Results 921-940 of 2,805 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for his comprehensive response. In particular I welcome the clear commitment that from the third quarter of this year, all children and young people newly admitted to care will have a multidisciplinary assessment and care plan completed. It is not only important that a care plan is completed but also that it is implemented and that the supports are put in place. Coming...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The State agriculture research agency, Teagasc, recently reported that among farm families in Wexford, Wicklow and Carlow, the average age of a farmer is now 56.6 years. This is slightly younger than the national average, but it points to the continuing challenge of the ageing profile of those within our farm communities. I have raised on a number of occasions in this House the question of...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I welcome this Bill which will establish a much-needed electoral commission. I also support the lowering of the voting age to 16 and we can do that as part of this legislation for the local and European elections in 2024. The leadership shown by young people, particularly in the Irish Second-Level Students Union, on the leaving certificate and...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The last county to become a county in Ireland was Wicklow in 1606. The reason was that the British were trying to design it as a shire but three families, the O'Tooles, the O'Kavanaghs and the O'Byrnes all rebelled to delay the process. Therefore, if we are to design it around the original county boundaries it should perhaps be around the O’Byrne lands which stretched from Wicklow...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: In a modern context we need to look at what makes sense from a geographical point of view and that may not necessarily be around the county boundaries.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Departmental Priorities and Legislation: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Yes. It has an impact, particularly given the shortage of hotel accommodation. We also need to look at the registration of short-term lettings.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Insurance Coverage (22 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I am always happy to see the Minister of State in the House but I am disappointed because I tabled this matter for the Department of Justice and it was transferred to the Department of Health. In December last, I tabled the exact same Commencement matter. Before I list chronologically some of the delays and problems around this, I will refer to the Minister of State's response to my...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Insurance Coverage (22 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I seek the guidance of the Acting Chairperson. Is it possible for me to withdraw my Commencement matter? With all due respect to the Minister of State, and I am not criticising him personally, his reply is the exact same as the one he gave me last December. I know that because I compared the reply the contents of the two replies and they are almost word for word. I am not satisfied with...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Insurance Coverage (22 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: On a point of order, normally one cannot resubmit a Commencement matter. As today's Commencement matter was answered by the Department of Health, can I submit the same Commencement matter but insist that the Minister for Justice answers?

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Insurance Coverage (22 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Acting Chairperson.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Like the Cathaoirleach and the Leader, I am glad to welcome the ambassador of Slovenia to the House. His country is one of Europe's hidden tourism gems.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I have had the joy of visiting Ljubljana, Bled, the caves at Postojna and Škocjan and some of the other areas. It really is a beautiful country and I encourage Members to travel there if they get the opportunity. I wish Slovenians a very happy national day. I raise the proposal by the British Government to introduce a new bill of rights.My concern is that, as the Leader will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State and the witnesses for attending the meeting. To echo Deputy Ó Laoghaire's point, while it is welcome that the accreditation issue is being addressed, the sooner it is resolved the better. As the Minister of State will understand, if people are entering into a course or programme of study, they would like some certainty as to the nature of the award and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I appreciate the Minister of State may not necessarily be able to get into the details of the SNA contract negotiations. She referred to the specialised nature of the work and we all appreciate the work SNAs do. As the Minister of State herself said, those students with special educational needs in many cases would not survive without the support of SNAs. One thing that is important as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: That is critical. I am conscious that the new system of post allocation that is planned is based on current student needs and a range of criteria, and it is for a two to three-year period. My question relates to new schools for rapidly-expanding schools where a significant number of new students are enrolled within the school at any one time. This can be in areas of high population growth...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank all the witnesses for their evidence. Something I find strange from an educational perspective is commencing a course without formal accreditation being sorted in advance. Any learner entering a course should know the level of accreditation. I am entirely in agreement with the witnesses on many of their concerns and I hope this matter is expedited. I share the concerns of...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Second Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I welcome the Minister and thank him and his officials for the work that has gone into this comprehensive legislation. In a previous role, I was familiar with some of the background work involved. The Bill aims to replace the Higher Education Authority Act 1971. The HEA was established three years prior to that. The Minister referred to how our higher education system had transformed...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: We all are very much aware of ongoing brutality of Putin's war on Ukraine. The fact the European Union has stood so strongly together in introducing a range of sanctions is something to be welcomed. However, it is a matter of concern there a significant number of companies continue to do business in Russia and indeed with Putin's regime. The Yale School of Management has conducted an...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: There is a little bit of déjà vuon this issue because the Minister of State and I discussed it in the Chamber in detail on several occasions, most famously during the Commencement debate in May 2021. It is the case that what is proposed here is quite reasonable. I am minded, on the basis of the commitment I received from the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, that this will be a...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank our witnesses. We have engaged with quite a number of them on different issues over the past year. All of us are interested in having a well-respected, good value tourism industry. I would echo many of Deputy O'Sullivan's concerns. Members of this committee, within our own parliamentary parties and elsewhere, went out on a limb during the Covid period and made specific arguments...