Results 9,241-9,260 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: It will further public scorn of the Seanad.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: It will further public scorn of the Seanad and I ask the Independents to consider bridging the gap of their differences and uniting in the interest of the efficiency of proceedings. Cloud computing has been in the news and I am delighted that Senator Quinn has reminded us of the need for good news. Dell has announced jobs in that area. However, a report in the newspaper on Friday suggested...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I did not say that.

Seanad: EU-IMF Programme (2 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, for attending the Chamber to address this Adjournment matter at such short notice. He has an important job to do, one in which, by and large, I and my party will be supporting and encouraging him. This matter, however, I believe is sufficiently serious for him to address. Last week a Minister, as part of a pre-arranged interview...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I wish to raise a number of important issues. Senator Darragh O'Brien's proposed amendment to the Order of Business is extremely important because it would allow the Seanad to discuss, with a Minister, a matter of some significance. I appeal to Labour Party Members and the Independents nominated by the Taoiseach to support the amendment and not just to simply to vote with the Government as...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, it should be noted that the Labour Party and Independent Senators voted against asking the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, to come to the Seanad to discuss the water charge issue.

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: On a point of order, the Minister has failed to outline consultations he has had with his Northern Ireland or British counterpart or with the First Minister or Deputy First Minister.

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: That is a crucial aspect of our motion because, as it states, they are interested parties.

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I congratulate Senator Denis O'Donovan on his election as Leas-Chathaoirleach. I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann" where it firstly occurs and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Oireachtas established the Smithwick tribunal as a central part of the confidence-building measures which led to major breakthroughs in relations with key parts of the...

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Other tribunals such as the Bloody Sunday Inquiry set up by the British Government were not curtailed, despite the fact that they cost a great deal, were lengthy and the source of much disquiet in certain quarters. They ultimately were seen to have a beneficial impact on communities and relations in getting answers for people, which is what this tribunal should be about. I urge Members to...

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: It was the Minister's own spokesman who briefed the newspapers.

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: We are seeking the reasons that the Minister formed the opinion.

Seanad: Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (1 Jun 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Will the Minister outline the consultations he had with Mr. David Ford on this issue?

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Ba mhaith liomsa mo chomhghairdeas a chur in iúl don Chathaoirleach ar bheith tofa inniu mar Chathaoileach ar Sheanad Éireann. Tá mé lán sásta gur thug mo pháirtí tacaíocht dó. Níl aon dabht faoi ach go bhfaighfidh sé tacaíocht ón taobh seo agus tá súil agam go bhfaighfidh sé tacaíocht ó ghach taobh den Seanad. Ba mhaith liom freisin mo chomhghairdeas a ghabháil leis an...

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Senator Norris did not teach me. I was not good enough to get into any of his classes. There has been considerable discussion about Seanad reform but the real work of the House is to pass legislation to improve the country and to give hope back to the people. If we pass the right legislation in this Chamber, that will be a reform in itself. Let us get on with the real work of the people...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (25 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Question 357: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for redundancy in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath [3735/11]

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (25 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: Question 359: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for redundancy in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath [3758/11]

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Deputy Dooley for raising the issue of the Opposition's health policy. It is probably our fault but their policy has not been scrutinised, although I have tried to do so on local radio. Deputy Dooley mentioned small hospitals and he is dead right. Small county hospitals, such as Navan hospital, for which the Opposition does not have a policy, is gone under the Fine Gael system.

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: When the money follows the patient everybody will want to go to the top specialists in Dublin the whole time. The current policy on Navan hospital is to provide some specialties which people can access at local level. That is what is important in health care. We see also the evidence that the costs of this universal health insurance will be far greater than anything the VHI has done, and...

Health Care Services: Motion (19 Jan 2011)

Thomas Byrne: -----and those who make decisions within the HSE. They are very important people. Are we prepared as a nation to devolve those decisions to the VHI, Aviva, the Quinn Group and any other foreign company that comes here because it is explicit in the Fine Gael policy that decisions on whether somebody gets an operation or not will be made in the offices of a health insurance company? That is...