Results 7,041-7,060 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Recent Flooding: Statements (12 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Politics in Ireland has gone so bad that people comment politically on essential flood relief work on the River Dodder which impacts Dublin and even Dunboyne and Mornington, County Meath. There were problems along this river but schemes put in place by the Office of Public Works, OPW, have ensured they have been tackled. The Government needs to take climate change seriously and stand up to...

Seanad: Recent Flooding: Statements (12 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: We should all be conscious of the extreme difficulties being faced by people in Munster. The weather in Cork and Limerick is unbelievably extreme. Trees are down everywhere; students are being told not to leave buildings, lectures are being cancelled and so forth. While the damage is storm rather than flood related, it is likely to be extremely severe. People are really suffering. At...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Further Education and Training Colleges (11 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I am disappointed with this reply. While I do not expect the Minister to announce that the Department will sanction a new building for the college next week, the provision of a separate roll number which would entail appointing a principal is not a significant ask for a college that, as the Department states, officially has 429 students. Unofficially, as I understand it, the college is...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Further Education and Training Colleges (11 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Leas-Cathaoirleach as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom an cheist seo a ardú ar an Athló. I also thank the Minister of State for being here. This is an important issue for County Meath as a whole. Dunboyne College of Further Education is the only such college in the entire county, although there is a college of further...

Seanad: Public Sector Reform: Statements (11 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. Our public servants are dedicated, committed and conscientious. At various points in the history of the State, as the Minister pointed out, they have kept the country going. One calls to mind, for example, the change of government in 2011. The change from Cumann na nGaedheal to Fianna Fáil, which took place at a much more...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Some time ago I raised an issue on the Adjournment about broadband at Lismullen national school, Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa, in Lismullen, County Meath, beside the Hill of Tara. I am delighted to report that the school is very pleased I raised it on the Adjournment and broadband was installed a couple of weeks later. We should have more of those debates. The Leader has a proposal...

Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: And Fianna Fáil councillors.

Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Fianna Fáil and Labour did a lot of shouting.

Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I have been a victim of that rule.

Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: This crisis is really frightening. I did not intend to speak in the debate because I probably spoke enough on other issues today. I have been in correspondence with Meath County Council, as probably happens with everyone else and their local authorities. The staff in the housing section got back to me today. Those staff are working incredibly hard. They cannot build houses. They cannot...

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: We never telephoned Anglo Irish Bank or gave it information.

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: It is always about politics.

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: Can the Minister of State clarify what he meant when he said that the inquiry would be about the political decisions?

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister of State said that. That was the first time we were told anything about the terms of reference of the inquiry.

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: It was the Minister of State who caused that confusion. I only asked-----

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, and with no disrespect to the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Kehoe, what business does the Chief Whip of Dáil Éireann have debating the Standing Orders of Seanad Éireann? The Constitution mandates us to debate and decide our own affairs. I have a big problem with this. The Constitution is very clear that each House shall...

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I was not at that meeting. I have a problem because I am a Member of Seanad Éireann and the Constitution requires that this House regulate its own affairs yet the Chief Whip of Dáil Éireann is coming in here and more or less giving us our riding orders on our own Standing Orders. That is a gross interference in the House. I think it is unprecedented. Standing Orders are a...

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: With all due respect to the person who is Chief Whip, it is not personal to Deputy Kehoe at all. The Constitution provides that we do this on our own.

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: I am not querying the Bill. We are debating our own Standing Orders. The legislation does not require the Chief Whip of Dáil Éireann to come in to tell us what our Standing Orders should be.

Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

Thomas Byrne: This is not a party point. This is my personal point. Under Article 15.10 of the Constitution each House shall make its own rules and Standing Orders and can protect itself and its Members against "any person or persons interfering with, molesting or attempting to corrupt [I am not accusing the Minister of State of doing this] its members in the exercise of their duties."