Results 6,281-6,300 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: That is irrelevant.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Senator O'Donnell will be interested in this. The national lottery was not actually sold. The Government issued a licence. Having checked that, I have now submitted a Report Stage amendment. A licence could be issued in the same way the national lottery licence was issued regarding the business and undertakings of Irish Water without having anything to do with section 2 and leaving...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for the assiduous attention he has shown to the debate and for listening to the robust and differing views expressed by Senators. I suggest to Senator O'Donnell this provision could be changed in exactly the same way that the national lottery was dealt with. It is the same procedure and the national lottery sets a precedent in this regard. The provision on the...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: He said he might do it. He did not specifically say that he would, however.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I have the greatest of respect for Senator Quinn even if I might not agree with him on everything. We are not looking at this or the next Government; we are looking at the distance between the establishment of the National Lottery and its sale. The Bill does not deal with that distance. I have suggested that the public water forum be turned into a constitutional convention on the issue of...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Guím beannachtaí na Nollag ar an gCathaoirleach, ar an gcléireach, ar an gcléireach cúnta agus ar gach duine eile sa tSeanad freisin. Tá súil agam go mbeidh Nollaig shona ag gach duine. Unfortunately, with the run up to Christmas there is always rushed legislation which usually makes, it has to be said with the precedence that has been set over the past few...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I propose that we sell all the assets of Irish Water, if they were to sell the assets. I ask my Independent colleagues, in particular, to look very carefully at the amendments, as we will look at their amendments, and to judge each accordingly. It has to be said that there is huge disappointment out there at the moment with the Seanad. We are all being blamed for the actions of a few and...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: The Government does not seem to be too worried about the bills for Irish Water because the income coming into Irish Water will be only about €25 million. The Government seems to be happy enough to get as far as the EUROSTAT test, which with a bit of luck, touch wood, will be all right. That seems to me the way the political leadership of this Government is operating at present.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: When some of the Senators opposite were members of the Fianna Fáil Party, we were creating thousands of jobs every week.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Some other people who shall remain nameless, who were members of the Fianna Fáil Party were doing quite well at that time. Perhaps if they had stayed things would have been different.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: The former members, and there are at least two that I know of, are on the other side. We have too much rushed legislation. My colleague, Deputy Fleming, raised serious concerns in the Dáil. The Bill was not even presented to us whether it was passed or not by the Dáil. I do not follow the proceedings in the Dáil, and the bill was presented to us late. We are not happy. The...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for setting out his position. We all realise the effects of the Appropriation Bill. It almost has no effect because it is recognising the reality of what has happened already this year. It has a very important role, because it is the only opportunity that Seanad Éireann has to demonstrate whether it has confidence in the Government. There are precedents where...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: It is a matter of showing confidence in the Government. We have no confidence in the Government, as it is making a complete hames of things. It is quite extraordinary to see how we are rushing in all sorts of legislation before Christmas. We will discuss the third or fourth water Bill. The first water Bill came in before Christmas last year, but was full of mistakes. Now we have another...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Yes. This Bill covers the whole range of Government expenditure. What else does a Government do only spend money? Effectively the Government functions by taking taxes in and spending money. What happened years ago, was that we had days of debate on all aspects of the Government's work.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, are paper copies of the Bill available? There is none in the anteroom.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: It has been only passed in the Dáil and there were amendments.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I do not know that, but there were amendments. I will accept the Minister of State's word on that.

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I propose we suspend until we have a paper copy of the Bill as it has just gone through the Dáil.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: A plain reading of the amendment does not support the Minister's argument on its interpretation. It simply does not. It is strange.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (16 Dec 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I am conscious that I have an amendment tabled but I must leave the House in approximately five minutes, at approximately 5.40 p.m.