Results 6,581-6,600 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (2 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I support my colleague's amendment to the Order of Business. The public is becoming increasingly incensed about what is happening. The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is a disgrace. She is running away from cameras.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (2 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: She is going into museums not talking to anybody. We saw her on the television running away from a camera. She will not answer any of the questions that have been asked. We saw her here in the Seanad last week when she refused to answer questions. We have seen her avoid the media. We heard from the Fine Gael parliamentary party last night that she read out a script. That is a disgraceful...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (2 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: She needs to come into this House and answer the questions that were asked of her here. She needs to go into the Dáil, to which she is answerable, and answer the questions that are being put. She refuses to do so. Her position is not tenable. It is about time people copped on. There is another stroke about to happen in this game as well. That other stroke is that you are all voting...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (2 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: You are all briefing the media that you have already voted, that your are going to vote for Mr. McNulty, and what can be done? That is the second stroke in this game

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (2 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: While we have 11% unemployment, political games are being played. It is disgraceful. I support the call to have the Taoiseach come in here today. He has answered no question. He has accepted responsibility but we do not know what for.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (2 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Do you want me to go through all of what Fine Gael has done?

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I will start by congratulating the Minister for Education and Skills on her appointment. During one of our last Adjournment debates in the House when she was a Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, I predicted that she would be promoted to the Cabinet. She got good news and I hope she will return the favour-----

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: -----and give me good news today.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I am hopeful of a favourable response from the Minister who is doing very well in her job so far. I wish her every success in her role, which is a very important portfolio. I was contacted recently by my party colleague, Councillor Damien O'Reilly, who has met parents and the board of management of St. Peter's national school in Dunboyne, a relatively new school which has been in temporary...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for her reply and am glad to hear that substantial work is going on regarding this school. I fully appreciate and understand the commercial sensitivities surrounding land acquisition and believe that politicians should avoid discussing that issue in the context of schools. The Minister appreciates the urgency of this matter. The school is under the patronage of the...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: On occupier assisted valuation, where is the amendment to the title of Part 5A? Is it described as self-assessment? I cannot see it.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister of State has said what it will be called but where has this been inserted?

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I cannot see how the Minister of State can decide to change the nature of the legislation without a vote. When this was published in the summer of 2012, it was welcomed as the Minster, Deputy Howlin, said this Bill "will also provide the legislative basis for carrying out a revaluation based on self-assessment". He did not say anything about occupier assisted valuation. It seems the...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I think the Minister of State has pulled the rug from under everyone on this Bill. It seems a whole new approach has been taken that is completely different from what was announced two years ago. This is unfortunate as the argument on Second Stage was that self-assessment would not happen all at once around the country. Rather, it was argued that it would happen only in certain counties...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: The section was initially very simple. It said the commissioner "may make regulations providing for the carrying out of the valuation of relevant properties". This has now changed to "the Minister may make regulations providing for the carrying out of the valuation or the taking of one or more of the steps that comprise such valuation". This is a massive change that goes against what the...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I am just looking up the Fine Gael local election manifesto, in which I believe there is some reference to ability to pay. However, I cannot find it at the moment.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Anyway, Members are aware of what manifestoes mean.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Serious arguments have been raised in this regard. This amendment has set out clear and restrictive criteria on how to deal with this. It is not good enough to wash one's hands of it and to state that local authorities make such decisions, because they do not. Local authorities depend entirely on funding from central government.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: They do. They cannot do anything and even what they could spend the property tax revenue on was set out. The rates are there but were the local authorities to reduce their rates at present, there would be nothing left and they would get nothing back from central government. They cannot move and they cannot touch anything. The idea that local authorities are free to tax and spend as they...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2014)

Thomas Byrne: As the Minister of State's colleagues in County Meath refused to do the same, we are stuck with it.