Results 401-420 of 2,476 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (15 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for coming to the House. I join other speakers in welcoming the progress of this legislation. There has been campaigning for these provisions for a number of years. The Minister of State ran with the issue and has delivered on it inside a year. That is what a good politician does. I have a number of questions on the provisions contained in...

Seanad: Report of Independent Review Group Jadotville: Statements (15 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming to the House. I join colleagues in thanking him for the sincere apology he has delivered on the part of the State. However, I too am disappointed, like others, that the motivation of those of us who have raised this issue has been somehow questioned. Particular language is used. The report states: "Unfortunately, recent events have shown that evidence-based...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Making Europe Fit for the Digital Age: EU Commissioner for Competition (23 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I am conscious the Commissioner, Ms Vestager, is with us, because Danes normally celebrate midsummer this evening. I thank her for giving us her time. I want to talk about the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act because they are, as Deputy Munster just said, related to legislation we are considering here. I will specifically talk about some of the issues we need to address...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Making Europe Fit for the Digital Age: EU Commissioner for Competition (23 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Deputy Griffin will probably be recruiting many Irish supporters for the Danish team. The Commissioner will be quite happy to hear the cheers. I wish to talk about the need for Europe to be more competitive in the digital age. With regard to one of the challenges, we see Silicon Valley and all the new companies that have been emerging from there. We have not seen the number of digital...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Making Europe Fit for the Digital Age: EU Commissioner for Competition (23 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Can I ask the Commissioner a question about the digital currency? This is an issue the ECB is considering currently.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Impact of Covid-19 on the Entertainment Sector: Music Entertainment Association of Ireland (23 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Mr. McGranaghan and Mr. Conboy not only for their engagement today but also for bringing together a very disparate sector. I have a question in that regard. As they know, part of the difficulty has been that the voice of the music and entertainment sector has not been at the table because it has not really had a representative body. What structure should be in place to ensure...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second and Subsequent Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: May I offer the Senator a point of information?

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second and Subsequent Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming into the House again. I want to ask a number of questions before talking more generally about the legislation. This is about the broader area of the hospitality and entertainment sectors and plans for reopening more generally. It is important to these groups that clarity is provided. There were plans that theatres, arts venues and other similar indoor...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I echo the comments about the work being done by the Minister of State, who has mentioned the efforts of her colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte.I am sure, however, that we all know people who have been impacted in this way. I dealt with one very tragic case in County Wexford involving a young woman with a range of needs. Her family's circumstances were such that they were not...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Many of the matters Senator Higgins raises are very important in the context of the debate. There are serious issues around succession on farms, the role of women in agriculture, young people and so on. I would respectfully suggest, however, that they are not central to what this Bill is about.As the Minister of State has outlined, this Bill is about righting an anomaly. It is complex...

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Now.

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Now.

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: The Minister of State has thanked and congratulated everybody for their role in bringing forward the Bill and they all deserve our thanks, but it is the Minister of State who has championed the Bill. I recall speaking with her soon after she was appointed, when she said she was going to get this done. She had a meeting with Alice Doyle from Wexford and told her that the Government was going...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Challenges Facing Arts Venues and Theatres as a result of Covid-19: Discussion (30 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank all of our witnesses. It is important that the committee also extends its thanks to all of the groups represented here and the artists and venues throughout the country who have done some amazing and innovative things, as Professor Rafter said, to help us through this period. I will put my first question to Professor Rafter and Ms Kennelly. This follows on from Mr. Kenny's point...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Challenges Facing Arts Venues and Theatres as a result of Covid-19: Discussion (30 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Mr. McGowan spoke about amateur theatre being the bedrock of professional theatre. I know even from speaking with some colleagues in Leinster House that a number of us have been involved in amateur theatre and musical productions over the years. Whether we could stage a full production with some Members, I do not know, but it could be a challenge in the rebuilding process. We must commit...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Impact of Covid-19 on the Restaurant Industry: Discussion (30 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Mr. Treyvaud for his presentation. I know the sector is going through a difficult period at the moment. The comparison is made with indoor dining in the rest of Europe. Mr. Treyvaud is looking at the arguments we need to make. I support the need to move to a situation where we can see a safe resumption of indoor dining. However, we have got to get public confidence behind that. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank all the witnesses. I echo the congratulations to the new Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest. While that name is a bit of a mouthful, it is great news. I also hope we will very soon be seeing a new university for the south east. I have four questions which go to the heart of this legislation. What is the appropriate relationship between the HEA and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I asked the broader question about the function of the university and whether this should be stitched into the legislation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (6 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: One of the things we should celebrate is the increase in participation rates at third level. When the original Higher Education Act was enacted in 1971, fewer than one in ten people in the relevant age cohort participated. Input from all the organisations represented here and successive Governments means that we have now achieved participation rates which see more than six in ten people...