Results 5,761-5,780 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2017: All Stages (12 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I will not argue about what the commission has done in this case. I accept that we have an independent commission, although I do not particularly like it. My constituents in north Meath and east Meath do not particularly like it. The Meath East constituency has been carved out on two occasions at this stage, and people feel disenfranchised and put into areas within which they do not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (12 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 161. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for additional accommodation. [52724/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Protected Disclosures (12 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 190. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the position with regard to protected disclosures made by persons employed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. [53059/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the statutory obligations he must comply with in respect of funding primary and secondary schools. [53078/17]

Online Advertising and Social Media (Transparency) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (13 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas to my colleague, Deputy James Lawless, for introducing this very important Bill, which has rightly gained worldwide attention. Why has it gained worldwide attention? The reason is that two recent polling events in the western hemisphere were influenced and continue to be influenced by bots. I refer to the American presidential election, including ongoing American...

Online Advertising and Social Media (Transparency) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (13 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Yes, but what was it? It was a professionally produced video made between Saturday and Sunday morning and put up on Facebook, with massive money pumped into it to ensure as many people in Ireland saw it and the good news story it showed. This happened in the space of a few hours between Saturday and Sunday and involved a massive amount of taxpayers' money. The Minister of State, Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (13 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 106. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of its total allocation under the capital investment plan 2016 to 2021 his Department has spent to date. [53416/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (13 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 107. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of ASD special classes in each county or local authority in tabular form. [53417/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (13 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: 108. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of training provided to serving primary teachers specifically to support the implementation of the national literacy and numeracy strategy in each of the years 2011 to 2015; the number of substitute days paid by his Department in each of the years to facilitate such training; the cost to his Department of such training in each of...

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Are the amendments grouped?

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I welcome these provisions. There has been some loss of confidence in aspects of the governance of the third level sector, as was highlighted in the discussions that took place at the Committee of Public Accounts and in issues reported in the media. I also refer to the University of Limerick in this regard. In some cases, there was a great deal of defensiveness on the part of sector...

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I strongly criticise Deputy Barry for coming into the Chamber and throwing this red herring into the debate at the last minute. It casts a slur on all Deputies who support this legislation. If the Deputy had taken a minute to read section 50 of the Bill, he would see a specific section about the transfer of staff. There are no jobs losses and this is provided for by law. It is scandalous...

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I would like the Minister to clarify this. With all due respect to the Minister, section 50 of the Bill does provide a guarantee. I ask that the Minister reconsider her point on not being prepared to give a guarantee. If one reads the legislation, in my view, it is utterly clear.

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister should be as clear as possible.

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister has thrown a spanner into the works in the debate today. I read section 50 as stating, in the plainest possible language, that there is a guarantee that everybody who has a job will continue to have one. I am supporting the Bill on that basis. If the Minister contradicts that and says she cannot give that guarantee, then Fianna Fáil cannot support the Bill - it is as...

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister said she was not giving a guarantee.

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Can the Minister give us a guarantee?

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: My and the TUI's understanding is that there is a guarantee.

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I do not answer to the far left but I will wait to hear what the Minister says on section 50 before committing because a spanner has been thrown into the works. We want to support this and get the legislation through. We want to support staff and the TUI, as well as the agreement it reached with the Department. We want to get these universities started and to ensure section 50 is properly...

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Dec 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I accept what the Minister of State has said on section 50 and the guarantee she has given. I am glad that has now been resolved as far as Fianna Fáil is concerned. As a by the way comment, I cannot see how one could go further than what is in the legislation. I am much happier now that the Minister of State has clarified and explained that.