Results 6,201-6,220 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (12 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: For clarity, he should simply withdraw that paragraph. One could easily apply the same logic to the Department of Justice and Equality, which the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, said in his Supplementary Estimates speech was responsible for €52 million of extra cost last year on foot of delays in periodic payment legislation for catastrophic medical accidents. Why is the...

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage (11 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. The Garda Síochána (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014 is important legislation, but we must not over-egg the pudding. This is the first step in expanding the remit and powers of GSOC. I am a supporter of An Garda Síochána, as is every citizen. It deserves our support and does very good work...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 30: In page 11, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following:"(l) EirGrid Plc.,".I will speak briefly about these amendments before withdrawing them in order to raise them again on Report Stage. The amendments would affect companies and individuals including EirGrid, Ervia, An Post, the Railway Procurement Agency, members of An Bord Pleanála, members of the...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I accept, to some extent, the practical difficulties mentioned by the Minister. This is a real issue. There are groups of politicians who go abroad to meet people from companies coming to Ireland. Sometimes there are issues of land and other times there are other relevant policy issues. On the other side, one might be on holidays and just bump into somebody. Perhaps there is a practical...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: It would not be perfect but it would give responsibility to somebody to record any lobbying. Otherwise, there would be carte blanche. There could be hundreds of other suggestions of how to deal with this and somebody could be given the job of recording what, if any, lobbying takes place when one is on official business. We do not envisage this applying in Santa Ponsa or the Isle of Man,...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I will withdraw the amendment and return with something slightly different based on what Senator Norris and others have said. If an amendment similar to this is not accepted, the old catchphrase of "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" will turn into "what happens in Davos stays in Davos". That should not be the catchphrase for the Bill.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I withdraw my amendments on the basis that I will reintroduce them on Report Stage. If I pressed them now I would not be able to raise them on Report Stage.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 28: In page 9, after line 35, to insert the following:“7. (1) Where a designated public official is lobbied outside of the State, (in a manner to which section 5 would apply had the lobbying activities occurred within the State) such public official shall be obliged to register the fact that he or she had been so lobbied and the public official shall provide the...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Senator.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I ask the Minister to consider the following scenario. A group of councillors go to England to meet representatives of a UK-registered company that owns land here and in the UK, and that company lobbies them about rezoning in Ireland. What is the provision for this in the lobbying legislation?

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: If the company is registered in the UK, there is no-----

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: From a UK company.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: What happens if the company owns land here but has no other presence here?

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 22: In page 9, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following:“(f) Secretaries General and Assistant Secretaries General;”.These amendments are self-explanatory and are designed to immediately bring the class of officers specified in the amendments within the ambit of this legislation. The Minister has stated his intention to bring in these people...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: No, I am not but I find it hard to imagine lobbying of private secretaries being carried out within the terms of this Bill. I suppose it is possible but in practice, I cannot really envisage it. However, I consider senior local authority staff and people at assistant principal officer level and above to be crucial and it is very important that this be implemented as soon as possible. I...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: Even in a pub?

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 6: In page 6, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following:“(a) lobbies EirGrid Plc and such person shall be required to be a registered person pursuant to section 8,”.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 7: In page 6, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following:“(a) lobbies the Commission for Energy Regulation and such person shall be required to be a registered person pursuant to section 8,”.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 13: In page 6, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following:“(a) lobbies the Health Service Executive and such person shall be required to be a registered person pursuant to section 8,”.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2014: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2015)

Thomas Byrne: I concur with Senator Reilly and amendment No. 16 from Fianna Fáil seeks to make the same or a similar point.