Results 2,701-2,720 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I am satisfied with the Minister's response and acknowledge that the matter was dealt with in the Regulatory Impact Analysis. It is important to highlight that protected disclosure may be an issue. Having listened to the Minister's response I have decided to withdraw my amendment.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 6: In page 8, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following:“(iv) any office holder of state under the Constitution of Ireland or member of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann,”.I do not expect the Minister to accept my amendment and shall not press it. However, I tabled my amendment because I wanted to highlight an issue. The Bill is about...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I wholly accept the Minister's reasoning. I tabled my amendment even though I knew how he would respond in the way he has and I did not expect him to accept the amendment. I shall outline the simple purpose behind it. Despite all of the tribunals, there is no protection afforded to an elected person who discovers wrongdoing that might disadvantage his or her party and, as a consequence,...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 7: In page 9, line 21, to delete “other public money” and substitute the following:“other public money or any money belonging to a charity registered or operating in the State”.I need a minute. I suggest that Senator Zappone skips ahead and makes her contribution.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I shall speak as the seconder of Senator Zappone's next amendment. She tabled amendment No. 9.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: She can discuss and scrutinise it now.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: These amendments are very important. There is a class of wrongdoing that does not rise to the level of criminal that needs to be included but has not been included in this legislation. I give some examples in amendment No. 9 in regard to the Companies Acts or the Competition Acts in that a breach of the Competition Act can be criminal but is not always criminal. I want to give the...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: If I may briefly respond, I am certain that the type of wrongdoing I mentioned, which is a grey area, namely, where the tuck shop profits are being used to pay for a chief executive's salary, possibly in breach of pay guidelines, is not covered by this legislation. If someone were to squeal about that, it is not covered. The Minister's argument about specifying things is correct except that...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I will not press this one.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 9: In page 9, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “(i) that the Companies Acts have been or are likely to be breached, (j) that the Competition Acts or Articles 101-102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union have been or are likely to be breached.”.I would like the Minister to confirm that he has got advice that non-criminal...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I am pressing the amendment.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 14: In page 14, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: “(2) The Minister may by regulation issue guidelines to the Courts on the amount of compensation payable for an action in tort referred to in subsection (1).”.Has the Minister given any thought to the points I raised in this regard on Committee Stage?

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I will not press it but I point out such guidelines are in place for use by the Injuries Board, for example, which seeks to keep cases out of court. However, the courts are required to and do have regard to those guidelines. Therefore, this would not be new, but, as it is not the most important section, I will not press the issue, having listened to what the Minister had to say.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 15: In page 16, line 28, after “Éireann” to insert “or Seanad Éireann”.I hope the Government will accept the amendment but, if it does not, I hope Senators on all sides of the House will do so. Essentially, what I am seeking to do in this amendment is to put Members of Seanad Éireann on the same footing as Members of Dáil...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I am very grateful to the Minister. It is possibly one of the first time amendments from the Opposition have been accepted directly, as they are normally clothed as Government amendments, like the last one the Minister put through. I am grateful. I believe the people have spoken in this regard. I know Senators will use their functions carefully and with due consideration.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 16: In page 17, line 3, after “Éireann” to insert “or Seanad Éireann”.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 17: In page 17, line 13, after “Éireann” to insert “or Seanad Éireann”.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 18: In page 17, line 14, after “Éireann” to insert “or Seanad Éireann”.