Results 1,921-1,940 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Social Protection: Statements (Resumed) (18 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I agree with the Senator. In fact, I agree with every point she has made.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Staffing (18 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Tá mé buíoch den Chathaoirleach as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar seo a lua ar an Athló anocht. I raise the Department?s current position on the allocation of teachers to Ratoath junior national school. An unprecedented number of parents have been in touch with my colleague in Ratoath, Councillor Nick Killian, and a number of parents have been in touch with me. They are...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Staffing (18 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister of State might bring to the attention of the Minister for Education and Skills and the appeal board that the figures indicated in the reply on pupil numbers are not those I was given by the principal this morning. I hope the Department has the correct figures. I will check the position immediately with the school. My child started school this year in the junior infants? class...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I will use two phrases in respect of No. 2, namely, "We told you so" and "Here we go again". This pertains to the Smithwick tribunal, where the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, came in like the new sheriff in town and cut short the tribunal. This is the second or perhaps the third time he has come back subsequently to lengthen the term of the tribunal to allow it to do its...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: ----- when he first came into office. However, he appears to have learned his lesson and appears to have copped on. It has been more than six months since An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for the children's hospital. An independent report was to be undertaken by the Government and subsequently by Mr. Dolphin. At the time, people were promised the report would be drawn up...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Senator's party colleague, the present Minister for Health, agreed with the Mater Hospital site.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The aforementioned Minister decided to go ahead with the Mater Hospital site. In July, Members were told this would be financed through the sale of the national lottery. Yesterday, one learned that not only was the Dolphin report extant but that apparently, there also was a Labour Party report. Subsequently, one learned that Mr. John Fitzgerald had been asked to review the sites in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Yes, but the Minister was informed of that by the judge and did not inform the Seanad at the time.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It was not revealed to the Seanad when the Minister came into the House to discuss the Smithwick tribunal.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: If the Senator had taken that view when in opposition the hospital would be up and running now.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Yes.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I second the amendment. It is a very important issue and it should be supported.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I second this amendment in the strongest possible terms. The Government proposes to hand-pick an individual and I must note this debate is not about the individual person but about the principle itself. He could be the saviour of the health service for all one knows. However, the point is one will not know that unless there is an open recruitment process. In its programme for Government,...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: On openness and transparency.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I hope the Minister can provide many examples and precedents for what he is doing now.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: It is just gas. We are reforming the health service and we have a Bill which is a carbon copy of what was there before. One word is different in the Minister's Bill and he has decided to go back to the way it was before. Just in case we might change anything, we had better keep the exact wording. This emphasises the point that this is a sham. There is no reality to what is going on here....

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I am opposing it to make the point that changes-----

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Is there scope for rationalisation of all these organisations? They all do tremendous work but there are many of them and it is an inefficient way to run the health service. I acknowledge this is the way it has built up over many years and we will take the flak for that. Many of them are charities. They do outstanding work and run their own separate fund raisers. There seems to be a...