Results 881-900 of 2,476 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Members of the committee are probably more used to Deputy Marc MacSharry giving out about foremen. I am sure Mr. McSherry is aware of his namesake.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: As regards Mr. English's experience, the World Skills Competition has been an enormous success. In the context of the competition, but also more generally, how can more young people be encouraged into apprenticeships? I know Senator Pauline O'Reilly raised some of the issues relating to MTU.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank our guests for their responses. It might be useful to write to the Minister, Deputy Harris, and, in particular, the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, to follow up on some of the recommendations that have been made. I refer to the idea of getting young apprentices such as those who are with us today to go to primary schools and speak to students. Ms Yeates made the point that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister and acknowledge the leadership he provided on the development of the technological universities and also in getting the funding debate really out there. Even though we may have some disagreements around some of the priorities, the fact that it is back centre stage is important. I have a very specific question I will ask the Minister before moving on to other points....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I appreciate that. An issue that has been raised here with us on a number of occasions is that the funding model differs between what we might call the traditional universities and the technological universities. I do not know if the Minister can give us a commitment in terms of ensuring that in the funding model going forward, all of the higher education institutions will be placed on a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: How quickly? Can the Minister give an indication on timeframe?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The Minister is right that there are a number of costs and levers some of which are not entirely within the control of his Department. Arguably the biggest cost for students is accommodation. It is far greater than fees or anything else. I realise this is an issue between the Minister's Department and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. What measures can be put in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The Minister referred to part-time student funding. I know he has an interest in this issue. Unfortunately, many students cannot access this funding. With the rapid pace of technological change, however, we will all be required to upskill and reskill and most of those who are in employment will have to do so on a part-time basis. There are very good initiatives such as Springboard+ but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed) (24 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Ireland’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the witnesses. I congratulate Mr. Clancy on taking up his new role and I also thank Mr. Padraig Cribben, as outgoing chief executive. Mr. Cribben has been before this committee and members will have encountered him as a very effective lobbyist over a long number of years. I congratulate Mr. Clancy and Ms Kealy on their election. I did bar work as a means to fund my way through...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Ireland’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Obviously Mr. Moynihan has a very good family business in County Wicklow.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Ireland’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: To follow on from the cursory questions around the licensing laws, I am conscious of our plan to develop the night-time economy further. We are obviously going to be talking about later openings. With later openings there will be staffing requirements. I do not know what Mr. O’Keeffe’s perspective is. I get all of the other points around the sale of alcohol, but obviously...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Ireland’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Would they be able to staff them, given the current situation?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Ireland’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: A lot of those initiatives are welcome but they will be medium to long-term solutions. Part of our concern has to be this summer, particularly for the tourism product. We all know there are few pubs saying they have plenty of staff; everyone is struggling. There are things the industry can do and in our next session we will be talking with the assistant secretary of the Department. Are...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Ireland’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Will that mean that if I go into a bar this summer, I will not be hanging around waiting for long periods? I know Mr. O'Keeffe cannot give a guarantee on that but he gets my point.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Ireland’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Deputy O'Sullivan is under pressure as well. I appreciate my colleagues' co-operation. Mr. Ó Lionáin's Minister is before the Seanad dealing with another aspect of her large brief. Mr. Ó Lionáin will have heard the concerns expressed by the Licensed Vintners Association, LVA, and the Vintners' Federation of Ireland, VFI, during the previous session. He is well aware...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Ireland’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Mr. Ó Lionáin referred to a number of the issues, for example, the immediate challenge of ensuring that we have the necessary staff for this summer, but the groups also spoke about the COG's report and so on. There is also the longer term question. Has Mr. Ó Lionáin any observation to make on our dialogue with the groups?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Ireland’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I wish to ask about the night-time economy, which ties in closely with tourism and hospitality. The Minister is committed to the plan for rolling out an effective strategy for the night-time economy. Tied into the reform of licensing laws, when will we start seeing avenues for late night openings of entertainment venues, which would support our towns and cities in having even more of a...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Ireland’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (25 May 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I would appreciate that.