Results 7,961-7,980 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I propose a slight amendment to the Order of Business to enable Members to make statements on the issue of public sector allowances before taking the Valuation (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill. As the Minister is coming into the House for the debate on that Bill anyway, I suggest Members could eat into some of the time allocated to it by debating the issue of public sector allowances. Massive...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Some the allowances date back to the 1950s, or the 1940s and to the inter-party government.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We instituted The Gathering.

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Senator Walsh for sharing time with me. The reason we are opposed to these cuts is clear, namely, they target the most vulnerable, including those in need of home help and those who are disabled, while nothing is being done to tackle the drugs bill. I am not sure if the Bill dealing with this issue has been introduced in the Dáil yet. Implementation of that would result in savings...

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: -----as part of the stimulus package, every Senator and Deputy in the areas connected with these centres issued statements welcoming their construction. It became apparent later that only 20 of the 35 announced in the stimulus package would be built. Senator Leyden referred to the lack of progress being made in Boyle and Ballaghaderreen. The same applies to Kells in County Meath, which was...

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: People will be offered competing insurance. It is a privatised version of the health service, with insurance companies deciding what people can have. They will purchase the health care and will have control over the hospitals. I do not accept the HSE is the failure which everyone paints it to be. At the end of the day, the HSE is a public health service purchasing public health care for...

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: What about the other 15?

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I will withdraw the amendment. I will bring it back on the tax issue, which is a serious one. I raised the trolley issue and the Minister came back with an answer. If I am not correct with regard to that figure, I will take it back because the figure was not from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. It was given to me today by a person concerned with that area. I accept that this...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I move amendment No. 26: In page 27, before section 23, but in Part 2, to insert the following new section:"23.?Any officer/employee of the Executive shall be tax resident in Ireland for the duration of his or her employment with/by the Executive.".This amendment has been tabled to highlight an issue about which the Taoiseach expressed concern in the Dáil. Deputy Micheál Martin raised the...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The special delivery unit is not an outside body. It is a fundamental part of the Department which the Minister established. The individuals who have benefited from these legal arrangements were selected by the Minister and he has publicly praised them for their expertise. Along with Mr. O'Brien, he stated the State is lucky to have their expertise. The Minister did not employ their...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: This is an illegal tax avoidance scheme in this country but legal in Britain and this is the issue I am trying to highlight. I am happy to withdraw the amendment, reformulate it to address some of the concerns raised and re-introduce it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I would like to comment on the amendments before they are withdrawn. We have been told that this is a striking blow for more accountability, openness and transparency in the health service. However, what we are getting in terms of the section under discussion is the same legislative provisions as heretofore in terms of accountability and the delegation of functions down the chain away from...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I am delighted to hear the good news story outlined by the Minister. However, this was done under the Health Act 2004, which begs the question as to what is the purpose of this legislation.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I acknowledge that this section copies section 21 of the Health Act 2004, as I understand it. However, I do not agree with the provision and I am not sure it has been invoked up to now. I would hope that it would not be invoked under any circumstances because I believe an Oireachtas committee can make its own determination as to what is or is not sub judice. This option for the director...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I was attending the finance committee.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I do not know where the Minister was. He could not be found by the media for a number of days.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister personalised it in respect of me. I was attending the Oireachtas finance committee.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: There was an implication.

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: With this provision, the programme for Government is once again torn to pieces. The amendment my colleague seeks to make merely seeks to implement what is in the programme for Government. The Senator is asking that "subject to subsection (4)" be deleted. The subsection means a public competition does not have to take place in respect of the job. Where is the new politics and open...

Seanad: Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Am I supposed to agree with everything?