Results 8,281-8,300 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I will explain the reason. However, those parties advocating a "No" vote must explain their silence and perhaps their laziness, their lack of ability to know what was happening in Europe when these measures were being passed and when they were on the Seanad Order Paper. A debate could have been requested. As far as I know, the procedures in the Lisbon treaty could have been raised by these...

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I will tell the Senator why I am supporting it. However, the particular issue to which I referred needs to be addressed. I have no difficulty with the fiscal measures in this treaty because they need to be place as we are already subject to a pretty severe programme of adjustment and this will need to be continued even if we are not with the IMF in the future in order to put our own...

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: No, I will not withdraw it because I did not refer to Senator Ó Clochartaigh personally but to his party.

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It was no reflection on Senator Ó Clochartaigh who during that period, I understand, was a member of the Labour Party and they are blameless, as we keep hearing from them. That applies to Senator Ó Clochartaigh.

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I praised him.

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: This was meant to be a European treaty and Britain and the Czech Republic have vetoed it. When we go forward for another referendum and when we may have the opportunity to use a veto, we have now proven that the veto is worthless, that it makes no difference. This treaty should not have gone ahead, considering Britain wished to veto it. We have come to know and understand Europe and we...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I am calling for a debate on stability in the Government. The weekend newspapers gave us a rather unedifying spectacle of a Cabinet and its respective parliamentary parties at war among and between themselves.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The main headlines of The Sunday Times related to Labour Deputies attacking the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan. There was another story in which Fine Gael Deputies were blaming the entire Cabinet. The most bizarre story of all was of the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, blaming his Minister of State for the problems in the health service,...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Because the country is in such a serious state. When there was instability previously in government, there was a general election shortly afterwards. This instability cannot continue. The country needs stability, an issue on which we need a debate.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I did not hear Senator David Norris. I heard him speak about the issue when I was in the Oireachtas Library earlier.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I could not hear what Senator David Norris was saying, but I heard him five minutes ago in the Oirachtas Library when I was conducting some research. The stability of the Government was a serious issue for the country around Christmas 2010 and into 2011 when there was a general election. There is serious instability. The sight of a Cabinet Minister attacking his Minister of State because...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I was going to use that word, but I was afraid I would be attacked for being sexist. She is a good Minister of State and is not afraid to stand her ground, whether one agrees with her. The Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, has more than met his match in her. It is about time Cabinet Ministers stopped blaming Ministers of State and the Labour Party stopped blaming Fine Gael. They...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We heard that said at a conference last week and I heard it on my local radio station this morning. I want to know exactly what they did or at what point the country was on a cliff and about to fall off that they somehow came and rescued it because all I know is-----

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We want empirical information. The Tánaiste stated he had thought in March that the country was about to collapse, even though there was stability provided by the IMF agreement.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I want to know the facts and figures in that regard. There were Deputies on my local radio station this morning stating the Government was doing great work, but the unemployment rate is now higher than when it took office. That is a fact.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We want to encourage the Government to do the right thing, but all we hear is talk that it had a 96% success rate on its unemployment strategy last week awarded by itself. The unemployed do not see it this way and it is about time it got real with the people. People are broke and need work. The Government parties must get real and start working together and we will support them. If they...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Even a copy of the letter from the Minister of Health, Deputy Reilly, to the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Shortall.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Do not send the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to Brussels, we want to go up in the polls.

Seanad: Sale of State Assets: Statements, Questions and Answers (19 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I refer to the McCarthy report but I ask if a full inventory has been carried out of all State assets. I know that due to unfortunate circumstances the State bought a pub in Limerick recently. I think the OPW at one point owned a pub somewhere else in Limerick. Such items of property should be sold because they should not be in the possession of the State.

Seanad: Sale of State Assets: Statements, Questions and Answers (19 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I have a short question about an area for which I think the Minister is responsible. When a company is wound up or struck off, its assets traditionally go to the Minister for Finance, which I presume now means the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Is there an inventory of these assets? Is this something the Department has considered in any great depth? These assets become the...