Results 1,601-1,620 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Brexit (Foreign Affairs): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Thomas Byrne: The trade and co-operation agreement secured a new basis for engagement between the European Union and the UK. It preserves our and the EU's core principles while respecting the wishes of the UK, wishes with which we did not agree but respectfully do so. There is a framework which can be built on by mutual agreement over time. The agreement provides for zero-tariff and zero-quota trade for...

EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement: Motion (20 Jan 2021)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputies from all sides of the House who participated in today's session. The trade and co-operation agreement and indeed the broader questions regarding our bilateral relationship with the UK, are vital issues for everybody on this island. It is appropriate that the Dáil should be fully engaged in considering the issues arising. I echo the call made by the Minister for...

Brexit Readiness for the End of the Transition Period: Statements (17 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for his ongoing hugely positive role in this process, his leadership in the Department of Foreign Affairs and his excellence as a colleague. I appreciate that and that extends across this House on Brexit. There has always been a shared understanding across the Oireachtas of what the UK's decision to leave really means. From the broad political consequences to the...

Covid-19 Task Force: Statements (17 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: Tá mé buíoch den Dáil gur glacadh leis an díospóireacht seo anocht. Tá sé an-tábhachtach ní hamháin go bhfuil díospóireacht againn ach freisin go bhfuil guth aontaithe sa Dáil anocht ag tacú leis an vacsaín, leis na heolaithe, le muintir na tíre seo agus leis na daoine ar fud an domhain a ghlac páirt...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defence Forces (17 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Senators for raising this. I know their commitment to the Defence Forces well. Senator Chambers served in the Reserve Defence Force for many years and Senator O'Loughlin has constantly been a strong advocate for the Defence Forces publicly and within the parliamentary party. I take my colleagues comments very seriously indeed. I apologise on behalf of the Minister for Defence....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defence Forces (17 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: I again thank my colleagues for their sentiments, which I take very seriously indeed and which I will certainly relay to the Minister and to the Taoiseach. I will, however, take the opportunity to remind the House that the establishment of an independent commission on the Defence Forces follows a very specific commitment made in the programme for Government, as agreed by Government parties,...

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: I do. It is important that I read the script. It deals with issues that the Taoiseach promised I would raise and it is important the Dáil be apprised of them. I thank everybody for their participation in the debate. On 8 December, I participated in a meeting of European affairs ministers online, where we prepared the agenda for the European Council of leaders. Unfortunately, it...

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: On the matter of the Brexit adjustment reserve, I said what I have said. We have been working closely with the European Commission to express our concerns about Brexit, which are well known. The fund was devised by Ireland and Belgium, although I am certain we will not be the only countries to avail of it. I think, however, that we should be pretty satisfied when the proposal comes through...

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: I will come back to the Deputy on the exact point raised, but the climate debate the leaders had took place throughout the night. There were many side discussions, mainly involving the Taoiseach, to be fair, because it was a meeting of leaders. The meeting continued throughout the night to try to reach an agreement on this issue. Again, nothing is ever perfect when 27 member states are...

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: That point was raised during the debate and I did not get to everything, so I am glad to have this opportunity. The Brexit adjustment reserve is part of the overall budgetary proposals for the next seven years and the recovery fund. Progress on it was to some extent held up because of the situation pertaining to Hungary and Poland which put a veto on an own-resources position until that was...

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: One of the reasons fishing is such a difficult issue to resolve is because the British place a higher priority on it. They see these as their seas and when they leave the European Union as they see it, they will keep all their seas. That is what some of the hard Brexiteers see. They may not understand the other side - that they need to export their fish. It is taking so long because...

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: The Acting Chair made the point that some people were not here. To be fair to them, this is officially the format and was always the format when we sat in Leinster House, but we have not really stuck to that since we came to the convention centre for various reasons. I find no fault in anyone who is not here to ask questions. It could well be a better system, allowing more people to ask...

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: I am not entirely clear on the format, but I am happy to make some remarks.

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: Okay, I will leave my concluding statement until then. In the past, I have just answered questions as they arose, which I will do for the next five minutes. I will then be happy to take questions. I will go through some of the points that have been raised. If I heard her correctly, Deputy McDonald spoke about the protocol's full implementation or operation being dependent on a wider...

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: I am saying that it is not a panacea. I am not a doctor or a scientist but I understand that antigen testing can be very useful for screening, but it is not a replacement for PCR testing. I do not believe anyone thinks it is.

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: I have one final point to make before I finish with this particular part of the debate. Deputy Pringle raised issues of plain English. It is something in which I am very interested. The classic example of bad English for me is the name CETA for the Canada-EU trade agreement. I would love to know who conceived of that particular title for the agreement because it makes the issue confusing...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanad as an deis teacht isteach anseo agus an leasú seo a phlé. Táim buíoch den Seanad go léir as ucht an chomhoibrithe ó gach duine maidir leis an mBille, go háirithe comhoibriú na Seanadóirí Rialtais a chur an leasú os comhair an Tí inniu. I thank Senators for the genuine cross-party co-operation on...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis na Seanadóirí as ucht an Bhille seo a thógáil inniu mar tá sé an-tábhachtach. Táimid ag teacht anois go tapa i dtreo dheireadh na bliana agus tá sé tábhachtach go mbeimid réidh don Bhreatimeacht. Tá an Rialtas réidh ach tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil gach duine sa tír seo,...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Senator Higgins for her amendment and all the Senators for their contributions today on this Bill, which is not a normal one. The purpose is not for new significant policy initiatives but is to protect existing arrangements and rights. This is not about new rights or arrangements but is simply to keep what we can, insofar as we can, in the context of Brexit. The Bill protects...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2020)

Thomas Byrne: We had been hoping to have Report Stage this evening.