Results 5,841-5,860 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: What is the difference?

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 6:In page 10, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “ “Representative” means a person or an organisation appointed by the competent bodies in order to assist and represent an unaccompanied minor in procedures provided for in Article 2(n) of the Asylum Procedures Directive 2013/32EU with a view to ensuring the best interests of the child...

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: On amendment No. 143, the language is self-explanatory. It requires that the interview be conducted in a child-appropriate manner and that the officer conducting the interview should have expertise in communicating with children to ensure the child's voice is heard and considered in line with his age, maturity and capacity. The amendment speaks for itself. Is the Minister of State going to...

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Is é an pointe ordaithe atá agam ná go bhfuil gach rud trína chéile ag an Roinn anseo inniu. Everything is shambolic in this debate. The Department has had no Secretary General for several months if not a year. The manner in which this matter-----

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: We have had to suspend the sitting for 20 minutes to try to get some order on proceedings.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: The legislation has been changed substantially in the past two weeks.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: It is very difficult for anyone, even the Minister of State, to keep up with what is going on. This debate must be suspended in order that we can have a proper debate about very vulnerable people.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: We should not rush something through in order that a political coup can be claimed.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: We are obliged to study and examine this legislation carefully, but that is not being done. As the Leas-Chathaoirleach will know, the Department does not know what it is doing at this stage and it is unfair to be putting legislation before us.

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: The debate is a shambles.

Seanad: Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Dec 2015)

Thomas Byrne: It is unlikely that I will use up the time I have been allowed. The Minister has given a reasonable explanation of what is intended by this Bill. The health insurance market could do with a major overhaul but perhaps that is not the business of today. We are supporting the Bill. This type of legislation seems to arrive at this point every legislative year. The measures seem designed to...

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I compliment the Minister on one thing: his speech was astonishing in its brevity. It was one of the shortest speeches ever made by a Minister to the Seanad and did not reflect the seriousness of the issue or the approach that needed to be adopted. The Minister used a considerable portion of his time in making such a short speech on this serious issue to attack the Opposition and he...

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Thomas Byrne: There has been no personal attack.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Thomas Byrne: The Opposition is very determined. It is determined to ensure this Government does what it was elected to do, that is, to sort out the problems in accident and emergency departments, make life better for patients and not allow nonagenarians - people in their 90s - or, as happened three years ago, a woman in her 100s, to be left on trolleys for hours or more than one day. The Minister has...

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, the Order of Business from this morning allows 40 minutes for debate and we have not exhausted that time.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Perhaps the Acting Chairman could use that wriggle room to allow other Members to speak and we could hear the Minister's response as well.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Thomas Byrne: The order has already been breached in allowing the debate go past 5.40 p.m. so with that in mind, perhaps the Acting Chairman could allow colleagues to speak.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Thomas Byrne: We need a nod from the Minister.

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (26 Nov 2015)

Thomas Byrne: It is well organised by the Opposition.