Results 701-720 of 1,729 for speaker:Maria Byrne

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I rise to welcome the good news announced yesterday in respect of the arrival of Eli Lilly in Limerick. It is currently based in Cork and employs 38,000 people globally. An investment of €500 million was announced initially but the figure has now gone up to €1 billion. It will be a state-of-the-art development and 1,200 people will be employed in its construction, which has...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (28 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming to the House to discuss this all-important Bill and for introducing this measure. It is all about the cost of living for families and making sure they can afford to meet their costs. As the Minister knows, there are many issues in Limerick where a lot of people are staying away from hospitals. This Bill will encourage people and will help families by...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I rise to welcome the fact that fDi Intelligencemagazine, which is published by the Financial Times, has rated Limerick city as the top-ranked European city of the future not only in respect of attracting foreign direct investment but also in respect of the economic and financial side of things and business. Limerick city came second in respect of economic potential and was highly ranked in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I want to raise the issue of the hospital in Limerick where there are more than 100 people on trolleys today. The new CEO of the HSE was before the health committee this morning. It was enlightening to hear him confirming that he intends to make changes. He has admitted that in many locations the HSE is very top-heavy and that changes need to be made. It sounds like he is going to hit the...

Seanad: Location of Victims' Remains: Motion (22 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: Before I call on Senator Blaney to move the motion, I am sure Members of the House will wish to join me in welcoming some family members of the disappeared and the Wave Trauma Centre to the House today. I welcome Gerry McGinley, Michael McConville, Oliver McVeigh, Ann Morgan and Sandra Peake. They are very welcome to the House for this all-important motion. I would also like to welcome...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency (Emergency Electricity Generation) (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for attending to discuss this all-important Bill. I agree with my colleagues that we do not want the lights going off. The ESB has submitted two applications, one in Offaly and one in Tarbert. It is not the case that the floodgates will be opened and that every site will be looked at. I understand that specific sites will be covered by the legislation in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Adaptation Grants (8 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, for coming to the House to discuss this important issue. For the past number of years I have been working closely on applications for grants, mainly with older people and people with disabilities or illness. It has been a beneficial grant, of which people can avail, to replace a bath with a shower, to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Adaptation Grants (8 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. It is good news that the Department is carrying out this review and I thank the Minister of State and his Department for that. I am sure we will hear about the recommendations down the line. This is the right thing to do and there has to be an increase. An area that needs to be looked at is that sometimes people might need a downstairs bedroom built on but...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: Happy International Women's Day to all. First, I welcome the announcement by some UK researchers that they are going to call 100 Irish women to trials on endometriosis and relief of pain. It was announced this morning that they are carrying out some research. Endometriosis affects 10% of all women and this a very welcome announcement on International Women's Day. It would be a welcome...

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (8 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming in to discuss this all-important topic. I acknowledge the presence of the ambassador, H.E. Trevor Mallard. He is very welcome. To carry on from what Senator Doherty said, the theme of today is embracing equity. She referred to the fact that not everybody starts in the same place. We are very privileged to be here in Seanad Éireann and that we can come...

Seanad: Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (8 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: Next Tuesday.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: The Role of Pharmacy Care in the Healthcare System: Irish Pharmacy Union (8 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I was speaking earlier in the Seanad so I was not here for the presentations but I did read Mr. Twomey's opening statement. There are three pharmacists and a pharmaceutical assistant in my family so I regularly hear about the issues facing pharmacists. I pay tribute to pharmacists across Ireland for their supporting role and work during Covid because pharmacies were the only places open...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: The Role of Pharmacy Care in the Healthcare System: Irish Pharmacy Union (8 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I think it was Mr. Twomey who referred to not enough people qualifying in Ireland and then many ending up going to the UK. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science put out a call to the various universities to express interest in providing courses in that regard. I am not sure if pharmacy was included in that but I know that medicine, nursing and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: The Role of Pharmacy Care in the Healthcare System: Irish Pharmacy Union (8 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I have been working with a number of pharmacies in my area and they have had to bring in pharmacists from abroad who may have qualified in non-European countries and there is an issue with the granting of permits. While a number of them have been successful, has there been much engagement with the IPU and enterprise on that? I know of one application where the person involved is approaching...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2023)

Maria Byrne: I join colleagues in calling for a debate on energy prices, not just for businesses but also for domestic customers. I have heard from many older people who are concerned about this. One person I spoke to was away from home for a week over Christmas and did not leave on the heating. Even so, the latest bill, which previously averaged approximately €200, is €700. That is a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Third Level Education (28 Feb 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming to discuss this important topic. This is about the placement of a veterinary school at the University of Limerick, UL. This will not only benefit Limerick, it will also benefit the region. I am aware that the Minister and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, have met representatives from UL, along with other contenders for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Third Level Education (28 Feb 2023)

Maria Byrne: Great. I thank the Minister very much indeed for what is a positive response in respect of the independence of the assessment. I know the University of Limerick has also looked at the fact that points are quite high to qualify to go on the course. People, sometimes, even qualify but find that veterinary may not, perhaps, suit them. The University of Limerick has also proposed to introduce...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Maria Byrne: I rise today to welcome the Windsor Framework. I pay a compliment not only to the Tánaiste but to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Coveney, the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the amount of work he has put into it over so many years. It is a combination of the work of both men and various other parties as well that has brought this forward. It is a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Feb 2023)

Maria Byrne: I wish to raise the situation regarding trolley numbers in University Hospital Limerick. While we had a visit there last week from the Taoiseach, who is taking a personal interest in this issue, I note two things. The trolley numbers were down last week and are well up this week. There are in excess of 100 people on trolleys today, I believe it is 111 people, and there were similar numbers...