Results 8,581-8,600 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I am trying to tease this out in order to fully understand the matter before we decide on it. I certainly never claimed this was the disability allowance.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I am worried that such changes will be introduced to the disability allowance next year.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I know, and I am not trying to confuse the issue. I know what disablement benefit is and it is different to the disability allowance. We are clear on that but there are fears that in future the Government will try to do what I describe. There were leaks in the run-up to the budget that the criteria for schemes such as disability allowance would be changed. That was speculated upon in the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: One cannot defraud on a finger.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire freisin. Tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil an tAire anseo agus nach bhfuil aon teorann ama ar an díospóireacht ar maidin agus ceapaim go cur sin an cás. Like my colleague, I acknowledge the difficult job the Minister has and all our contributions are made with this in mind. Members appreciate that this is one of the most difficult jobs anyone in...

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility (Statement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility (Statement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility (Statement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Before Father Seán Healy told us what to do.

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility (Statement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility (Statement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I do not like the use of bilateral agreements. We did not have any.

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility (Statement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: It was in Fine Gael's budget, too.

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility (Statement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas don Seanadóir Barrett. Is obair thábhachtach é an Bille seo. Mar a dúirt Seanadóirí eile, ba cheart dúinn tuilleadh oibre mar seo a dhéanamh sa Seanad. I thank the Senator Barrett for bringing forward the Bill. While I welcome the Minister of State's comments about the Government introducing legislation, unfortunately, the last time he said that was during the...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The manifestos of both Government parties included alternatives.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Progressive Democrats, of which the Senator was a member, was also responsible.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: While I do not wish to delay proceedings, I will raise an important issue. This section appears to have been dropped into a template Bill that was provided by the legislation on the non-principal private residency charge. With all due respect to those responsible, this is not a particularly well drafted section. Why are certain people not liable to pay the charge while others are entitled...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: That is the point because some people are entitled to the waiver whereas others are not liable to the charge. Will the Minister of State explain the difference being made between the two groups in the legislation? Is it intended? From a drafting point of view the section is difficult to read. Subsection (5) states: "The Minister shall not prescribe a list for the purposes of this...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Perhaps the officials could look at it.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The section deals with exemptions and waivers from the obligation to pay the household charge. However, it does not go far enough. A whole swathe of people have been told that basic social welfare rates are being protected, but at the same time, charges such as this are being imposed on them. Our amendment No. 12 proposed that persons in receipt of jobseeker's allowance, jobseeker's...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Senator is wrong.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Was it?