Results 3,521-3,540 of 9,903 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Business of Seanad (16 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: It has been circulated, but not by me. It is not my fault if the Senators do not have it. It was submitted well before Second Stage.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I hear the Minister's explanation but it does not actually explain the section. This section seems to imply that if the legislation is unconstitutional, we do not mean it to be such. It is like a just-in-case clause. If one were attempting to do what the Minister is attempting, one would state this section is not intended to affect any cases currently before the courts, or something like...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Yes, but we do not make unconstitutional laws. We are already interpreting the law through this Government amendment. I was thinking of calling a vote on this but have decided not to as we do not want to stand in the way of the passage of the legislation in the interest of road safety. I have serious concerns that the Government or somebody in the Attorney General's office has suggested...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: If the Senator pushes this to a vote, I will go with him.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: A plain reading of the amendment does not support the Minister's argument on its interpretation. It simply does not. It is strange.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, are paper copies of the Bill available? There is none in the anteroom.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: It has been only passed in the Dáil and there were amendments.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I do not know that, but there were amendments. I will accept the Minister of State's word on that.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I propose we suspend until we have a paper copy of the Bill as it has just gone through the Dáil.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for setting out his position. We all realise the effects of the Appropriation Bill. It almost has no effect because it is recognising the reality of what has happened already this year. It has a very important role, because it is the only opportunity that Seanad Éireann has to demonstrate whether it has confidence in the Government. There are precedents where...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: It is a matter of showing confidence in the Government. We have no confidence in the Government, as it is making a complete hames of things. It is quite extraordinary to see how we are rushing in all sorts of legislation before Christmas. We will discuss the third or fourth water Bill. The first water Bill came in before Christmas last year, but was full of mistakes. Now we have another...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Yes. This Bill covers the whole range of Government expenditure. What else does a Government do only spend money? Effectively the Government functions by taking taxes in and spending money. What happened years ago, was that we had days of debate on all aspects of the Government's work.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: The Government does not seem to be too worried about the bills for Irish Water because the income coming into Irish Water will be only about €25 million. The Government seems to be happy enough to get as far as the EUROSTAT test, which with a bit of luck, touch wood, will be all right. That seems to me the way the political leadership of this Government is operating at present.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: When some of the Senators opposite were members of the Fianna Fáil Party, we were creating thousands of jobs every week.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Some other people who shall remain nameless, who were members of the Fianna Fáil Party were doing quite well at that time. Perhaps if they had stayed things would have been different.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: The former members, and there are at least two that I know of, are on the other side. We have too much rushed legislation. My colleague, Deputy Fleming, raised serious concerns in the Dáil. The Bill was not even presented to us whether it was passed or not by the Dáil. I do not follow the proceedings in the Dáil, and the bill was presented to us late. We are not happy. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Guím beannachtaí na Nollag ar an gCathaoirleach, ar an gcléireach, ar an gcléireach cúnta agus ar gach duine eile sa tSeanad freisin. Tá súil agam go mbeidh Nollaig shona ag gach duine. Unfortunately, with the run up to Christmas there is always rushed legislation which usually makes, it has to be said with the precedence that has been set over the past few...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I propose that we sell all the assets of Irish Water, if they were to sell the assets. I ask my Independent colleagues, in particular, to look very carefully at the amendments, as we will look at their amendments, and to judge each accordingly. It has to be said that there is huge disappointment out there at the moment with the Seanad. We are all being blamed for the actions of a few and...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for the assiduous attention he has shown to the debate and for listening to the robust and differing views expressed by Senators. I suggest to Senator O'Donnell this provision could be changed in exactly the same way that the national lottery was dealt with. It is the same procedure and the national lottery sets a precedent in this regard. The provision on the...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: He said he might do it. He did not specifically say that he would, however.