Results 861-880 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: They told sick people-----

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I supported the national cancer strategy.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The emphasis is on people getting better and improving cancer services in this country but the Government is no longer supporting the strategy. I fully supported the strategy although I lost services in my own area. There is no problem in that regard.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister for Health needs to come to the House because there are sick people who are upset because of the sick promises that were made to them by individual Senators. The Minister must be held accountable. He came to the House to discuss the female genital mutilation Bill - important legislation that had cross-party agreement - but he refuses to come to the Seanad to discuss the issues...

Seanad: Reporting of Lobbying in Criminal Legal Cases Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I regret to state this, but methinks the Minister of State doth protest too much. She thought it was appropriate to give a character reference to a rapist, a disgraceful exercise which most of us assumed was already illegal. There is no doubt there are flaws in Senator Crown's Bill but the humiliation the Minister of State heaped upon him in her attacking statement, belittling a Private...

Seanad: Reporting of Lobbying in Criminal Legal Cases Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: It was withdrawn by Senator Leyden because the Minister indicated it would be opposed. Many of the Minister of State's colleagues were in favour of the Family Home Bill. Senator Crown has identified a very serious issue but unfortunately the Minister of State concentrated only on two aspects of the Bill, which are contact with the Garda Síochána and the Office of the DPP. I assumed it was...

Seanad: Reporting of Lobbying in Criminal Legal Cases Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I doubt very much that the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, gave the speech huge thought because she is not the type of person to state such things and I acknowledge this. However, it is open to me to criticise her for past actions when she speaks on this matter because many of us would never have done what she did. The Bill has many flaws but this side of the House is willing to support it...

Seanad: Reporting of Lobbying in Criminal Legal Cases Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: We were still at school then. Times have changed.

Seanad: Reporting of Lobbying in Criminal Legal Cases Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: That is what the Government says about every Bill brought forward.

Seanad: Reporting of Lobbying in Criminal Legal Cases Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: It says that every single Bill is unconstitutional. We have a world record for unconstitutionality.

Seanad: Reporting of Lobbying in Criminal Legal Cases Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: We were stating the facts.

Seanad: Reporting of Lobbying in Criminal Legal Cases Bill 2011: Second Stage (21 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: That is all they spoke about during the debate.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I welcome all the tourists and golfers who will visit County Meath this weekend for the Solheim Cup, which is a major boost for the country, the county, ladies' golf and ladies' sport in general. They are very welcome, as is the financial boost the competition will bring. I would like the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to investigate the terms "constitutional" and "unconstitutional"....

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: It is not appropriate that every time a piece of legislation is introduced by the Opposition, Senators and Ministers say, "Sorry, but it is unconstitutional". They do not know whether it is unconstitutional. Very often when such statements are made, no arguments, case law or precedents are put forward. They are simply used to rubbish legislation proposed by the Opposition. If the...

Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Contrary to what the Minister of State says, this Bill has not been introduced at short notice; we had to wait a couple of months for it. There are no explanatory memoranda with it, which is a new departure. While it is crucial we read the exact text of Bills, the explanatory memoranda are a help to legislators to give them an overview. We are indebted to the Oireachtas Library and...

Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister of State is making a serious contribution to the debate and on that basis, and also that all Stages are being held on the same day, a quorum should be called. Notice taken that 12 Members were not present; House counted and 12 Members being present,

Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Certain Government Senators were disquieted by my quorum call. We will continue to call quorums until the Government adheres to its commitment in the programme for Government to deal with the problem of legislation being shunted through at high speed and to ensure that Standing Orders provide a minimum of two weeks between each Stage of a Bill except in exceptional circumstances....

Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: We did not borrow for it.

Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Taoiseach should be told to telephone Angela Merkel; he has not done so.

Seanad: European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Thomas Byrne: That was the Labour Party's policy before the election.