Results 2,021-2,040 of 2,663 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I raise international students' health insurance. It was one of the first issues that I raised following my election to the Seanad. On 5 March 2021, I introduced a Bill specifically to deal with the issue. At the time, I was assured that the issue was being addressed. There is a problem at the Department of Justice where, as part of the visa requirements for non-EEA students who are here...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Senator Ward will take Senator O'Loughlin there for lunch afterwards.

Seanad: Report of Joint Committee on Agriculture and the Marine: Motion (16 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I join Senator Paul Daly and others in complimenting Deputy Cahill and the members of the committee he chairs on their work on the vital issue of forestry. In many ways, I will simply echo some of Senator Cahill's points. Having looked at the recommendations, while they are ambitious in certain places, they are achievable. I know from speaking to those working in the forestry sector that...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: A Safe and Respectful Working Environment in the Arts: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank all our witnesses not only for coming here and raising these issues but also for the work they have been doing in this area. Everyone around the table strongly agrees that all work environments, particularly the arts and creative industries, should be a safe and respectful as well as rewarding sector in which to work. It comes to the point raised about the power imbalance, which is...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: A Safe and Respectful Working Environment in the Arts: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Does anyone want to take the online issue, which relates to legislation we are dealing with directly?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: A Safe and Respectful Working Environment in the Arts: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I have an observation. Often when these issues come up and we discuss them in here or even within wider society and, as Ms Meaney said, it is not just exclusively in the arts, it is predominantly female voices that we hear. I noticed that all of our witnesses today are female. Sometimes, I have to admit, there is fear often on the part of men about talking about some of these issues. I am...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities in Arts and Culture: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank all of the witnesses who have come here today. I was struck by Ms McLaughlin's very visual description because it made me think about walking into the National Gallery and concentrating on the paintings. Could she let us know what we, as legislators, can do to make the arts more accessible? There is a role for the Arts Council regarding venues, but I am interested in hearing if...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities in Arts and Culture: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Did anyone wish to comment on the issue of festivals?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I join with Senator O'Loughlin. I have called in this House before for a debate on the future funding of higher education. We are no further along that track. While the announcement is welcome that will result in the reduction of fees for students at third level, it cannot be at the expense of core funding for higher education institutions. We need clarity on the future funding of those...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, into the House. I agree with Senator Higgins with regard to the public transport provisions. I am aware of the measure introduced by the Minister for reduced fares for younger people, which is very welcome, but it should go further. It represents a good start. I agree with Senator Higgins that if we introduce a 20% reduction in the cost of public...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: It is good to see Senator Pauline O’Reilly in the Deputy Leader’s chair. I look forward to hearing her response to the Order of Business. I raise the question of the Winter Olympics, which are to open in Beijing tomorrow. They will be the most shameful Olympic Games to have taken place since those in Berlin in 1936. We all know about the ongoing human rights abuses in China,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Information and Communications Technology (2 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, for coming before the House to take this matter. He is aware we are in the middle of a period of radical technological transformation, where we are seeing a convergence of a range of new technologies from artificial intelligence to blockchain to 6G and the Internet of things. Today I want to talk about the metaverse, an augmented and virtual...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Information and Communications Technology (2 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I hope that will be the case, although the evidence to date suggests it will not. Yesterday I spoke about the approach of the Central Bank, for example, to fintech and financial services companies. We saw the decision by Revolut to move its operations to Lithuania.Many fintech companies do not believe that the regulatory sandbox that is required to allow these companies to start is being...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I listened to the contributions of Senators Norris and O'Loughlin and they spoke about Joyce in Irish literature and how international Joyce is. We heard discussions about Zurick, Trieste and Paris. It is worth noting that Joyce was a UCD graduate and that the Museum of Literature Ireland, MoLi, as part of UCD has programme plans for this year, including an interactive programme that needs...

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. As colleagues have said, none of us necessarily wants to be having this debate but I commend the Fine Gael group on putting forward the motion. It is an issue that has been raised in a cross-party way across the House. I commend the Minister and his officials on the efforts they have been making to address this. It is important to put on the record our...

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I could be outdoing Senator Mullen in no time. These were all periods of suffering. It seems that the approach of the Department of Foreign Affairs when it comes to first-time applications is that you are going to have to wait for 40 days and 40 nights before you have any chance of your passport being processed. If people think about it, that is 40 working days. We are talking about three...

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: In a future coalition arrangement, perhaps.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh a athair freisin. Guím beannachtaí na Féile Bríde oraibh go léir. Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis an Seanadóir O'Loughlin freisin agus í ag feidhmiú mar Cheannaire Gníomhach. I congratulate Senator O'Loughlin on the fact that it is her...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Feb 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I am just glad Senator Craughwell did not have to fight the Russians.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I echo the calls of Senators Chambers, McDowell and others for the debate on our Defence Forces. What is happening at the moment exposes the fact that Ireland on its own cannot deal with this. I agree with comments made by Senator Craughwell and others that this is not a neutral country. We are a non-aligned country and I am very proud that we...