Results 9,261-9,280 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: We are seeking the reasons that the Minister formed the opinion.

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Will the Minister outline the consultations he had with Mr. David Ford on this issue?

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Ba mhaith liomsa mo chomhghairdeas a chur in iúl don Chathaoirleach ar bheith tofa inniu mar Chathaoileach ar Sheanad Éireann. Tá mé lán sásta gur thug mo pháirtí tacaíocht dó. Níl aon dabht faoi ach go bhfaighfidh sé tacaíocht ón taobh seo agus tá súil agam go bhfaighfidh sé tacaíocht ó ghach taobh den Seanad. Ba mhaith liom freisin mo chomhghairdeas a ghabháil leis an...

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Senator Norris did not teach me. I was not good enough to get into any of his classes. There has been considerable discussion about Seanad reform but the real work of the House is to pass legislation to improve the country and to give hope back to the people. If we pass the right legislation in this Chamber, that will be a reform in itself. Let us get on with the real work of the people...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (25 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Question 357: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for redundancy in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath [3735/11]

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (25 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Question 359: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for redundancy in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath [3758/11]

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Deputy Dooley for raising the issue of the Opposition's health policy. It is probably our fault but their policy has not been scrutinised, although I have tried to do so on local radio. Deputy Dooley mentioned small hospitals and he is dead right. Small county hospitals, such as Navan hospital, for which the Opposition does not have a policy, is gone under the Fine Gael system.

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: When the money follows the patient everybody will want to go to the top specialists in Dublin the whole time. The current policy on Navan hospital is to provide some specialties which people can access at local level. That is what is important in health care. We see also the evidence that the costs of this universal health insurance will be far greater than anything the VHI has done, and...

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: -----and those who make decisions within the HSE. They are very important people. Are we prepared as a nation to devolve those decisions to the VHI, Aviva, the Quinn Group and any other foreign company that comes here because it is explicit in the Fine Gael policy that decisions on whether somebody gets an operation or not will be made in the offices of a health insurance company? That is...

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: It has not explained that it is the equivalent of the NHS, so beloved of the British, and that it is the protector of our public health service. That has not been explained because every time it makes a decision about protecting public health and public safety, the Members opposite show up at rallies protesting against it but they will not be able to go to rallies in Amsterdam, England or...

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Fine Gael party intends to move the decision making from the public health service and from public staff, all of whom will be let go, to insurance companies who will do it for a much higher price. Do not tell me we will have some control over the pricing system of that because we will not. The VHI price increases were disgraceful but we will have no control over the system proposed by...

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: When people are making up their minds in this election health will be a very serious issue because the Deputies opposite have not thought out their policy properly.

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: They have stated they will devolve the decisions from a public service to foreign private companies.

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: By and large we do not have a bad health service in this country when we examine the outcomes across the board in terms of cardiac treatment and cancer treatment. Of course, Fine Gael opposed the cancer strategy given to us by experts from all over the world.

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: You did not.

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: We had Deputies threatening-----

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: When health boards were making decisions for the betterment of the health of the people Fine Gael Deputies threatened court action in regard to it. That is the reality. The reality is that we brought in a cancer strategy that was supported, by and large, by the Irish Cancer Society charities such as Europa Donna but Fine Gael Members opposed that. They marched on the issue. They brought...

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: And let us not forget the people in Meath who will be coming to save their hospital tomorrow-----

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: -----but I can assure them Navan hospital is safe under Fianna Fáil.

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: That guarantee cannot be given by the Opposition.