Results 6,061-6,080 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

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?

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Pyrite Remediation Programme Implementation (12 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as ucht an deis a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a ardú ar an Tosú inniu. I am grateful to be allowed raise in the Seanad this critical issue for many people. Since this Government took office it is fair to say it has taken steps to rectify the issue of pyrite. Many people will benefit from the pyrite...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Pyrite Remediation Programme Implementation (12 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I ask the Minister of State to raise with the Department the concerns that are starting to bubble up regarding the pyrite remediation scheme. It is important we hold the Government to account in respect of the commitments it has given in this matter. As I stated, the funding allocated to addressing the pyrite problem is insufficient. I am pleased to note the Minister of State's comment...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Child Care: Discussion (7 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I wish to comment on what Ms Corbett said. If I heard her right she said there was a sea-change in recent years. In the Children's Rights Alliance report, this Government inherited a B on this specific area of child care and it has gone down to a D plus in the last survey, which is a damning indictment on what has happened under it. The witness is critical of certain aspects of what we did...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Child Care: Discussion (7 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I am not taking up any more time than Senator Henry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Child Care: Discussion (7 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I have not, as a member of the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Child Care: Discussion (7 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I am a member of the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Child Care: Discussion (7 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: If you are chairing the meeting you should know who the members are.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Child Care: Discussion (7 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I am adhering to what you said about equality of time. HSE has made that point to parents: that someone else is going to suffer because their children are gaining, and not even gaining what other children have had before there has been a huge cut. I want more recognition of the fact that grandparents are currently providing a massive amount of care. It seems that this is nearly always due...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Child Care: Discussion (7 May 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Not for preschool assistants.