Results 9,041-9,060 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Finance (No. 3) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister has identified Senator Zappone's issue. Equality is not always happiness; sometimes there can be unhappiness. I was shocked by Senator Bacik's remarks that we should not provide for separation because it would not be a good story on equality.

Seanad: Finance (No. 3) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: This recommendation refers to deeds of separation trusts, etc. as well. If the Department has recognised Senator Zappone has raised a legitimate issue and she has provided the wording to an amendment, then it is the job of the Seanad to amend the legislation accordingly. If this amendment will provide equality to civil partners in this area, why can it not be accepted now? It has been made...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I note with interest correspondence between the Minister, Deputy Shatter, and not just the Cathaoirleach but the Leader of the House as well. I would like to know what the Leader said in response to the Minister. The fact is that the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Senator O'Donovan, Senator Mullen and to a lesser extent myself raised a number of important issues which were not addressed by the...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: -----on Committee and Report Stages, and which were fully addressed on Second Stage in the Dáil as a result of statements the Minister made here. We have a very sensitive Minister for Justice and Equality. Had he simply briefed spokespersons in advance or come into the House and given the full story in advance this would not have arisen.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister has a hard neck complaining about Senators exercising their constitutional rights and meeting their constitutional obligations to raise issues of importance in the Seanad.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: He will not muzzle me or any Senator on this side of the House. With regard to the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, what happened was that she signed up to a four-year plan stating a certain amount would have to be cut from the social welfare budget overall. She reasoned with herself and, I suppose, her party and concluded all the money would be obtained from combating social...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Not enough, of course. They need to keep the pressure on because promises were made on every single hospital. In this regard, the announcement on Navan hospital stated the removal of the accident and emergency facility therefrom would have devastating effects on patient safety in County Meath. There were no promises made about orthopaedic services because they were never under threat under...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: He should come here to discuss the issue of local hospital services.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I endorse all the calls for a debate on the publication of the Cloyne report. I support the calls for it to be held after a suitable period of reflection and reading because it is important, as people have said, that if people are to contribute to the report, they would do so. We primarily think of the victims, living and deceased. It is important to remember some are deceased because of...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: -----how it is distributing the spoils and which Deputies will be successful in keeping hospitals open in the future. Thank God it used to be us and we never heard anything from the Opposition. It is very important to do that.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: That is not true.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The IMF did not ask for these cuts; we asked it.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Neither do we.

Seanad: Finance (No. 3) Bill 2011 (Certified Money Bill): Second Stage (13 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Today's debate brings to mind a meeting of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party, when the Leas-Chathaoirleach and I were at the vanguard in supporting the civil partnership legislation. While the legalisation of homosexuality was introduced in 1993 on foot of Senator Norris's legal action, it is a point of pride for us that our party implemented it and introduced the civil partnership Bill....

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I wish to raise two issues, the first of which relates to the Family Home Bill published today by Senator Marc MacSharry and me. As Senator Darragh O'Brien said, it forms part of the Fianna Fáil strategy to deal with mortgage indebtedness and personal debt. Protecting the family home is a priority for everybody in the House. As Senator Darragh O'Brien said, there was cross-party support...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: If it is relevant to be asked by-----

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Taoiseach should be brought before the House to discuss this issue because I have never heard such an allegation being made before. Unnamed Fine Gael Deputies expressed this concern at the weekend.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: It is a most serious issue and one that badly needs to be addressed because we see Ministers running to protect their own areas. My second point relates to media reports at the weekend that sources close to the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, were seriously criticising the Taoiseach about his commitment on the issue of income tax. Whether that is true should also be addressed in...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (8 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I second the amendment. I pay tribute to Senator O'Donovan and Senator Mullen for raising this issue. It was most unfortunate of the Minister to respond on Second Stage to what were not criticisms of the Minister with very highly personalised criticisms of Members of this party who spoke in the debate. They dared to exercise their rights as Members of this House. It stuck in my craw, in...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (8 Jul 2011)

Thomas Byrne: That is par for the course. We are raising very serious issues-----