Results 8,121-8,140 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Senator Mac Sharry apologises. He had to leave.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Go raibh maith agat a Aire ag teacht anseo inniu. In some ways the Minister's presence here today is unfortunate because as Minister for Finance he has many things to do rather than attend the Seanad for the taking of statements. We should be passing legislation, passing the Personal Insolvency Bill, rather than just talking about it. This Oireachtas will have let the people down if we do...
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: The IMF proposed that in the papers it put forward.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: It is not poppycock. It was proposed by the IMF and other reputable bodies.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: When people go to the banks they are humiliated in that they have to show their Sky TV bills.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: It is humiliating. That is what is detestable about it.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: The bank is asking the person why they have Sky Sports and why they eat Kellogg's cornflakes instead of Dunnes cornflakes.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: The Minister has not been in that position.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: If the Minister had to go to the bank about his own mortgage, he would know.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: That will be the exception to the guillotine rule then.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Some 90% of Bills are guillotined in this House.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: He never said that. We welcome this Bill.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: We never said that; it is a complete misrepresentation of what we said. We welcome the Bill.
- Seanad: Mortgage Arrears, Banking and the Economy: Statements, Questions and Answers (3 Jul 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I asked for the Bill to be passed as quickly as possible. That is hardly trying to tell people there is no hope.
- Seanad: Battle of the Boyne Site (28 Jun 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence and allowing me to debate this motion. I failed to attend on Tuesday evening to discuss it because of a clash of diary commitments, for which I apologise. I also apologise to the Department and the officials involved. This is an issue I have raised on a number of occasions on the Adjournment. I also raised it in the Dáil under the previous...
- Seanad: Battle of the Boyne Site (28 Jun 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I thank the Ministers of State for the reply with which, to a certain extent, I am satisfied in the sense that the commitment still stands. I understand the request of Meath County Council to provide funding was made some time ago, perhaps in the term of office of the previous Government. It is disappointing, therefore, to hear the Minister of State say the county council has not yet...
- Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)
Thomas Byrne: With a number of provisos, I do not really share the concerns of Senator David Norris. Having immunity is commonplace in international organisations in foreign countries. If a terrorist is appointed as an ambassador or to the diplomatic staff of a particular country, in general, that person will have immunity from criminal prosecution. I presume the ESM will have its own disciplinary...
- Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Article 37 concerns a dispute resolution process within the treaty. It is comforting that the European Court of Justice has jurisdiction in that area. It is not as if the ESM can operate on its own and do what it likes. Members of the Oireachtas have inviolability or potential inviolability with respect to their private papers according to the Constitution. We have immunity from suit in...
- Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I gave examples of embassies. There have been problems with diplomatic immunity during the years when bad people, including drug traffickers and terrorists, claimed immunity. The system does not always work perfectly. Immunity in the context in question, however, is relatively common. The purpose is to allow people to get on with their jobs. The reality is that if an individual country...
- Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)
Thomas Byrne: There was growth after budget 2010 which the Minister of State's party opposed. Fine Gael constantly makes claims on junior bondholders, but that measure was put in place by legislation which Fine Gael opposed just before the general election. On the bond markets, Sinn Féin should be careful what it wishes for. Senator David Norris was correct on that point. Much of the talk about Sinn...