Results 1,581-1,600 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The bank guarantee Bill took quite a long time to pass through the Oireachtas as we often hear from Sinn Féin colleagues. They voted for it before they voted against it.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: What is the reason for the mad rush? As I said on Friday, the same applies to today, the doors of the Seanad and the Dáil are always open when we want to make cuts to the most vulnerable in society. I repeat my call. Where is the legislation from the Minister's Department and from the Departments of Justice and Equality and Finance that will help people? Why not open the doors of the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Scandinavian-type care.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It is bad, because the programme for Government says we there should be a week between Stages of Bills. We had about an hour between two Stages last Friday and there were many interruptions.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: With all due respect, this section has been badly thought through. The idea in principle is a good one, namely, that we would ask the banks to shoulder the blame but I ask her to withdraw the section for a number of reasons. The Minister was present the morning Professor Kilborn spoke at the FLAC conference which I also attended. It was one of the most enlightening speeches I ever heard on...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: There is no obligation on them to so do.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: As I understand it, while they are obliged to consider alternatives, they are not obliged to put them into place.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I have listed the flaws in the legislation. I would be grateful if someone more learned than I could find the definition of "mortgage". In the Consumer Credit Act it is defined as a housing loan, and a mortgage is just a document one signs. Perhaps it is somewhere in the social welfare legislation. Mortgage interest is defined but are the terms "mortgage" and "mortgage repayment...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I did not say that.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister should ask the person with the placard to explain the point to her.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I did not say that.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister is doing it the other way around.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: What training is being provided to staff? Who decides if an alternative repayment arrangement is not being complied with? This is an intolerable burden to be putting on the community welfare officer. I do not know how he or she will do it. He or she will have to go through all of the documentation to ensure it has been complied with. The Minister has not answered the question as to what...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: They are not the people deciding whether to grant a payment. I was referring to welfare officers.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: What the Minister describes would be achieved if there were an obligation on the financial institution, the mortgage lender, to enter into one of these alternative repayment arrangements. There is no such positive obligation. I agree they have to be nice and think about all the aspects of the case and engage with the borrower. There is an obligation on the vulnerable borrower, but not on...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Motion for Earlier Signature (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It should be noted -----

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Motion for Earlier Signature (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Cathaoirleach has a lack of experience with the Council of State and we wish him all the best in his functions. It is important to note that the Constitution provides that the President may decide to sign the Bill earlier. Should the vote be carried, the Cathaoirleach can exercise his discretion this evening.

Seanad: Business of Seanad. (30 Apr 2012)

Thomas Byrne: They should have voted some of our amendments through.

Seanad: Report of Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 May 2012)

Thomas Byrne: There are gaelscoileanna that are multidenominational.

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (2 May 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I am tempted to give up when I hear the Constitution invoked on a Fianna Fáil Private Members' Bill. The Constitution has been invoked as a reason not to accept every Bill ever introduced in this House by Fianna Fáil. It is about time that stopped. This Bill has been drafted in light, in particular, of the reference to the Supreme Court and the Employment Equality Bill in Article 26 of...