Results 7,061-7,080 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne
- Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Thomas Byrne: The Constitution requires that we do this without interference, under Article 15.10, and that is not happening.
- Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I just want it on the record that under Article 15.10-----
- Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Article 15.10 of the Constitution is being fundamentally breached-----
- Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Thomas Byrne: -----by this debate and by the presence of a Member of Dáil Éireann when we are deciding our own Standing Orders.
- Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Is the Minister of State referring to the CPP of Dáil Éireann or the CPP of Seanad Éireann?
- Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I have made my point about Article 15.10. This is a very serious matter. The Minister of State would do well to go back to Government and to the Attorney General to discuss this because it causes a problem. This inquiry must be free from all outside interference and already the fact that the Chief Whip is announcing this debate breaches that constitutional requirement and the Seanad is...
- Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I do not care about the CPP. I am a Member of Seanad Éireann and I am standing up for my rights and the rights of this House.
- Seanad: Standing Orders: Motion (5 Feb 2014)
Thomas Byrne: We are not allowed to subjugate ourselves to the Dáil. We are not allowed to subjugate ourselves to Government. We must carry out our functions in accordance with the Constitution and the powers therein and we must do so independently. That is even more necessary in light of the referendum because the people said they want to keep the Seanad as a check on the Government but the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Report on Licensed Moneylending Industry: Central Bank of Ireland (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I share the Chairman's concern that the issue of interest rates has not been dealt with. Personally speaking I have no problem with credit provided by catalogue firms or electrical or furniture companies, which are well known companies that are doing a good job. While people may pay a lot for what they purchase, they might not be able to get their products otherwise. While there may well...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Report on Licensed Moneylending Industry: Central Bank of Ireland (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Who is the prosecuting authority in that regard? Is it a criminal matter?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Report on Licensed Moneylending Industry: Central Bank of Ireland (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Another issue of concern for me is that of debt collectors calling to people's homes, which ties into the unlicensed moneylender issue. There is a great deal of secrecy in this area, including by licensed companies. Moneylenders generally do not display the name of the company over the door. In many cases, the names do not suggest that the business is that of moneylending. A couple come...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Report on Licensed Moneylending Industry: Central Bank of Ireland (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Is Mr. Sheridan aware of any case ever being taken?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Report on Licensed Moneylending Industry: Central Bank of Ireland (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: That means the provision concerned is a irrelevant. I advocated a couple of years ago that people avail of that provision in relation to interest rates on mortgages. However, it does not apply to mortgages. Is there any role for the Central Bank in terms of use of that provision for issues that arise outside of annual renewal time in respect of moneylending agreements or other credit...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Report on Licensed Moneylending Industry: Central Bank of Ireland (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: The fact that a moneylending firm can operate from a premises with no name over the door is an issue. I am not suggesting there is anything wrong with any of the companies of which I am aware. As far as I am aware, they are licensed companies, some of which are operating from plush offices. The fact that no name is displayed over the door undergrounds the business, whether licensed or...
- Seanad: Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2014: Motion (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: There was a vote, "Yes" or "No", on this matter. The Labour Party voted "No".
- Seanad: Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2014: Motion (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Fair play to Seán O'Rourke.
- Seanad: Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2014: Motion (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: Water companies?
- Seanad: Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2014: Motion (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: This is the correct decision but the Minister is, in some respects, coming in here with his tail between his legs. There was a Fianna Fáil amendment in the Dáil which sought to make Irish Water subject to the Freedom of Information Act, as amended, but the Government argued that it was not needed and that was not done. The establishment process was kept secret and that culture of...
- Seanad: Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2014: Motion (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: I am laughing at the Labour Party which has been railroaded by Fine Gael into this policy.
- Seanad: Freedom of Information Act 1997 (Prescribed Bodies) Regulations 2014: Motion (29 Jan 2014)
Thomas Byrne: What has that got to do with Irish Water?