Results 981-1,000 of 1,729 for speaker:Maria Byrne

Seanad: Impact on Farming Sector Arising from the Situation in Ukraine: Statements (29 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming here to discuss this all-important issue. I welcome the fact that the Department is providing €400 per ha to encourage Irish farmers to grow more cereals to offset the loss of Ukrainian and Russian grains. The aim is to increase the amount of tilled land by 25,000 ha. While I know farmers will be going out to sow the crops, my concern is whether we...

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this important Bill. I realise its significance in protecting the consumer. Like Senator Casey, Fine Gael will support this Bill. The primary purpose of the Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2021 is to provide that any firm that offers credit under buy now, pay later...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I would like to be associated with the remarks of Senator Ahearn and those of other colleagues yesterday. I knew David and had the pleasure of visiting the Scottish Parliament on the many occasions when our Oireachtas teams had meetings. There is great friendship and camaraderie between us. My sympathies are with his family and colleagues as well as our Irish colleagues for what they went...

Seanad: Humanitarian Support for Ukrainian Refugees: Statements (23 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming to the Seanad for this all-important discussion. Like many colleagues, I have been engaging with Ukrainians in my area of Limerick over the past while. Only last week, I met with a company called TRANSLIT, the CEO of which, Alex Chernenko, is from Ukraine. The company is offering free translation services and I assisted it in registering that offer of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Overcrowding (22 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: The Minister of State is very welcome to discuss this important issue. I will share time with my colleague, Senator Conway. Senator Ahearn sends his apologies. He has his own very strong views on the issue of overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick. From my own experience and from hearing from people in Limerick, I know that there are great concerns. Only today, I spoke to a man who...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Overcrowding (22 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for her response. The staff work very hard but staff morale is at an all-time low. It is a question of safety for the staff and the patients. Once most patients get into the system, they have an excellent experience, but it is about getting into the system. It is not acceptable. As Senator Conway said, there has been a lot of funding and new beds, but there...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Victim Support Services (9 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for taking this important matter. I thank the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State for their work and commitment in this area. So much has been done on gender-based violence, especially towards women. I am grateful for all the work they have done and I am grateful that it is a priority. It has been spoken about a great deal in both...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Victim Support Services (9 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for that detailed response. Translit in Limerick provides a training course for many interpreters in the context of the sensitive nature of this issue, and it is my understanding that it is the only company that does training in this regard. The Minister of State indicated that the Department is keeping this matter under review and is looking at different...

Seanad: International Women's Day 2022: Statements (9 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I am delighted that the Minister is here for this all-important conversation. I am also delighted that I can contribute to the debate on and recognise International Women's Day, which took place yesterday. It is a day for acknowledging not only our struggles but also our successes. While there is a lot that divides us, there is more that unites us. While we have differences, we should not...

Seanad: Brain Health and Dementia: Statements (9 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for coming to the House to discuss this all-important topic. Having served on the all-party group previously with her, I am fully aware of her dedication to the area. I also thank Senator O'Loughlin for organising the briefing yesterday on behalf of the all-party group. It really was a very enlightening briefing, particularly with regard to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Overcrowding Crisis in Hospitals: Discussion (9 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank all of the witnesses very much for their presentations today. I was watching from my office because I have been in and out of the Chamber. I will confine my questions to University Hospital Limerick, UHL. Senator Conway has already asked some of the questions I wanted to ask. There are 562 beds in the hospital. An extra 60 have recently been provided. It has been stated over and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I wish everybody a very happy International Women's Day. The reason I wish to speak about it is I have been working with many female carers, many of whom are agency workers. With the war going on and the increasing cost of fuel, they find the cost involved in driving from A to B is not making it very effective for them to work.The costs involved in driving from A to B is making working...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: Today is World Book Day. It is also the 25th anniversary of World Book Day. The theme of this year's World Book Day is, You Are a Reader. It is about encouraging children to dress up in the clothes of their favourite character and to read a book. It is really important because of the whole educational aspect around it. Many bookshops have offers on today and reductions in the price of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I rise first to pay tribute to Ms Olivia Chan in Limerick. We have learned much from the Fridays for the Future movement and the suggestions that young people can bring forward. She suggested that following her learning experience through Covid-19, there should be a suggestion box for young people to put forward ideas on how to develop a better Limerick. It is something that should be...

Seanad: Credit Union Sector: Statements (2 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this very important topic. Credit unions are very much at the heart of their communities. Within half a mile of my house there are two credit unions. I took a look at their websites and what they have on offer. One of them was started by the Redemptorists. It is now an independent entity. It gives everything but it does...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: I join colleagues in expressing condolences for our colleague, Senator Paul Daly, and also for my colleague, Senator Jerry Buttimer, on the death of his father-in-law. I wish to have those recorded. Today is national self-harm awareness day. It is important to put it out there in regard to the stigma about self-harm and the fact there are organisations such as Pieta House and the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Feb 2022)

Maria Byrne: I stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, as has everybody else who has spoken. The war has started overnight and I think about what the people are going through at the moment. This week, the Tánaiste announced the terms of reference for the Shannon Estuary economic group. It is seeking expressions of interest in Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary regarding what can be...

Seanad: Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Statements (24 Feb 2022)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State to discuss this very important issue. I have been working with a number of mental health organisations based in Limerick that do fantastic work, including the Limerick Mental Health Association. I thank the Minister of State for all she has done since taking over the role. I know her commitments and dedication to resolving the issues. When we look back at...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Members of the European Parliament (23 Feb 2022)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the MEPs, Mr. Kelly, Ms O'Sullivan and Mr. Kelleher, all of whom collectively and individually certainly fly the Irish flag while out in Europe. As I served on the European Committee of the Regions for a number of years, I know the importance of that collaboration and of working with your colleagues right across the different countries. Quite often there is much commonality, to...