Results 221-240 of 2,089 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Trade Agreements (22 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to address the issue of the CETA deal, a very important trade deal between the European Union and Canada, the importance of trade between Ireland and Canada, and to debunk some of the misinformation that has been spread about this deal. People sometimes have the idea that trade deals are something particularly negative. All the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Trade Agreements (22 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his reply and I strongly agree with him. When we have trade deals, there have to be mechanisms for arbitration and dispute resolution. What is proposed in CETA is an updating of those mechanisms, which will make dispute resolution more transparent and more efficient. It is not going to force member state governments to change any laws. This is a small...

Seanad: National Development Plan: Statements (22 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming in for the debate on the national development plan. A review of the plan will be crucial as we emerge from this difficult period. I encourage him to be ambitious, imaginative and creative. I wish to refer to six general themes under the plan that I think the Minister must consider. There is the post-pandemic social and economic recovery, the question of...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Impact of Brexit on Business Sector (22 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: The Chairman and Senator Joe O'Reilly have covered many of the questions I wanted to ask. One of the other areas we are examining is infrastructure at our ports, especially now with an increased number of direct sailings to continental Europe. What would Mr. Nelson, Mr. Roche and Mr. McDonnell like us to include in the report in respect of specific recommendations on infrastructure? The...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Impact of Brexit on Business Sector (22 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: That is very useful. The delegation will not be surprised to hear that I am glad that Mr. Roche mentioned, without prompting, the importance of completing the motorway out of Rosslare. As a critical piece of infrastructure, it is something we need to highlight.

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Impact of Brexit on Business Sector (22 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I agree with many of the concerns that Senator Ó Donnghaile expressed. It is an important issue for us to address. I thank Mr. Connolly and Mr. Anderson for their contributions. I wish to ask two questions, the first of which is on co-operation in education. It is positive that students in the North will be allowed to continue to participate in Erasmus+, but we need to consider...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Hospitality Sector: Discussion (23 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the four organisations for their presentations. I can only imagine the difficulties of those directly involved in business are facing. I know this from speaking to a number of businesses around the country and in my home county of Wexford in particular. The committee needs to stress the need for the EWSS to be extended in the national recovery plan. We must make clear for the...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Hospitality Sector: Discussion (23 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Has the IHF or any other representative group quantified the scale of the potential skills shortage? The witnesses know how many people have been leaving the industry. If they do not have that information with them, they can submit it to the committee after the meeting?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Today is the national independence day for Bangladesh; in fact, it is the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence. I commend the Limerick councillor, Abul Kalam Azad Talukder, on his organisation of a series of events today to mark the contribution of the Bangladeshi community here in Ireland. We have often discussed in these Houses the impact of the Covid pandemic on young people and...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2021: First Stage (26 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I move: That leave be given to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to reduce to sixteen years the age at which a person is entitled to be registered as a European Parliament and Local Government Elector, and to provide for related matters.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2021: First Stage (26 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: On Good Friday, 2 April.

Seanad: Quality in Public Procurement (Contract Preparation and Award Criteria) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for being here for this debate on procurement. I also join colleagues in thanking Senator Higgins for bringing this legislation before the House because it is very important that we consider the principles raised therein. It is unfortunate, however, that Senator Gavan has used this debate as an opportunity to attack the Government again. He referred to what...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach agus is mian liom trí ábhar a ardú le toil an Leas-Chathaoirligh. First, I would like to raise the report of the Higher Education Authority this morning on completion rates for undergraduate programmes. It is to be celebrated that three out of every four undergraduates complete their courses. There is a concern, however, that...

Seanad: Living with Covid-19: Statements (29 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: We very much appreciate that the Minister of State, along with the other Ministers of State, Deputies Butler and Feighan, and the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, come to this House regularly. She is willing to listen to the views of all Members of this House. I join her in commending the front-line workers. This vaccination programme is the biggest ever in the history of the State. We...

Seanad: Matters Arising from the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU: Statements (29 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming before the House and I echo the comments of others in thanking him for his commitment on this rather tricky issue. I also thank all of the officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and other Departments for their work in this area. Some of my colleagues have already covered a number of the issues involved. At the Brexit committee, I raise four issues on...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Impact of Brexit on Business Sector: Discussion (29 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the witnesses for the presentation. My first question follows on from Ms Sinnamon's last point and Senator Wall's question. We will produce a report at the end of this discussion. Are there specific recommendations Ms Sinnamon would like to see regarding the experience she has had with those companies for which exporting to the UK was the easy option and which have now looked at...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Impact of Brexit on Business Sector: Discussion (29 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Taking the flour sector - there are other areas like steel and so on - if there were specific policy recommendations for the committee to make, what would Ms Dwyer suggest? I appreciate there are many variables in this but we will be reporting to the Government on some of these soon.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Entertainment Sector: Discussion (30 Mar 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank everybody for their presentations. I was struck, when my colleague, Senator Cassells, started talking about the vibrant nightlife in Navan, by how fortunate I am to be from Gorey, where we have a great night-time economy. It is exactly as the Senator said: it is only when we lose it and do not see it that we appreciate how much we have missed. Many of the issues have been touched...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill (13 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the witnesses for their presentation. I do not think we should underestimate the importance of this legislation. I see its purpose as slightly different from that outlined by Ms Quill. What we must do is ensure that citizens and persons resident in Ireland can engage with the media, including social media, in a safe manner and that their individual human rights are protected. We...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill (13 Apr 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Ms Quill and Mr. Shanley. We are firing many questions at them and I will put a few more. Regarding some of their comments, I welcome Ms Quill's last comment on the relationship the media commission will have with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, DPC, with the new gambling commission and, indeed, with the new electoral commission in the area of political advertising....