Results 7,321-7,340 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I apologise to the Cathaoirleach for standing before he invited me to speak. I will table my amendment on Report Stage, but I suggest that the Minister reconsider this issue, given the danger involved. I do not suggest that it would be due to him. I hope that the situation is changing in the public service, but reviews have been conducted previously. Sometimes, they involved joint...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Broadband Services Provision (26 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I am pleased with the Minister's positive statement. The school was slightly aware of what was going on but those involved felt everything was proceeding slowly. I take comfort from the Minister's comments that broadband will be provided in Lismullen school shortly and I am encouraged by what he said. There are other two schools I would like to check, one of which is Scoil Ultain Naofa in...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Broadband Services Provision (26 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a ardú ar an Athló inniu. I thank the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, for taking the Adjournment debate. I listened with interest to the debate. He has taken a very progressive approach to the issue of bullying. I was contacted about the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Broadband Services Provision (26 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: The schools are located in isolated areas. The businesses are suffering but there are just a few of them.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Second Stage (25 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I welcome the Minister to the House. Once again the Government, which so despises the Seanad, is using it to introduce legislation and I am glad the Minister is doing so. He has often done so. This year the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, introduced all of his Bills in the Seanad rather than the Dáil in the first instance.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Second Stage (25 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: He clearly does. Unfortunately the US spin doctors he employs are coming up with all types of slogans and lies from Fox News with Glenn Beck-style blackboards. He has given in for the sake of good government. It is not in Deputy Bruton's better nature to be at the type of activity he is at. He has been forced to do it by the Taoiseach as far as I can see. It is a pity the Taoiseach does...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act (Commencement) Order 2013: Statements (24 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: No, they were not. I refused to facilitate those types of transfers.

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act (Commencement) Order 2013: Statements (24 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Chair for his admonition at the start of this debate. It is important we adhere to that and that we also maintain complete fairness and impartiality in regard to this inquiry. Fianna Fáil is looking forward to this inquiry. Towards the end of the previous Government, I as a backbencher called for such an inquiry. While I welcomed the establishment of the Nyberg...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: If pairing arrangements were discontinued no legislation would be passed. The Minister should be aware of that.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I echo the comments of my colleagues with regard to the appointment of the new bishop of Meath and Kildare. Church of Ireland parishioners in County Meath were very anxious that a bishop be appointed. It is a first step and is quite welcome. I will take this brief opportunity to be ecumenical; during the summer my parish priest was ordained a bishop and I congratulate Bishop Nulty. He...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Never.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Joint Committee (11 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I welcome the fact that the committee has passed the motion. As Deputy Dooley stated, his intention was not to engage in partisan politics. In fact, he used quotes that members of all parties had given over the summer on this matter. The motion is about the relevance of Parliament and how relevant we are as against the Executive.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Joint Committee (11 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: That is an important factor here.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Business of Joint Committee (11 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I endorse Deputy Dooley's comments and I hope for unanimity at the committee today. We are talking about political reform and making the Oireachtas more independent. Members of this committee echoed those sentiments at various summer schools this summer. I urge them to put that into action here today. The motion is not controversial. It is something for which Members from all sides have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Regulation of Lobbying Bill 2013: Discussion with OECD (5 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Thank you. The Chairman has dealt with some of the important issues, but I wish to raise a few further points. The first point relates to law firms, and perhaps accountancy firms, and the possibility of invoking professional privilege. Is that an issue that arises? The second point refers to what might be called intra-government lobbying, such as lobbying by a local authority of central...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Overview of Financial Sector: Discussion with Permanent TSB (5 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: I do not. The targets involve throwing people out of their homes so I do not wish the bank success and I do not want to be joined with the Chairman's comment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Overview of Financial Sector: Discussion with Permanent TSB (5 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: To clarify, the Central Bank return is in respect of the target the Government and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, set for the bank. The bank has exceeded that target and, in doing so, it has asked 36% of the 6,650 to leave their home or they are subject to legal proceedings to leave their home. By doing that, the bank is doing better than the Government asked it to do, as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Overview of Financial Sector: Discussion with Permanent TSB (5 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: -----should be the Minister, Deputy Michael Noonan, who set these targets for the banks and allowed them to throw people out of their homes and offer that up as a sustainable solution to mortgage difficulties.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Overview of Financial Sector: Discussion with Permanent TSB (5 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: It is a fact.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Overview of Financial Sector: Discussion with Bank of Ireland (4 Sep 2013)

Thomas Byrne: Were these borrowers not on trackers for almost a decade effectively?