Results 2,301-2,320 of 2,663 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Brexit Issues: Discussion (8 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank our witnesses for their comprehensive presentations. I will try to be succinct but many issues have been covered. I echo Senator O'Reilly's point that the engagement between the Seanad and MEPs is important. I will start by referring to Mr Markey's point about enhanced ferry capacity. Unsurprisingly, of course, I will mention that it remains increasingly important to continue to...

Seanad: Right to Housing: Motion (4 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I am just in time.

Seanad: Right to Housing: Motion (4 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. Like my colleagues, I pay tribute to Senator Fitzpatrick for all the work she has put in on this issue. She has tried to do it in a way that is collaborative with others, which is important. A bit like Senator Cassells, who spoke earlier, the motion is very personal to me. It is part of the reason I...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I am in a rush because I am getting my vaccination this afternoon and that is why I need to leave. I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I have a general question on targeting advertising at children. There has been a suggestion of having Instagram for kids. Should we consider having a code that would ban advertising targeted specifically at children? Ms Twomey or Ms Walsh may...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I am sorry to interrupt. Could Ms Walsh tell us what she would like to see us do?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Ms. O'Connor, Mr. White and Mr. Irwin for their testimony and for this interesting conversation. There has been some reference to curricular reform. The witnesses will be aware the Minister, Deputy Foley, has indicated she will look at leaving certificate reform. If there was one thing the witnesses would ask in terms of leaving certificate reform to address the concerns raised...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Without naming an incident, could Mr. Irwin outline an experience he had with one of the social media companies?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Mr. Irwin might like to comment on the Carlow school experience and the social media storm there?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: We as politicians can empathise.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I will be very quick, Chair. With the Sylvia Plath reference earlier, I wish all in the White household, and everyone facing exams, the very best. I want to end in a positive note on the role of students. There are often negative connotations when talking about mental health. However, there are huge positive roles that students and young people play. I am conscious of what we see in the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Traffic Offences (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Industry (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to respond to this matter today. I fully appreciate that the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, is busy with the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, negotiations. I hope he will continue to resist calls for higher levels of convergence and that he will continue with the fight to ensure productive farms remain viable in Ireland, particularly for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Industry (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. It is not just an Irish problem, it is also a European one. However, if we are serious about addressing this issue, talking about only 2% of the direct payments envelope to be targeted at young farmers does not strike me as giving this a sufficient level of priority. The challenge we must examine relates to the question of what constitutes success. I am not...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I have been listening to some of the comments made by previous speakers. We need to give young people a break. They have endured enormous sacrifices over the past 14 months. I got quite annoyed listening to some of the finger wagging going on over the weekend, particularly from people who have been vaccinated while young people continue to have to wait. Similar to Senator Garvey, I saw it...

Seanad: Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2021: Second Stage (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. Like Senator Chambers, I was fascinated by the law of the sea as a young law student in UCD. Key to this is the commitment to multilateralism, and the law of the sea was a multilateral success. If we are going to solve some of our bigger global challenges, it must be through participation in organisations like the United Nations...

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber. He is aware St. Stephen was the first Christian martyr who in very difficult circumstances stuck to the faith, in spite of unrelenting criticism at times. In fairness, the Minister has been subject to much abuse but has stuck to delivering the programme. Many of those who criticised the Minister said we would never achieve the targets we...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Impact of Brexit on the Higher Education Sector: Discussion (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the witnesses, all of whom I know from a previous life. I thank them for their presentations today. This committee is going to make a report to Government outlining some of the challenges currently being faced by a number of sectors and also some of the opportunities. I have a few questions in which I will ask the witnesses to tell us directly what they want us to include in our...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Impact of Brexit on the Higher Education Sector: Discussion (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Mr. O'Sullivan has answered the question in respect of the need to get more students going out to different places. Can he provide specific examples of what we can do to encourage more Irish students to take up those places?

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Impact of Brexit on the Higher Education Sector: Discussion (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Which softer projects have the greatest long-term benefits and that we, as a committee, can recommend to the Government?

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I strongly support the amendment proposed by my colleague, Senator Fitzpatrick. I agree with much of Senator Boyhan's contribution, particularly on the need for expertise to be provided. Indeed, I hope that over time the LDA will have some of that expertise and offer it directly to local authorities. I hope it will provide that advice to elected members as well. Senator Pauline O'Reilly...