Results 5,981-6,000 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh agus fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I am glad to see the Minister of State here again today. She is certainly a regular visitor to the Seanad. We recognise, as I am sure everyone does, the fact that 18.5% of the population has some level of disability. Fianna Fáil has always, and one can say the same for most parties, demonstrated a strong...

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I am delighted to see the Minister of State consulting her official rather than being stuck to her iPhone as some Ministers are when they come to the House. This is a very serious issue and the reduction in the service has only come to light in the past week. The way the HSE has dealt with the parents concerned is dreadful. These are very vulnerable families who badly need this care in...

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Senator Conway would want to do something before the general election if he wants-----

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: The issue I raised is with the Minister of State's Department, the Department of Health.

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: It might be in the future but at the moment it is with the Department of Health and the HSE.

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I disagree. It is funded by the Department of Health and the HSE.

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: And administered by them.

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of information, the only reason I raised this issue was that it is the Minister of State's responsibility.

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: When I raised the matter on the Commencement, it was the Minister of State who was in attendance and not the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Does the Minister have a view on my question? I asked about the 25% cut that has been implemented.

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Fair enough.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Wind Energy Guidelines (26 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit ach bhí mé ag súil leis an Aire Ó Ceallaigh. I was hoping the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government would be in attendance but the Minister of State is attached to the Department, which is fair enough. This is an important issue in respect of the guidelines with which An Bord Pleanála will have to...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Wind Energy Guidelines (26 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: There is no question but that the Minister of State's reply is extremely disappointing. We have moved on from a nod and a wink being given to wind farm developers to it being stated absolutely explicitly that the existing guidelines apply to those applications which are with An Bord Pleanála. This will come as a shock to some Fine Gael Deputies who earlier today informed us that the...

Seanad: National Drugs Strategy: Statements (26 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I wish the Minister of State all the best in his new role, which involves responsibility for drugs. However, given the delivery of his 16-page speech and the fact it was printed beforehand, he might as well have posted it out to us and we could have read it at our leisure. I did not see the fire and passion we need and which, in fairness, the Minister of State shows in many other areas. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I ask the advice of the Deputy Leader on this matter. Yesterday, the Government announced the so-called end of the bank veto. It remains to be seen what will be in the Government's legislation in that regard. We hope that it does mean the bank veto will be ended and that the Government means what it says. When the Personal Insolvency Bill was going through this House there was a good...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Members who supported the legislation at the time or who accepted the then Minister's word that there was no bank veto must feel very badly let down. This House should now do something about that. We should pass a motion at some point on the misleading information that was given to us. We should warn Ministers that when they come to this House to sell legislation to us that they must be...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Who does?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Department of Health and Health Service Executive (14 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I wish to raise a number of issues. Will the Minister and the director general of the HSE set out what they see as the short-term and medium to long-term future of the accident and emergency unit in Navan hospital? It seems that there are mixed messages. One day it is proposed that the unit will remain open and the next that it be turned into a minor injuries unit. We know what the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Department of Health and Health Service Executive (14 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I did, yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Health Issues: Department of Health and Health Service Executive (14 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Is that different from what the Department argued previously?