College. Clonturk Community College is a multidenominational school under the patronage of City of Dublin Education and Training Board, ETB. It was established in September 2016 as a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I will raise those points with the Department. Indeed, the Department will continue to keep the patron and the school updated as the project progresses and with regard to interim accommodation pending delivery of the permanent school building.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Supply (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising the question. Indeed, we have our own water supply issues in my constituency where there are areas left for significant periods without water but, thanks to the investment the Government is putting into my constituency and, indeed, to the Deputy's constituency at Clare Island, I believe these problems are being ironed out and solved. A number of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Bus Services (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I want to assure the Deputy that the Minister recognises that connectivity is hugely important. The Deputy has agreed with me that there has been a lot of Government investment in public transport. That is the case, and I know that the Deputy and I were strong backers and supporters of that. It is true that some areas are losing a direct connection but if the service is running as...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Supply (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien sends apologies and has asked me to attend this evening in his place to address this important issue in County Mayo. I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising this issue and for allowing me the opportunity to outline the position regarding public water in Clare Island, and group water schemes in Mayo. As the Deputy will understand, the supply of public...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Bus Services (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Lahart. Is ábhar an-tábhachtach é seo. I think you need more buses. There is no doubt about it. The Deputy has raised a lot of issues there and I will be happy to pass them to the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, and make it clear what Deputy’s constituents are saying. The Minister for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disease Management (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an t-ábhar seo a ardú anocht. I think all of us fully appreciate how devastating a diagnosis of a rare disease can be for patients, families, and carers. I believe that there is cross-party support for doing everything we can to help patients who live with these conditions on a daily basis. In February, on Rare Diseases Day, the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disease Management (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for providing the opportunity to discuss this matter and I acknowledge his work in the area. Many rare conditions are complex and the impact for patients living with them can be severe. At times, it can be difficult to access appropriate medications and technology. The development of a successor to the previous national rare diseases plan is a key priority for the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta as an t-ábhar seo a ardú. It gives me the opportunity to set out for the House the position on post-primary school places in Greystones in September of next year. I assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post-primary levels, including...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and doing her job as a constituency TD, as I did myself in the Opposition benches and continue to do as a Minister of State in respect of similar scenarios. Her raising of the issue is a chance to outline the position of the Department. The Minister and Department are correct that there is a strong pipeline of project delivery for schools in the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The club referenced by the Deputy was allocated €134,580 towards natural playing surface development under the 2020 SCEP. I am advised that examination of the documentation uploaded by the club in the course of its payment request raised a number of issues which required clarification. This information has been received by my Department which has kept the club contact apprised of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The latest round of the SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday 8 September 2023. A preliminary examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a large number of applications, including one for a project at St. Mary's N.S Arva, and it is evident that the total number of applications will exceed the previous record of 3,106 applications...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The latest round of the SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday 8 September. A preliminary examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a very large number of applications, including one from the organisation to which the Deputy refers, and it is evident that the total number will exceed the previous record of 3,106 applications submitted...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: The Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus le baill an choiste. Tá áthas orm an deis seo a bheith agam iad a chur ar an eolas maidir leis an airgead breise atá curtha ar fáil ag an Rialtas don Roinn seo. The Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, has allocated additional capital funding of €5.5 million for subhead D5 to allow Sport Ireland to continue to...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Thomas Byrne: I will be in the Dáil at 11.30 p.m. so as long as we are finished by then.