Results 9,641-9,660 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: The 60-day period is useful and relevant. When the Taoiseach goes to the President to call for an election, many people have already made up their mind. Thankfully, enough people changed their minds during the course of the last campaign and we are grateful for that on this side of the House.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: I could see many of them change their minds at their doors when I knocked on them. The 60 days give people an opportunity to interact with the electorate, and many people make up their minds in that period. Before that period, many people have no interest in local, European or national elections. I cannot see any of these limits causing problems. We certainly know of one Senator who spent...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: They probably were, but it has occurred across the board and it happened to me as recently as the last referendum. At that time a poster was repeatedly re-erected in a particular part of the constituency. It causes annoyance and I am unsure what can be done. It is very difficult for us to do anything in that regard. Rather than the council coming down hard on candidates, it may be...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Perhaps something can be done in that regard, but it should be done in practice rather than in law. The law must be clear. I commend the legislation. Will the Minister examine the limits, as I believe they are too high? He has examined the matter in more detail than I have and I accept his word on the matter. Following the local elections the Minister must examine how much was spent and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (10 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Question 447: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the status of applications made under the rural environmental protection scheme by persons (details supplied) in County Meath. [9624/09]

Public Finances: Motion (4 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Tá áthas orm labhairt ar son rún an Rialtais anocht. Bheinn sásta i ndáiríre labhairt ar son rún an fhreasúra seachas an chéad alt mar deir sé chuile rud agus atá an Rialtas ag rá le fada an lá. Fine Gael's motion is similar to the Government's amendment, with the exception of the first paragraph, in which it asks us to cut substantially the €40 billion borrowing requirement....

Public Finances: Motion (4 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Every interest group will be involved in lobbying. Earlier the Combat Poverty Agency appeared before the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs for the third time. Every agency whose budget has been cut by the Government will be supported by the Opposition when it appears before a committee. It is about time that stopped and the Opposition got real. That seems to be happening and...

Leaders' Questions (4 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: We thought Deputy Gilmore had the answers.

Banking System: Motion (25 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: I am glad to have the opportunity to take part in this debate and to participate in this Dáil, whose primary focus is to address the loss of jobs. One way to do so is to restore the country's financial reputation, which I am convinced the Government is trying to do. There has been serious action on investigation. Deputy Michael McGrath and I wrote to the Garda Commissioner a couple of...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: We are debating this legislation on Second Stage but only 20 minutes ago in this Chamber, Deputy Joan Burton made statements about the alleged involvement of Fianna Fáil in Anglo Irish Bank. She started saying this only last week, when the Opposition was smearing us. It is a lie that Fianna Fáil was intimately involved with Anglo Irish Bank over the last few years. Most of us had never...

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Hear, hear.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: The Opposition should reserve its anger at the Government for a general election. That is the time to get even with the it and lay its cards on the table.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: This energy being expended against the Government would be better expended in coming up with ideas as to how to get the public finances back on track. The Opposition has been short of ideas so far.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: It has no idea how to get the finances back on track. Both Opposition parties have agreed the public pay bill should be reduced but they have not said how it could be done.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: The reality is that any worker who was let go from, say Dell, would take up a part-time job on €17,500.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: The Opposition talks about attacking the most vulnerable. Nurses and teachers are not vulnerable. They are public servants. Vulnerable persons are those who have lost their jobs.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: The term should be reserved for those who are genuinely vulnerable. Someone who has lost his or her job would gladly take a part-time wage of €17,500. I accept it may not be the best job and that it is a low wage but the Deputy referred to it as a part-time job.

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Deputy Howlin is detached from reality if he believes an unemployed person would not grab such a job in current economic circumstances. The shocking reality is that people are losing their jobs and the most vulnerable are not middle income public servants. The vulnerable are the unemployed who are struggling. Deputies Higgins and Howlin never referred to the fact that the people who are...

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Unless those private sector workers are working, there will be no taxes coming in to pay public servants. The majority of public servants understand this. We must get the public finances and the economy back in shape or nothing else will happen. I welcome the level of capital spending in which the Government has engaged. No other country in the developed world is spending such a percentage...

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: I want more schools to be built in the constituency with small building firms getting the tenders for the projects. It has been brought to my attention that companies from abroad or larger companies — the big boys who did very well as we are constantly reminded by the Opposition — are now tendering for small building projects. I want to see a fairer chance for small local building firms...