Results 1,261-1,280 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: There has been a lot of guff about equality.
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: I am on section 4. We have heard a great deal of guff today. While it is great to hear civil partnership mentioned, it has nothing to do with the measure before us. Civil partners have been dragged into the net, as they always have been under the social welfare system. Irrespective of with whom one lived and whether one was married or single, income has always been taken into account....
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: This is how the cut is being dressed up.
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: The use of the term "civil partner" and the fact that a partner's income will be taken into account when the cut takes effect do not make it a major equality initiative. It is wrong to use this argument in defence of cuts for the most vulnerable. Senator David Cullinane made a highly relevant point in this regard. Job seekers were always treated differently from other social welfare...
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: Should it not be the main spokespersons?
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: With due respect to my colleague opposite, I must insist on my colleague, Senator Paschal Mooney, being heard first.
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: I am sorry, but there is nothing personal in this.
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: The Labour Party.
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: A true gentleman.
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: Senator Mooney spoke about a philosophy. There is a philosophy here and a value judgment has been made. When higher rates were brought in for the third, fourth and subsequent children, a value judgment was made at the time that we value families who have more children. We recognised that they have extra costs that other families do not have. We also decided that it is a good idea that we...
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: Have they been brought down to â¬140?
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: What is their base rate for which the multiplier is used? Is it double the â¬140 payment?
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: If there were four children in the familyââ
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: The twins get one and a half times the payments, and the triplets get twice the payment. The Minister has confirmed that it is one and a half times and twice â¬140, regardless of how many children are in the family. Are the triplets still getting â¬167?
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: That has not changed.
- Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)
Thomas Byrne: Okay, I accept that, but that is not the information on the Department's website. If it is the case that the base rate is down to â¬140 â I will accept the Minister's confirmation, but the officials seem to be giving her contrary information â this means that a family with a single child and three triplets is down â¬31 per week. I remember the scare stories put out before that we were...
- Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jan 2012)
Thomas Byrne: All Members opposite voted for the budget.
- Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jan 2012)
Thomas Byrne: The Senator voted for the budget.
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (18 Jan 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I call for an urgent debate on the Meath-Cavan 400 kv power line. The Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, published a report yesterday by an expert group which is welcome. Many previous reports have been welcomed and discussed. The Minister proposes to discuss it with the Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture. The Seanad should discuss this in a national context as...
- Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (18 Jan 2012)
Thomas Byrne: The Minister may say one thing but the local Deputies say another in promising to sort out the issue. A year has gone by with no regional hospital or stag hunting. The pylons will not be buried and there will be no funding for groups. The Slane bypass has been cancelled. Local Deputies nevertheless argue the issues are in their hands.