Results 8,701-8,720 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Fine Gael opposed it trenchantly and held it up.

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Fine Gael accused us of all sorts of things to do with that site.

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Unfortunately, many of them are in the Louth constituency where I live. There are many schools in Meath.

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The troika did not tell the Minister to cut spending by €700 million.

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: We took the right decisions for which the Minister is now claiming credit.

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Minister should ask his colleagues in Cambodia-----

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The public is getting sick and tired of spin and more spin. The spin we are hearing from the Minister today is the same spin we heard with the publication of the jobs initiative. Following research by my colleague Deputy Michael McGrath, we find that the jobs initiative meant taking money off pensioners and putting it into an Exchequer black hole. Unfortunately, unemployment has increased...

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Government is cutting capital expenditure, which provides our one chance of creating jobs and getting people off welfare. Fianna Fáil has proposed a capital expenditure programme amounting to 3.5% of GDP. The Government's fudge of a programme contains some of our plans, but has no new plans of its own. In fact, the only project prioritised by the Government parties is the one project...

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: It is a great record because it is due to the increase in population. Under Fianna Fáil, these schools would have received their extensions.

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: That is a fact. We had extra money in the kitty and if the Minister asked his colleagues, he would find out that there are another seven schools within two miles that have got extensions over the last two or three years. However, it is complete spin to say that health and education are being prioritised. The only health project that is going ahead is the part-funded national children's...

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: What about the hospital in Navan? We were told by Fine Gael Deputies before the election that not only were they promising the delivery of a new regional hospital for the north east, but along with the Minister, Deputy Reilly, they had already met investors who were willing to put money into that project. Were we all told lies before the election?

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: That seems to have been the case because nothing has happened since and there is nothing in the capital plan about a regional hospital for the north east.

Seanad: Infrastructure and Capital Investment: Statements, Questions and Answers (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: This time last year the Labour Party and Fine Gael trenchantly opposed the budget, yet this year they are claiming credit for implementing it. We implemented it in the budget. What about the bank resolution legislation that enabled the Government to burn junior bondholders, which they trenchantly opposed this time last year in the Dáil? Fine Gael Members have a habit of saying we are...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Senator should say that to the Ministers.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I, too, look forward to the budget proposals when they are announced. It is important to note the speculation in the newspapers is coming directly from Cabinet Ministers. It is very unfortunate because either a genuine battle is taking place to protect certain things or a sham battle is happening which is putting the fear of God into the Irish citizenry, only to then have proposals...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: We welcome the Government support for Deputy McGrath's Bill on scrap metals and I hope the Government parties will also support our leader, Deputy Martin, who has a Bill relating to corporate donations. That issue was mentioned in Fine Gael and Labour Party policy pledges and we expect the parties to live up not only to their promises but the recommendations of the Moriarty tribunal....

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Both Houses must pass this motion and the Dáil is not superior. I urge colleagues to second and support the amendment.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The St. Andrew's Agreement happened under Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: In the light of the support given to my suggestion by members of the Government party and their recognition that this is a parliament, not a rubber stamp, I am happy to withdraw my proposal.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2011)

Thomas Byrne: The Taoiseach made a good speech yesterday.