Results 8,241-8,260 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, is nobody from the Government offering? Some of them did complain.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: They were banned.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Hear, hear. It is a shambles.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: That is unconstitutional at the least.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The enforced silence.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Again, I rise in this House to offer the full support of the Fianna Fáil Party for the motion to continue the operation of section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009. I say that in light of our majority here today, but also in light of the fact that the Labour Party opposed this legislation in 2009. In fact, Deputy Tommy Broughan lost the party whip for voting with the then...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Or for changing your mind.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Shame.

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I assure the Minister that despite the Opposition defeating the Government twice in the Seanad this morning, the Fianna Fáil side wholeheartedly supports the Bill and will ensure that it is passed. I find very little done by the Government to be persuasive but the Minister's speech here has been extremely persuasive, not that we need persuading. He clearly outlined the security situation...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I give notice to the Government that the Fianna Fáil Party will adamantly oppose the Gaeltacht Bill. It is the latest example of cronyism and jobbery from the Fine Gael Party. Members opposite can laugh.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Where once we had democracy, Gaeltacht residents in County Meath will have their representatives on Údarás na Gaeltachta appointed by county councillors in Waterford and Cork. It is cronyism and jobbery of the worst kind.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: The councils are controlled, on the whole, by the Fine Gael and Labour parties. The democratic element of Údarás na Gaeltachta is being abolished by this Bill, which is a half measure for the Irish language and shows the contempt the Fine Gael Party has for the Irish language. The central plank of the Bill is to remove the democratically elected members of Údarás na Gaeltachta and have...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I call on the Leader to make arrangements with the Minister to have this Bill taken off the agenda for tomorrow. He did not expect us to oppose it. Members from the west and Tipperary who had planned to tour new constituencies and new areas and shed crocodile tears about lost areas can think again. They will have to be present in the House to vote if they want the Bill to pass because...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Deputy Keaveney was mischief-making with his union buddies.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: We know what can go wrong.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: Senator Ivana Bacik did not seem to know anything about it last night on the "Tonight with Vincent Browne" programme.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: In light of the speculation on the boundary reviews, I note with interest that many Senators from the west are not present in the House. I wonder if they are meeting on the roads to Ballinrobe, Ballymoe, Williamstown and similar places on which current speculation centres. Senator Averil Power from my party is raising an issue about north County Dublin. Everyone is making way for the...

Seanad: Lagan Brick Dispute: Statements (14 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Leader for allowing this issue on the Order of Business and the Minister for remaining here to deal with it. We often propose amendments to the Order of Business in the full knowledge they will never be accepted. I am glad it was accepted this time and I am grateful to the Leader and to the Minister. It is a recognition of its serious nature. The Lagan Brick factory in...

Seanad: Referendum on the Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (14 Jun 2012)

Thomas Byrne: I am glad this debate is taking place today. We could be tempted to look back at the success of the referendum campaign and expect that any future referenda on developments in Europe will be passed as easily, but that is not the case. On this occasion people held their breath and voted "Yes" because they felt they had to. There is much happening in the European Union currently. We have...