Results 6,301-6,320 of 9,832 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Topical Issue Debates: Local Authority Funding (24 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: I appreciate the answer of the Minister of State that this is being looked at. It needs to be addressed urgently. Hopefully, the review on baseline funding will report by August. I hope this contribution takes into account and represents my constituency which is at a greater disadvantage even than that of Deputy Cassells. Obviously, our concern is for the entire county. In my part of the...

Education (Admission to School) Bill 2016: Report Stage (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: We welcome the spirit of this amendment and will support it. I stated on Second Stage that we would require such a provision in this Bill in order to support it. I am not going to be churlish; I welcome it. It is exceedingly complicated, however, and that is a worry because it seems the amendment seeks very carefully to protect the interests of the national council, the Minister, the...

Education (Admission to School) Bill 2016: Report Stage (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: We will re-examine this amendment before the Bill goes to the Seanad to see whether we can do anything. Would it be possible to publish the initial notice under what the Minister is proposing or could an amendment be tabled in the Seanad to that effect? Such a notice could put significant pressure on people and short-circuit the process because schools would not want to be named and shamed...

Education (Admission to School) Bill 2016: Report Stage (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: As the Minister says, it seems that on the capitation issue, what I said was correct, that they do not receive it at second level. Presumably, it would really help in the provision of ASD and special classes at second level if capitation was provided.

Education (Admission to School) Bill 2016: Report Stage (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: They are concerned with the religion question. Is that right?

Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: This whole group of amendments is really the crux of the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 and it is where the pressure has been coming on legislators to act. There is a difficulty. I acknowledge that and always have. I have come across constituents who have been refused admission to schools because they were not baptised Catholic. I saw one particularly egregious example where...

Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: I am surprised that Sinn Féin of all parties cannot support the preference, if oversubscribed, for Church of Ireland or other minority faith schools. Where are these schools? There are 22 Church of Ireland schools in Donegal, eight in Cavan and five in Monaghan. There are only two Presbyterian schools in Dublin, while there are nine in Donegal and three in Monaghan. If we are looking...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Speech and Language Therapy Staff (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: 79. To ask the Minister for Health the number of speech and language therapists and occupational therapists that have been recruited by the HSE in 2018; the sectors of the health service to which they have been deployed; and the net increase in the whole time equivalent numbers of each that has resulted from this recruitment. [23563/18]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Credit Union Services (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: 152. To ask the Minister for Finance the criteria for credit unions to deliver a debit card facility to their members. [23103/18]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Credit Union Services (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: 153. To ask the Minister for Finance if a credit union with an asset base of €50 million is permitted to provide a debit card facility to its members. [23104/18]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Commission (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: 228. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address a matter (details supplied) relating to the employment of superintendents by the State Examination Commission for leaving certificate and junior certificate exam centres. [23134/18]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: 246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of one to one therapy that will be provided under the speech and language and occupational therapies pilot or demonstration project; if each child who requires therapy will receive it; and if this is an alternative to the HSE waiting list [23366/18]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: 503. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if fibre optic broadband will be extended in an area (details supplied). [23315/18]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Joint Committee (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: I remind members to turn their mobile phones off when attending meetings. The Chair is in the Dáil and has asked me to commence the meeting on her behalf. The committee is due to hear from Dr. Richard Thorn, chairman designate of the National College of Art and Design, NCAD. I have been informed that Dr. Thorn needs to leave in sufficient time to allow him to attend another...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: National College of Art and Design: Chairperson Designate (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: I welcome Dr. Richard Thorn, chairman designate of the governing body of the NCAD. The purpose of this part of the meeting is to engage with him about his experience and background, his vision and priorities in the short to medium term, and about any challenges facing the organisation. I invite him to make a brief opening statement, as brief as possible, which will be followed by an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: National College of Art and Design: Chairperson Designate (29 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Dr. Thorn. Have the members any questions?

Education (Admission to School) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: On behalf of Fianna Fáil, I want to say that we can see a strong case to be made for having religion at the end of the school day. There is a strong case for that. It happens already, as alluded to by Deputy Shortall, in multidenominational schools where religious instruction is provided, in some cases to the majority of pupils, depending on the parents' wishes, and it seems to happen...

Education (Admission to School) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: Not just by the religious groups.

Education (Admission to School) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: The problem is not religious schools but the preponderance of religious schools. At primary level, they account for more than 90% of schools. We can get fixated on teaching religion and on Catholic or Protestant schools, but there would be no issue if there was a much lower proportion of religious schools. At second level, for example, it is not as much of an issue because invariably there...

Education (Admission to School) Bill 2016: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2018)

Thomas Byrne: I do not intend to delay the House. It is clear that many schools already operate waiting lists. I welcome the Minister's approach of phasing them out so that they are not removed overnight. Does the Minister intend to give schools assistance in implementing this and other aspects of this Bill, not only so they can implement the new rules but also so they can advise prospective parents on...