Results 2,621-2,640 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Can the Minister not acknowledge that there is no extra cost involved at all?

Seanad: Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: It needs to be made clear that we are not looking for money

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: The approach of the Department and the Minister to social welfare is characterised by a complete and utter lack of fairness and by targeting certain groups for disproportionate hits to their income. They have done this with maternity benefit and adoptive benefit. They have picked out groups and said, "We can get a lump out of them and we can say then that we have kept our promise not to cut...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: The Christmas bonus equated to a 2% cut in social welfare payments at the time while the wealthiest civil servants were subject to double digit percentage pay cuts and higher earners had to pay much more tax. There was a fairness across society. People were hurt and they had to pay more but we did not target particular groups. The Labour Party is aware of this. We heard about the loaves...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Should that allowance be withdrawn in all cases then? Is that what Senator Conway is saying?

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I am not putting Ireland down by standing up for the young mothers the Minister is targeting.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Quote me.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: The Senator was a great defender of the Fianna Fáil Government.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, the Minister has made a statement that I was a great defender in the Dáil of the banks. If she is making allegations like that, she should supply references from the Official Report.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Can the Minister quote me?

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I made no contribution defending the banks. None whatsoever.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I supported him 100%. We were all in the front row at his funeral, Minister.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I supported him 100%.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I gave him every support he needed in the teeth of vicious opposition from the Minister.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister made an allegation that I defended the banks. When I asked her to substantiate that, it boiled down to a defence of Brian Lenihan as Minister for Finance. I am very proud that I defended and supported him at the hour of his need and at the hour of this country's need.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I am very proud of it. If I could have given him more support, I would have been delighted to do so. I only wish the Minister and colleagues when in opposition gave him the same sort of support. None of them is fit to lace his boots.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: The Labour Party opposed 3% of the bank guarantee which relates to subordinated debt. None of that was paid on foot of the guarantee, so its objections to the bank guarantee are irrelevant.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I wish to continue on the section.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: As my former, deceased colleague would have enunciated, cuts had to be made. I accept that cuts have to be made by this Government. My fundamental difficulty with what the Government is doing is that the Minister is saying it is only €30 million and so is a modest cut, but it has a disproportionate impact on certain sectors of society. There is not a whole lot to say, other than to...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, it was the Minister who brought Mr. Brian Lenihan's name into this debate.