Results 4,701-4,720 of 9,820 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Little old ladies getting their inheritance before they die is not fraud. They are afraid of their lives.

Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Solidarity-PBP for bringing forward this legislation. It is a welcome reminder of the need to do something about this issue. While I agree that there is an issue there that must be solved, Fianna Fáil cannot, unfortunately, support the Bill because, like a great deal of what Solidarity-PBP produces, it goes way too far. By going to the heart of the ethos of a school, whether...

Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: It is not spurious. The point is that it is not simply a question of religion, but one of ethos and spirit and what a school is known to prioritise. Some schools prioritise rugby. It was not so in my school, but there are others which do it.

Equal Participation in Schools Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Other schools prioritise Gaelic football. That is part of it. This is not simply about religious ethos. While I accept that there is an issue here which must be solved and while I cannot support the Solidarity-PBP Bill, neither can Fianna Fáil support the Minister's amendment for the simple reason that we have already had hearings in the Oireachtas committee and a public consultation....

Topical Issue Debate: Occupational Therapy (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Tá mé lán-sásta gur thug an Ceann Comhairle an deis dom an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a lua ar an Athló inniu. I am very grateful to the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue. It is an issue that affects families in County Meath to an extraordinary degree. I have been contacted by parents who cannot get occupational therapy for their...

Topical Issue Debate: Occupational Therapy (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his response but it is not sufficient. His waiting list figures are wrong. The person who spoke to me pointed out that a part-time OT has a responsibility to see eight new cases per month. There are 350 children waiting to be seen. Simple mathematics shows that it takes four and a half years for a child on that list to be seen. The Minister of State says...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Skills and Apprenticeship Schemes: Discussion (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Mr. Smith for his comments. The Chairman is correct that bogus self-employment is not the subject of today's discussion. Nevertheless, Mr. Smith hit the nail on the head in respect of apprenticeships and I will take his point on board. Reading the submission from the Irish Hotels Federation, is it the case that it can take an eternity to develop an apprenticeship. What are the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Money is being spent on education and training, which is important. What is the position in regard to emphasising apprenticeships and traineeships at post-school level as opposed to PLC courses and general types of further education? Is there a plan there? Has the Minister set out any kind of a strategy on this?

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I know we will be having a full discussion about this later, and obviously it is part of this brief, grants to SOLAS, etc., but is the call for apprenticeships basically a matter of asking businesses or otherwise to come up with ideas for new categories of apprenticeship?

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: This is obviously a key issue for third level funding. Subhead C4 addresses the general grant to the universities, the institutes of technology and other institutes of higher education. Could the Minister comment on the fact that this money is totally insufficient in terms of educating our young people? Is he satisfied with that and with the drop in the international rankings that has...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: It has been reported in the newspapers that the Minister has agreed to buy the greyhound track at Harold's Cross for approximately €23 million, or perhaps up to €28 million. I do not expect the Minister to talk about individual transactions, although if he can, all the better, because it is a lot of money. I want to make clear that we support the provision of schools and we...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister said the cost is one twentieth of the budget. Is that for this transaction on its own?

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: That transaction is more than €20 million, according to newspaper reports.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Is that transaction on its own going to double the land costs within the Department?

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: One twentieth is about €25 million.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: This relates to the need for schools in Dublin city.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I want to ask generally about the capital programme. When the Department provides a new school for an existing national or voluntary school that is in the ownership of a patron, what happens the ownership of the old school building or old school site if the original school has moved on? Is that something the Department takes an interest in or is it just left to the patron body to do what it...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: What about the deal done to take over the old property of the school?

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: I heard of a case - I will not name the school because it is just talk - where one school is getting a new building on a new site. The rumour is that a hotel is moving in, although I cannot verify that. There should be some programme in the Department to examine this matter, because they all have a value. It would seem to me that if the Minister is providing a new school and a new site, as...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017 (Resumed)
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (16 May 2017)

Thomas Byrne: Is it the case that a patron could profit from the Department of Education and Skills providing a new school building on a new site, if the Department is buying the site?