Results 2,381-2,400 of 2,476 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Services (5 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I echo the remarks of the Senator. Much as this is an issue in Clare, it is also an issue in counties Wexford, Kilkenny and Carlow. This is not just an environmental concern. Dealing with this issue could revitalise our rural communities and villages. We have a planning issue whereby many people are being told they cannot have one-off housing, but we should at least allow them to live in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Services (5 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. I know he is personally very committed to this issue. This needs to be aligned with the Government's remote working strategy because it has the potential to solve many of the challenges we face. I ask that, as soon as these reports are published, they be made available. A fuller debate in the House might be facilitated at that stage.

Seanad: Ábhair Ghnó an tSeanaid - Matters on the Business of the Seanad (5 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: The Leader will be aware that I regularly raise the question about the social media giants, how they control ever more aspects of our lives and how they respond to consumer behaviour.I note that this morning WhatsApp introduced a feature that will make messages disappear after seven days. Given recent events, this is a clear indication that WhatsApp is responding to consumer behaviour. I...

Seanad: Biodiversity: Motion (5 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Like my colleagues and others in the House, I strongly support this motion. The Government needs to be ambitious. The programme for Government sets out a certain level of ambition that does not fall only on the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, even though I am certain she is more than capable of leading the charge, but on the entire Government and all Departments. It falls on all of us...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Departmental Priorities and Effects of Covid-19: Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media (4 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: The personal commitment and interests of both Ministers in these very broad fields is very evident. We could pick even one of these and spend hours discussing it. I hope to put a number of groups of questions together but I will see how many I can get through in the time available. Specifically with regard to questions around the arts, culture and media, I will pose a number of direct...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Departmental Priorities and Effects of Covid-19: Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media (4 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: There is a also a plan for a digital services Act at EU level on regulating online platforms. I agree with the Minister that the scale of what we will be considering in the online safety and media regulation Bill and the other legislation will be considerable. I flag capacity concerns for Ireland Inc. regarding how will be able to address that. Returning to the tourism sector, regarding...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Departmental Priorities and Effects of Covid-19: Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media (4 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I asked about the tourism recovery oversight group.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Departmental Priorities and Effects of Covid-19: Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media (4 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: The Minister and the Deputy could do a duet.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for attending to debate this urgent legislation. I share the views of colleagues that a number of Bills have been rushed through the House, some unnecessarily so. In this case, however, it is welcome. The Minister is deeply committed. I have known him a long time. He is willing to listen on all of these issues and I am sure he will listen to the concerns expressed on...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House. It is a pity, in many ways, this Bill must be introduced because the overwhelming majority of citizens in the State are trying to do the right thing. We need to acknowledge that fact in this debate. It is a pity we cannot legislate to address stupidity but some people are blatantly seeking to disregard the public health guidelines...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: That is not happening in reality.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Now.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I am happy to state that I am in support of the amendment and proposal from Senator Ward. Senator McDowell is correct. We all know the import of this Bill and what it is trying to achieve, but there is no point in sending gardaí out with a ham-fisted piece of legislation. Senator Ward's proposal is a perfectly reasonable one that will give the necessary powers. As Senator Conway...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Is it possible to propose an adjournment for two minutes to allow the Minister of State to-----

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I realise the difficulty the Minister of State is in and I have proposed adjourning for a couple of minutes to allow him to have appropriate discussions on this. I appreciate the pressure the Minister of State is under but there is no point in the House passing dog's dinner legislation, to use the phrase being used all day. I am in support of the proposals of Senator Ward.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I propose that we adjourn for three minutes.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: As the Minister of State knows, Ireland has one of the poorest rates of modern European language take-up in Europe. While much of this might be explained by the fact that we use English, that, in itself, does not excuse the fact we have not been able to embed a knowledge of European languages. Employers regularly cite the lack of language skills as a major problem in the Irish workforce....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. Merci beaucoup.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (22 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I welcome the fact that there has been some progress made but many of these, as the Minister says, are in the pipeline. The difficulty is it represents a challenge for schools. In terms of addressing some of the issues around native speakers who may be able to assist, that is something that will be important. I understand what the Minister of State is saying about the NCCA and the primary...