Results 8,301-8,320 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne
- Seanad: Small Business: Motion (28 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I am not. I am saying that what the former Minister, Deputy à CuÃv, brought in does not seem to be in effect at present.
- Seanad: Privacy Bill 2012: Second Stage (28 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I compliment Senator Norris on introducing the Bill, which seeks to implement a commitment of both the previous and current Governments. I thank the Minister, who is not shy about attending the House, for his excellent and detailed contribution on this issue. Senator Norris's contribution was so good and the Minister's response so positive, yet cautious, that there must be a strong argument...
- Seanad: Medicinal Products (27 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Tá mé an-bhuÃoch don Leas-Chathaoirleach as ucht an dÃospóireacht seo a roghnú ar an Athló, dÃospóireacht a bhfuil an-thábhachtach, i mo thuairimse. I raise the specific issue of narcolepsy which has been diagnosed recently in at least 32 children in Ireland who received the Pandemrix vaccine at the time of the swine flu epidemic. Narcolepsy is a malfunction of the sleep-wake...
- Seanad: Medicinal Products (27 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I want to raise a number of issues on the record. As I stated, I intend to raise this repeatedly because this is a developing situation. In the experience of my constituent no contact has been made between the Department of Education and Skills and the school involved. I am sure there will be direct contact in that regard with the Department of Education and Skills in that the schools...
- Seanad: Pyrite Review Group (22 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I will not use all of my time. I am seeking clarification on the progress the Government is making on the issue of pyrite. There is no need for me to speak about the issue in detail. It is heartbreaking to visit people who are affected by this issue because their houses are falling apart. I have seen numerous examples of that in recent years. The pyrite-related damage that is being done...
- Seanad: Pyrite Review Group (22 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for his response. I look forward to the meeting he mentioned. Like the residents, I have put my faith in the response of the Government on this issue. We are concerned that it seems to be dragging on a little while the problems of residents are getting worse. The cracks in many houses are getting bigger as the weeks go by. I had a frightening experience last week...
- Seanad: Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: We are reserving the right to submit amendments until 10.30 a.m. tomorrow. I hope that the Cathaoirleach will agree to this.
- Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I second the motion. It is welcome to have this debate as we approach the first anniversary of this Government's election. One of the biggest broken promises of all was the promise to implement the findings of the Moriarty tribunal which was published a year ago today. However, nothing has happened on that. Fianna Fáil will not be found wanting in reacting to any other tribunals in...
- Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: There have been no changes of any substance whatsoever, except to disimprove people's lives. There have been no changes in the approach to banking, although the system was opposed vigorously by the Government when in Opposition. There have been no changes to budgetary strategy, but the Government now claims the credit for a budget it completely opposed previously. It was ironic to hear...
- Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: The Government's amendment speaks about returning the economic, financial and political stability in the country to rebuild our international reputation. This is a much repeated mantra. I accept there was instability in the previous government. However, what have Ministers of the current Government done and how do they quantify that our reputation has been restored? What steps has the...
- Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Fine Gael and the Labour Party took on the Government and the election based on finances that were available to them beforehand through confidential briefings and on the IMF deal. They promised that they could make all these changes, although they could not be done. I am reminded of the stag hunting ban and the organisation Rural Ireland Says Enough. Deputy McEntee defined rural Ireland by...
- Seanad: Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Senator Barrett noted that the Finance Bill 2012 comprises 324 pages. It will cost each household in this country â¬2.50 per page, or â¬800 per year. That has not been mentioned in the succession of praise for all the great things we are doing for job creation. Let us compare the cost of these measures to the â¬1.3 billion bill for Irish households. The special assignee relief...
- Seanad: Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: The Senators opposite are the ones who tax the poor.
- Seanad: Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: What did Fine Gael Members do last year?
- Seanad: Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: In light of the Minister of State's comments at the start of his contribution and the fact that the Bill is being rammed through in two days I call a quorum.
- Seanad: Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: When we are on Committee Stage and a reasonable distance from centre stage, as proposed in the programme for Government and in its manifesto, we will cease to call quorums.
- Seanad: Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: It is up to the Government side to provide a quorum.
- Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: On behalf of my group, my leader has asked me to express our sympathies with the devastated people of Toulouse. I endorse my leader's call for the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to attend the House to discuss the mess that is being made of the household charge. I expect that the Minister will attend when a debate on the Mahon tribunal is scheduled. In this light and given that today is the first...
- Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Professor Lucey knows everything all right.
- Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Tá cathú ann leanúint ar aghaidh le "Cill Chais", ach nà dhéanfaidh mé é sin. I wish to put on record my slight disappointment about the format of the debate. It is good to have it and I am delighted to see Mr. Kinsella present. I did not know he was to be the rapporteur and when I found out, I was delighted. He is one of the best of the new generation of economists. I first met...