Results 8,921-8,940 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I did not have time to read the draft but I am encouraged by the Minister's response to those questions. There have been leaks from tribunals and there continues to be leaks from them. However, we should not say tribunals are a total waste of time.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: They may be a waste of money but they have not been a waste of time.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Tribunals have succeeded in bringing forward many facts which were in the rumour mill but were not on the public record. They have played an important role in that.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Of course there is the issue of cost. On the other hand, the committees of inquiry have done a good job. The Minister was unfair when he talked about Father X or Brother Y. That only happened in certain specific cases where criminal trials were pending. Many priests were named, particularly in the Dublin report. Many of the priests referred to in the Cloyne report had not been brought to...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: There is no point reading the Constitution in any event. One would have to read the late Professor Kelly's book to show what the Supreme Court said and what the Articles all mean. I do not have €300 to pay Messrs. Hogan and Whyte for their book. This is an issue we might take up again. Senator Mullen's amendment consists of two sentences. The first sentence, which states that the...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The results of the banking inquiry.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, is it not the case that Members may speak on Committee Stage for an unlimited time?

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: There is an amount of tut-tutting going on which-----

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: -----is totally inappropriate. Our time is precious here and the Chair is trying to restrict it.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: We are not filibustering, we are trying to tease out the issues.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: There is a lot of tut-tutting going on when Members rise to speak.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: There is a lot of tut-tutting about Members speaking.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: There already has been a Government commitment to hold an inquiry under this system, the Michael Shine affair. Does that stand?

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister for Health has already given a commitment on behalf of the Government.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: They will find a way.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for attending. It is welcome when the Minister with responsibility for a particular Bill appears before the Seanad, as it does not always happen. I will bore the Government side by pointing out that it is a specific commitment in the programme for Government not to hold all Stages of a Bill on the same day. I have no problem with guillotines and time limits should be...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The election was on 25 February. I accept the Government was formed in March. We support the legislation but we have concerns about it. I do not claim to have expert knowledge but I would like the Minister to answer on an issue, as I presume it has been dealt with by the Government or Attorney General. The Abbeylara decision referred to a prohibition on making adverse findings of fact.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I believe "adverse findings of fact" is the language used by Mrs. Justice Denham and others in the majority.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I wonder why the word "adverse" will not be in the constitutional amendment. The constitutional amendment refers to findings of fact but in my brief reading of the Supreme Court judgment, it refers to adverse findings of fact. Does that create any difficulties? I am sure the Minister will have the answer and I do not claim to have any specific knowledge on the matter. As far as I can see,...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: My point was about the Supreme Court ruling.