Results 8,461-8,480 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne
- Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: No. I have moved one amendment to the Order of Business. On motion No. 6, I am asking the Leader to provide Government time for a debate on it. I will not call for a division on that issue. It is too important a diplomatic issue for us to divide on it in the House. Tabling of the motion follows on from a well publicised debate that the Fine Gael Party had the other day. It seems that it...
- Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Fine Gael made plenty of allegations when it was in opposition.
- Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Fine Gael claimed that one of the Anglo ten was in the Cabinet.
- Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: People want a referendum.
- Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: I endorse Senator Mark Daly's proposal of last week in regard to Article 27 of the Constitution. I note the Technical Group has jumped on that band wagon today. However, it is important to credit Senator Daly with that proposal. I speak as someone who, contrary to what Senator Colm Burke said, actively canvassed for a "Yes" vote in every European referendum, including before I became...
- Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: It will not be decided by the Attorney General.
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: This is a pointless amendment. In one sense it is good because it means the local authority is not doubling on information in that it is already on the public record. If one fails to comply with the legislation, if one commits the crime of adversely affecting the countryside or places of special interest, which is a crime under the legislation, in operating one's domestic waste water...
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: It is a crime.
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: The Bill provides that the owner of a premises connected to a domestic waste water treatment system shall ensure the system does not constitute a risk to public health or the environment and, in particular, does not adversely affect the countryside. If one adversely affects the countryside in the operation of one's system, one is guilty of a crime. One's prosecution will be recorded as part...
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: People were complaining that I was not pushing this issue even more than I have been.
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: They were complaining that I was not pushing the issue.
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: You will tell me everything. It was all explained this morning. We have made two points on this - there is no grant scheme and the standards are very unclear and broad.
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: It is. The Oireachtas Library and Research Service, which is independent of all parties and is to be complimented, states in its document that this is liable to cost householders thousands of euro.
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Is the Minister saying the service did not understand this?
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: The Minister has said that the service does not know the standards. Does he suggest that the service is wrong? That is one of the key problems with this. The Oireachtas Library and Research Service is independent of all of us and of the Government, and thank God for it. It has stated that this legislation could cost householders thousands, but the Minister and his party continue to ignore...
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Absolutely, if they pollute.
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: We support that.
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: Nobody is saying anything different.
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: We are not talking about that. This is an extra burden on ordinary people. The pollution laws are already in place.
- Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Feb 2012)
Thomas Byrne: That is a reason to oppose this legislation. They are taxed enough.