Results 621-640 of 1,729 for speaker:Maria Byrne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions in Limerick City and County) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Maria Byrne: I wish to clarify that I as an Oireachtas Member from Limerick did not receive any notification looking for written submissions. Maybe not everybody received it and I just want to make that point. I am not taking it as an insult; perhaps there was just a mistake made along the way. I cannot confirm whether everybody else received a notification. I thank the speakers because many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions in Limerick City and County) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Maria Byrne: Maybe Dr. O'Malley.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: I congratulate Senators Moynihan and Ward and wish them all the best for their future. Today is a unique day as this week many first-year university students came to campuses. I pay tribute to the people in different universities and institutes of technology who made campuses safe for students to come back on site. For many students even in second year it is their first time setting foot...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: Yesterday, theLimerick Leaderreported that almost 50% of family carers have some form of mental health issued. During the pandemic we have depended so much on family carers to care for loved ones. They have helped to keep people at home and maintain stability.Care Alliance Ireland has shown that in the ten years between 2009 and 2019 there was a 70% increase in the number of carers...

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person (Amendment) (Stalking) Bill 2021: Second Stage (22 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: Apologies, I was at another meeting. I support the Bill and I compliment my Fianna Fáil colleagues on bringing it forward. We have all come across people who have been harassed or stalked by people.It is not a very pleasant experience, which is the whole sentiment of what is before us tonight. I welcome that the Minister of State and the Government are not opposing the Bill. I look...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the good news that, at long last, a chair has been appointed to Shannon Airport, a former Member of this House, Pádraig Ó Céidigh. I wish him all the best. He was an appropriate choice for the position given the economic situation and it being a driver for the region. I look forward to working with Pádraig. He is the right man for the job, so a good job was...

Seanad: Housing For All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland: Statements (29 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for being here. This is an important topic that we are all committed to in the context of delivery. Following on from what Senator Ahearn said, and paying tribute to the two previous Ministers with responsibility in this area, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, and former Deputy Eoghan Murphy, 85,000 private homes and 24,000 social homes were delivered....

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (29 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for being here. I also wish to thank my colleagues, Senators Ward, Carrigy and Currie, for bringing forward this Private Members' Bill. From the outset, I wish to state that I was an agent of the national lottery in the past and also a member of the Retail Grocery Dairy & Allied Trades Association, RGDATA, which is very firmly behind this Bill. While I...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Airport Policy (30 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State and join in wishing her a happy birthday. I wish to raise the issue of Shannon Airport, which has been through a very turbulent time in regard to Aer Lingus and a number of routes being closed down. That said, there have been many announcements by Ryanair regarding many holiday destinations. Many businesses in the Shannon area, however, that is, in Limerick...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Airport Policy (30 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for her response. Yesterday, I welcomed in the House the appointment of Pádraig Ó Céidigh as the new chair of the board. I certainly believe that his experience of aviation and business will be a big asset. Shannon Airport has suffered a lot more than the other airports. With regard to Aer Lingus, it was the staff who suffered. Jobs were cut,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: I wish to raise two issues. I have had many calls from people I know.My colleague, Senator Carrigy, will be happy that post offices will be able to provide facilities that banks cannot. Many banks have closed down or will close down in rural and urban areas, a lot of them are going cashless and ATMs are being closed down in many areas. It is a huge issue in my area. A colleague of mine in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I rise today to raise two issues but I will also raise my concerns over what is happening at University Hospital Limerick where we have the highest number of people waiting to be seen in the hospital. This did not just start today but has been going on for quite a while. We put in 60 replacement beds and many things have happened but the numbers are not going...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: -----where the second and third largest cities are not connected. These are the only two such cities. I appreciate that we are not connected with Waterford either but that is another day’s wait, which I understand is being raised by Senator Cummins. The M20 is very necessary. It is mentioned in the NDP document, as it has been for the past ten years, and the road has now gone to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: When I raised an issue about the M20 yesterday, I called for the Minister to come to the House to discuss the important road projects in the national development plan. I will add today that a number of businesses on the south side of Limerick, including in the regeneration area around Southill, and the Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership, are hoping that as part of the M20, the...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2021: Motion (6 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister to the House today. I support the idea of giving the Minister the option of extending the restrictions if necessary when the time comes. Certainly, we have all been through a very turbulent time. On the Order of Business earlier today, I made the point that in Limerick, as part of mental health week, they are floating white roses on the River Shannon on Friday to...

Seanad: Dyslexia Awareness Week: Statements (6 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: The Minister of State is very welcome to the House this evening to discuss this important issue. I will begin by complimenting her on the work she has done since taking over responsibility for special needs and on her contribution to special needs schools and to children with disabilities and learning difficulties, including those with dyslexia. As has been pointed out earlier, dyslexia is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Enterprise Support Services (7 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: The Minister of State is welcome to the House. He had a successful visit to the local enterprise office, LEO, in Limerick recently. When I was a member of the local authority, I served as a member of the local enterprise board, the precursor to the LEO, and saw the benefits of same to business. In recent times, however, I have become aware of the fact that the LEO mainly deals with...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Enterprise Support Services (7 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. It is welcome news that there is keen interest from the Government in that grey area. The LEOs and Enterprise Ireland are doing fantastic work. The supports, the level of support and the mentoring they give are important. However, there is a fear factor, as Minister of State said, among people who are in the middle category. They realistically do not fit...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: I rise to agree with the national neurology strategy and that we need an extra 100 neurology nurses. On Tuesday, 16 April 2019, in this Chamber I raised the issue of neurology services in regard to University Hospital Limerick as it awaited the recruitment of three or four specialist neurology nurses. On that occasion I was told such appointments were part of the national clinical programme...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: I wish to bring up two issues, one of which is the takeover of Lufthansa in Shannon by the Atlantic Aviation Group, AAG. While 300 of the staff will be subsumed into the new company, it is uncertain what will happen with the further 180 staff. I call for immediate Government intervention in regard to this. The unions are due to meet in the coming hours and I hope the Government will not be...