Results 6,341-6,360 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report - November 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (4 Dec 2014)
Thomas Byrne: It is an old chestnut that is still hanging around, unfortunately.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report - November 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (4 Dec 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I apologise for being late for the presentations but I was voting against the Finance Bill, partially on the recommendation of the Fiscal Advisory Council. It was not the recommendation of the Fiscal Advisory Council to vote against any measure but my decision was based on some of the reasons outlined by the council. I would like to follow up on some of the points raised by Deputy Pearse...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report - November 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (4 Dec 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I suggest that is the statutory function of IFAC.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report - November 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (4 Dec 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I am not criticising the members of the council.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Fiscal Assessment Report - November 2014: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (4 Dec 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Although most of us here know the answer, I still see the letter of endorsement as being misused. On some websites I have seen reference to “the attached letter of endorsement” as if the letter of endorsement relates to the budget itself. Could that be explained briefly?
- Seanad: Homelessness: Statements (3 Dec 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I thank Minister of State for coming to the House. A cross-party and a cross-sectoral approach should be adopted but that is not to say the Government cannot do more and that we should not point out to the Government where we think policies are failing and must be changed. We have a number of ideas and pictures of homelessness. There is the poor unfortunate person who has got into...
- Seanad: Action Plan for Jobs 2014: Statements (3 Dec 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Is a jobs announcement expected this week?
- Seanad: Action Plan for Jobs 2014: Statements (3 Dec 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I have a one-minute question.
- Seanad: Action Plan for Jobs 2014: Statements (3 Dec 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I was struck by Senator Naughton's speech when she referred to the fall in unemployment. She is correct, but she should look at the figures from 1997 onwards when there were 1 million people employed in the country. It went up to 2 million and then went down temporarily. We are working constructively with the Government, in so far as we can, to get that employment figure back up to 2.1...
- Seanad: Order of Business (3 Dec 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh scéal a fheicim sa The Meath Chroniclean tseachtain seo, ag rá go bhfuil postanna nua i gcomhlacht nua ag teacht go Baile Ghib i nGaeltacht Chontae na Mí. Nuair a bhí díospóireacht againn sa Teach seo ar an Athló maidir le dúnadh monarchan i mBaile Ghib sa bhliain 2012, dúirt mé leis an Aire Stáit a bhí ann...
- Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Respite Care Services (27 Nov 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíoch leis an Aire as ucht teacht isteach sa Seanad inniu chun an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a phlé. I and my colleague, Councillor Damien O'Reilly, have been contacted by constituents in Dunboyne, County Meath, who have a family member who regularly avails of respite services. This gives the family respite from their duties of constant care and attention. The...
- Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Respite Care Services (27 Nov 2014)
Thomas Byrne: The position is clear.
- Seanad: Flood Management: Statements (27 Nov 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Was there any arterial drainage scheme there in the past?
- Seanad: Flood Management: Statements (27 Nov 2014)
Thomas Byrne: We are grateful officials came to the town so quickly after the floods there.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Mortgage Insurance Schemes: Discussion (27 Nov 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I do not have much to say at this point because much of it spoke for itself. I just hope that people are listening to what the witnesses are saying because there seems to be a "gung-ho" approach to this. It seems to be a case of going ahead on the basis that it's an answer to prayers. I do not know whether Dr. Lyons was being cheeky when he referred to whether we have or do not have a...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Mortgage Insurance Schemes: Discussion (27 Nov 2014)
Thomas Byrne: A point that was raised by Mr. Deeter and possibly by others was the issue of repossession triggering the payment of insurance and the possibility that this would increase repossessions or drive a need for repossessions. What obligations do the banks have to ensure that borrowers are pursued for every last cent before the insurers are prepared to pay out on the policies? Presumably, with...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Mortgage Insurance Schemes: Discussion (27 Nov 2014)
Thomas Byrne: In other words, whatever system is agreed, if the Central Bank was to go with this, it would be very important to have conditions relating to whatever our objectives are in respect of keeping people in their homes-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Mortgage Insurance Schemes: Discussion (27 Nov 2014)
Thomas Byrne: -----and to make sure that the insurance companies work with the banks and the borrowers.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Mortgage Insurance Schemes: Discussion (27 Nov 2014)
Thomas Byrne: There are plenty of repossessions at the moment and they are increasing. There were zero repossessions until 2013. It is not the case that-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Mortgage Insurance Schemes: Discussion (27 Nov 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I was about to raise that.