Results 61-80 of 1,889 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Leaving Certificate 2020: Statements (8 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I join Senator Murphy and others in praising the Minister for how she has handled a very difficult situation and for doing it with transparency. At all times she put the student at the heart of the process. We must always ask of the Minister for Education and Skills that he or she is always thinking of the students. This is a discussion on leaving certificate 2020 and the decision to use a...

Seanad: Ireland-China Relations: Motion (8 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to address this issue. The Fianna Fáil Seanad group strongly supports the motion tabled by Senator Mullen. I certainly agree with the sentiment of the Minister of State that our foreign policy is pro-human rights and not anti-China and we want to develop strong and positive relations with China but the approach of the Chinese...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Minister with responsibility for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (8 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for their work to date. More broadly, I thank the further and education sector, which has responded in innovative ways to this crisis, in particular, as the Minister has addressed, to provide 424 places in a very short time and to overcome the difficulties involved in that. I thank the Minister for the announcement of the multi-annual...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Minister with responsibility for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (8 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I will be grateful if the Minister keeps me informed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Minister with responsibility for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (8 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: An urgency is involved, particularly for those who are affected by both of those issues.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Minister with responsibility for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (8 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: There was some discussion of Brexit, which presents an opportunity for the further and higher education space. My colleague, Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan, raised the issue of Erasmus+. Given that it is intended that the Erasmus+ budget will increase by 55%, that presents a major opportunity for Ireland. A campaign is needed here to encourage Irish students to take up Erasmus+ in much...

Seanad: Budget 2021: Statements (14 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, for coming in here. I echo the comments of Senator Cassells on the budget, in particular in terms of how it sets out the direction that this Government wants to travel. It was a very clear budget about investing in public services. It was also a very clear budget when it came to supporting small business and for the State to play its role in...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Business of Joint Committee (14 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Ms Dorgan and her team in the NCFA for their work, as well as arts organisations over this difficult period. The arts organisations, along with community and sports groups, are taking us through this period. We will come through it. The role of the arts task force, established by the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, is to see us through this period. One of the challenges,...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Business of Joint Committee (14 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Insurance reform has a particular impact on the arts sector. Can this committee explore specific measures?

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Business of Joint Committee (14 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: One of Ms Dorgan's colleagues might like to comment. Shortly after that task force presents its report to the Minister, we might ask the task force to make a presentation to this committee to discuss it. I agree with Ms Dorgan about its importance.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Yesterday evening, we in the Gorey local electoral area in County Wexford discovered, having had a very low rate of Covid-19 infection, that we rocketed up to have one of the highest on the island. We now have an incident rate of about 533.8 per 100,000, which shows how contagious the virus is so people are worried and frightened. For any community where there is a sudden upsurge it causes...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: As the Minister of State knows, Ireland has one of the poorest rates of modern European language take-up in Europe. While much of this might be explained by the fact that we use English, that, in itself, does not excuse the fact we have not been able to embed a knowledge of European languages. Employers regularly cite the lack of language skills as a major problem in the Irish workforce....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. Merci beaucoup.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I welcome the fact that there has been some progress made but many of these, as the Minister says, are in the pipeline. The difficulty is it represents a challenge for schools. In terms of addressing some of the issues around native speakers who may be able to assist, that is something that will be important. I understand what the Minister of State is saying about the NCCA and the primary...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I appreciate that.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: This is not only about languages. It is about understanding cultures. This is a way of breaking down barriers, and also tackling racism which these Houses have a particular concern about. I welcome the Minister of State's personal commitment on this. The Government is committed to addressing these concerns. While I note that there is some progress, we have to be far more ambitious. In...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: In these Houses as well.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I agree with Senator Wall about us finally recognising the men of Jadotville. Members in both Houses have previously raised this matter. We should not allow it to be repeatedly discussed and raised here, as there is cross-party consensus. As Senator Wall mentioned local authorities, I note that two former members of the Army, Councillor Joe Malone in Kilkenny and Councillor Gary Laffan in...

Seanad: Electoral (Civil Society Freedom)(Amendment) Bill 2019: Second Stage (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Like others have done, I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is always good to have two Malcolms in a Chamber at the one time.I, like others, thank Senators Ruane and Higgins for bringing this discussion to the floor. The discussion this evening and the contributions from everybody are core to our democracy. These discussions are important and, as others, including Senator...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for attending to debate this urgent legislation. I share the views of colleagues that a number of Bills have been rushed through the House, some unnecessarily so. In this case, however, it is welcome. The Minister is deeply committed. I have known him a long time. He is willing to listen on all of these issues and I am sure he will listen to the concerns expressed on...