Results 821-840 of 2,476 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I have a degree of sympathy with the amendments tabled by Senator Higgins and the whole question in respect of section 46J. The intention is clear but it will be a matter of interpretation. The difficulty with the section relates to the specific language that, "A broadcaster shall not broadcast ... [or] make available in a catalogue ... anything which may reasonably be regarded as causing...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and the Minister. I was keen to hear the Minister’s response before making my contribution. Again, this relates to the principle or language around this and it is important that we have something that reflects this in the legislation. My concern is around when we talk about the broader media environment and how we can effectively regulate what is...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I move amendment No. 96: In page 50, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “(c) where programmes of a political nature are broadcast, that regard shall be had to the size of the political party or grouping by measurement of representation in the Oireachtas or results at elections in the preceding five years, in the allocation of time for such programmes.”.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I agree with the Minister. What is in section 46L comprehensively covers what is suggested in the amendment. If we should look at anything as having a chilling effect on broadcasting, I suggest it is probably more the defamation laws than anything else. It should be noted that no party leader or Government Minister is currently suing the broadcaster under the defamation laws. It is the...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I echo the comments of my colleagues. This underpins the reason we need a statutory broadcasting committee to be established. As the Leas-Chathaoirleach will recall, he ruled out of order my proposed amendment in that regard but this does speak to why some of those specific issues in respect of broadcasting need to be addressed. Having that statutory broadcasting committee within the...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I move amendment No. 100: In page 51, to delete lines 14 to 21.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I agree with the principle that we need to gambling control legislation. The House will recall that during the first session on this Bill my colleague, Senator Cassells, spoke with a good degree of passion around how we need to regulate that space, in particular around how there has to be close co-operation between the commission and gambling regulator. It is about more than advertising. I...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The value of the product goes way down.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I will speak to amendment No. 128. This is not entirely clear to me. The Bill states that provision may be made for the purpose that may prohibit the inclusion in programmes of commercial communications related to trans-fats, fats, salts and sugars. If I am reading the amendment correctly, it proposes changing this so it shall be restricted. I am not sure about this. I might get guidance...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The Acting Leader will be aware that today is International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. We have made enormous progress in tackling homophobia. It was particularly welcome to hear overnight of Blackpool's Jake Daniels becoming the first professional football player in England to come out in 32 years. It was a very brave move, given the context. He is a young man who...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Is the Senator referring to the Green Party or to the barracks?

Seanad: Regulation of Display of Electoral and Polling Posters and Other Advertisements Bill 2022: Second Stage (17 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit chuig an Seanad. I, too, commend Senators Pauline O'Reilly and Garvey on bringing forward this important debate about the future of our democracy. I have sympathy with many of the points that have been made, including some of those excellently advanced by Senator Ward, because although everyone gets tired of seeing places festooned with posters,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (18 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: One of the big successes in Irish society has been the rapid expansion of higher education in recent decades. It has gone from where we had one in five of those aged between 18 and 28 in 1980 going on to higher education to now having more than three in five, with many others going into apprenticeships and further education and training. It has become much more accessible. Even in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (18 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I appreciate that it is not his portfolio, but the commitment is welcome. It is notable that, as he said, the €307 million the Minister has referred to is about addressing current challenges around core funding, rather than dealing with future challenges. That is why it is essential that if the additional places in further and higher...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I will raise three issues. I welcome the three-year strategy on research and development announced this morning by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris. It is a comprehensive document. It places greater emphasis on interdisciplinarity in research and refers to how we need to learn from the experience of Covid-19. The Minister is...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Elimination of Abuse Directed Toward Referees, Officials, and Players in Sport: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank all our guests. I join members in congratulating Dr. May on her role and wish her the best. It is important in this discussion to acknowledge the good work that is being done and that many of the NGBs are trying their best. The IRFU was mentioned as an example, but I think about some of the smaller codes. Cricket Ireland has done enormous amounts about inclusivity. That all needs...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Elimination of Abuse Directed Toward Referees, Officials, and Players in Sport: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Maybe I should phrase it differently. Does Ms O'Connor believe that social media companies are taking the issue of online abuse sufficiently seriously?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Elimination of Abuse Directed Toward Referees, Officials, and Players in Sport: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: That reflects our experience in talking to people. The social media companies are not taking this issue, or the issue of online abuse in general, sufficiently seriously. That brings me to the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022, which is before us in the Seanad. We have concerns that the Department is not taking this issue sufficiently seriously. Mr. Ó Lionáin is...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Elimination of Abuse Directed Toward Referees, Officials, and Players in Sport: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I appreciate that Mr. Ó Lionáin cannot speak for the Department, but we cannot have one section of the Department operating in a space where it is not listening to the concerns being expressed by NGBs, the Federation of Irish Sport, sports stars and ordinary volunteers. We have heard from Ms O'Connor that the social media companies are not responding to this problem. I cannot...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Creative Europe Programme 2021-2027: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Ms McGrane and all of the panel. I have two general policy questions. One relates to the development of Creative Europe post Brexit, with the UK having decided to no longer take part in this programme. There is substantial collaboration between Irish artists in the creative industry here and artists in the UK. Where do the witnesses see co-operation developing? How can we ensure...