Results 6,001-6,020 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Thomas Byrne: This Bill is a classic example of a Trojan horse. The Government drafted a Bill containing provisions for the Bourne-Vincent memorial park, which nobody could oppose, and then added several cynical provisions relating to Irish Water in order to take the last few quid from people who cannot afford it. How did the Labour Party move from opposing water charges with the slogan "Every little...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Senator Keane has already done great damage to the Seanad with the ridiculous comments she made earlier.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Thomas Byrne: They will have to be addressed by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. There is nonsense on the Order of Business every day, and there is more nonsense in the way in which we deal with environmental legislation. We oppose this Bill because it is utterly ludicrous. The Government made a hames of water charges over many years. This is the fourth or fifth Bill dealing with Irish Water,...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I am glad to speak on the legislation introduced by Senator Higgins, into which she has put considerable work. That has been based partly on her own experiences, which seem to have been abhorrent and worthy of condemnation. I understand they are the subject of a Garda investigation, which is as it should be. I hope prosecutions will result for some of the people under our existing law....

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I find that amazing. To me, it is over-interpretation of the law. It is a bit like the brouhaha we had here over the reporting of Dáil proceedings. The whole thing was made hugely complicated by the 60 or 70 lawyers in the High Court arguing over the Constitution, when the issue was very simple. In my view, section 10 is very simple also. On the matter of raising doubts, it seems to...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Road Projects Status (23 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I also welcome the Minister of State. I am raising an important issue that I have raised many times previously. I want the Slane bypass project to be included in the Government's capital plan which I understand from media reports will be published sometime in July. This is really important, not just from the point of view of the North-South N2 connection but also for the safety and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Road Projects Status (23 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I accept what the Minister said about the need for Meath County Council to engage in pre-planning consultation with An Bord Pleanála. That is welcome. However, the Minister and the NRA should take the lead to encourage Meath County Council to do that. If the project is included in the capital programme the council will have to do it and everything will have to be done to make sure the...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (18 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: May I have a moment to speak to my colleague, please?

Seanad: Business of Seanad (18 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Will the Leader amend that?

Seanad: Business of Seanad (18 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: It is not agreed.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (18 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I propose an amendment to the Leader's proposal to the effect that the House will suspend until 1.30 p.m. and request that the Minister attend the House afterwards.

Seanad: Tackling Obesity in Ireland: Statements (17 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister. This is a crucial issue for society. The Minister may think he is presenting some good news on it but the facts show that this a problem that is getting out of control. I am not sure how seriously he is taking it. I have lost about two and half stone since I came into the Seanad. It is a difficult process. There are certain simple things that could be adopted to...

Seanad: Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (11 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I will not use all of my allotted time. My party supports the continued operation of the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act, as I have done every year in this House. We brought that in at a time of terrible strife in this country. It was done at a time when we thought we would have uninterrupted peace but, sadly, peace did not last. Unfortunately, there are still people who do not...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as teacht isteach sa Teach le míniú a thabhairt ar an mBille seo. I welcome the Minister of State to the House to discuss the Health (General Practitioner Services) Bill 2015. The general effect of this Bill is to give back to the over-70s what has been taken from them, partially by the previous Government but mainly by this Government...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: No, it is not.

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Many families have been asking me for the past year and a half, since this was first announced, when it would come in. Many families will not benefit from this at all as their children have gone past six years of age. The demographics are changing in this country. There was a baby boom a few years ago.

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: As a former leader of my party might have said, the baby boom is not as boomy as it was, but the Government seem to be categorising groups in the hope of getting a few votes out of it while people in the middle are really struggling. There is a case in County Meath at the moment where a child cannot get treatment in Ireland, or in England for that matter.

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I assume the child has a medical card. The treatment is not available here, so the child has to go to America for treatment. I had another case last year but that child seems to have recovered. There are a lot of problems with the health service and it is wrong to suggest this will change things. It will not. Does the Minister of State have the up to date county by county figures?...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2015: Second Stage (11 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: The Labour Party has learned its lesson on tax cuts.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Affordable High-Quality Child Care: Discussion (11 Jun 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Deputy Troy made some good comments. I apologise for being late. I am concerned about all the issues that have been raised. The last thing I did before coming here today was to drop off my child for the last two weeks of his free preschool year. There will be many tears shed at his graduation next week. We are extremely grateful to the teachers involved. They do an absolutely fantastic...