Results 6,781-6,800 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: My party would prefer if it was held the following week as it would give us more time. Other Senators may wish to comment on that. Perhaps the Leader would take that into consideration.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. I welcome the Minister to the House once again. He has brought forward much legislation, most of it to improve the situation with regard to transparency, open government and the reform of our institutions, which I welcome. I believe the country will benefit from this and the Minister will have a legacy therefrom. Fianna Fáil supports the Freedom...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister is here often enough, so we will not blame him for his absence. We might not allow some other Ministers the same latitude. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Simon Harris. The Government often talks about restoring FOI. Some 18,000 FOI requests are made every year and a significant volume of information has been given out every year since the...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: It would be just as well if some of the characters one sees wandering around these Houses were out in public. They might not show up then, and might not annoy us with the lobbying they do at times. It sometimes seems that there is an open-door policy in these Houses. One wonders how people get in although any Member can allow them in.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: That is another point, but we are here through the constitutional process. We can also be put out by a constitutional process. A book at the front door that everyone must sign, with the possible exception of school groups, would do no harm because there is too much of that. I spoke before in this House on this issue on another piece of legislation, the lobbying Bill. I mentioned that on...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: In general I am talking about lobbyists, but I am unsure as to how one would exclude anyone from this measure. Most visitors will not be of interest. We support this Bill, but FOI is already there and will continue. We are glad that the Government has made significant changes to this Bill in the Dáil. We will be putting down more amendments. It is a pity the next Stage is less than...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: There was not. They were not in the Labour Party manifesto; that is for certain.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Members will all have the time for Senator Kelly anyway.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (17 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh, agus go raibh maith agat as ucht an deis a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a léiriú sa Seanad anocht. I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the issue of the 1994 Defence Forces contract, which is like a train coming down the tracks at many members of our Defence Forces. Approximately 124 members of the Defence Forces...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (17 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Does the Minister have any idea as to when the conciliation process will conclude?

Seanad: Direct Provision System: Motion (17 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I wish to share time with Senator Mooney.

Seanad: Direct Provision System: Motion (17 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Senators Mullen, Bradford and Norris for raising this very important issue. As somebody who lives besides the Mosney centre and who has visited it, although not recently, I know it is certainly not a place one would want to send people. The Government amendment is somewhat unfortunate, although I accept that the Minister of State has good intentions. Blaming the previous Government...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Today in my local media I raised the whole issue of wheelchair provision by the HSE. The House would do well to debate the matter. I have come across a significant number of cases, especially during the summer months, of wheelchairs not being provided or, where they have been provided, either after a long delay or without meeting the appropriate specifications. I was saddened to meet two...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Why was she not given that information by the independent regulator anyway?

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wind Energy Guidelines (17 Jul 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Táim an-bhuíoch don Chathaoirleach as ucht an ábhar seo a roghnú ar an Athló, ábhar an-tábhachtach do dhaoine thart timpeall na tíre. I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this subject, which is causing considerable fear and anxiety not just in County Meath, but throughout the country. Last December the then Minister of State with responsibility...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wind Energy Guidelines (17 Jul 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I should have wished the Minister well in his new job as Minister for Health. Of course health issues come up regularly with these projects. I am disappointed that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, himself, is not here - I had expected that he would be. This reminds me of the tax amnesty. The Government gives a signal to let people know they have a few...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill 2014: Second Stage (17 Jul 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Fianna Fáil supports the Bill, but it is outrageous that the situation is allowed to continue where no Clerk of the Dáil has been appointed. It is outrageous that the Bill must be brought before us and the Minister, whom I should welcome in his new job-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (No. 4) Bill 2014: Second Stage (17 Jul 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I am not giving out to him. It is not his fault, as he has only been in the Cabinet since this week. It is the fault of the Government, including the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin; the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, and the Taoiseach. Senators cannot blame Fianna Fáil for this one as the issue arose last year. The Minister is new to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2014)

Thomas Byrne: It is an issue in which I am very interested and I would be happy to communicate with Mr. Murphy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Mr. Murphy said the figures were exaggerated.