Results 1,361-1,380 of 2,476 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Tax Reliefs (8 Nov 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. As he will be aware, we are seeing a global explosion in content production, in film, television, animation and the new digital sector, and Ireland has been very much to the fore in ensuring we get a slice of that international pie. We have an excellent film, television and animation sector in Ireland, and one reason that has been the case...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Tax Reliefs (8 Nov 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate that he is only reading the figures given to him by the Department of Finance. It is clear that the Department is not committed to the development of a regional film and television industry on the basis of this response. That is quite disappointing. It is also clear that the Department does not understand the importance of section 481 and the...

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

Malcolm Byrne: I want to take up the last comment. I have enormous respect for Senator Keogan but we went through two difficult years with Covid and the vaccine scepticism of herself and Deputy Tóibín is not acceptable. The vaccines were what got us out of the difficulties we face and there was no effort on the part of the Government to prevent people from going for their necessary treatments....

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

Malcolm Byrne: I want to return to recent weather events. In Wexford we saw a number of events in the past week which were quite serious. In my hometown of Gorey we saw extensive flooding, including the motorway being closed. I saw the impact of what was a mini tornado in Foulksmills and Clongeen. Parts of buildings were demolished, roofs were taken off and damage was done to concrete in a number of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rail Network (25 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. The Rosslare to Waterford line was closed in 2010, having operated since 1906. It connects with the Waterford to Limerick railway line, which continues to operate. Many in south Wexford knew it as the sugar beet track because for a long time the railway line was synonymous with the transportation of sugar beet. It served communities in south...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rail Network (25 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The Minister of State's response is somewhat positive. I think we all look forward to reading the All Island Strategic Rail Review. I think it will encourage a lot of debate about how we can more effectively use rail in this country. I think we could see the reopening of the railway line with a parallel greenway connecting to the very successful Waterford greenway operating over the course...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I echo Senator Boyhan's call for a debate on rail infrastructure. In the context of the all-island strategic rail review, which is due to be published imminently, a full debate in this House would be welcome. I will also talk about regional development but first, I will speak about the question of the regional uplift for film, television and animation production. This applies to any...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services (20 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirím fáilte roimhe an Aire Stáit. The Minister of State will be aware that after the budget, a €100 million health sector winter fund was announced to deal with various emergency costs. This would be particularly targeted at section 39 providers to meet some of their costs. The Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte, Butler and Feighan have identified some of the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services (20 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I welcome the announcement of this funding but unfortunately, I do not share the Minister of State's confidence that the HSE will be able to allocate it as quickly as possible, particularly as many working in the sector are still waiting for their €1,000 Covid-related bonus payment to which they are entitled. I would be grateful for...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte arís roimh an Aire Stáit. I also welcome to the Gallery Mary and Sarah Halford, who are neighbours of mine from home. They are here for the next Bill, but I am delighted to see them. I support the next Bill and hope that it does not have as long a passage as the reforms in the Bill before us. The latter Bill goes back, as colleagues have said, to the seventh...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I just heard, yes.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The point I would make is that now is the time to act on this. It is one of the tasks that should be put to the Electoral Commission. Under the legislation, it has a role in this. Senator Buttimer mentioned the Pontifical University at Maynooth but the Bill provides that it is up to the Minister to designate the institutions. The Minister can designate which higher education institutions...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Next Tuesday, 25 October.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Illegal Dumping (19 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. We have talked about this issue previously in the Chamber and privately. I am quite happy that the Government enacted the circular economy legislation. The Minister of State will be aware of the Bill I brought forward to deal specifically with these issues. Within the circular economy legislation there are very welcome provisions that will...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Illegal Dumping (19 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his personal commitment in this area. The legislation is welcome, as he said, and it has the necessary safeguards, but the key is rolling out the codes of practice. While I welcome the commitments, we should try to see that the LGMA gets the codes to the Minister for approval and that, from 2023, local authorities will be in a position to adopt them. By...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I join in welcoming the group from Gorey who are here. I raise the issue of a report by HIQA into foster care services in Waterford and Wexford.As we know, HIQA will carry out independent investigations on health services around the country. This has been reported on by Brendan Keane and the People Group newspapers in Wexford this morning. While the report has found that there are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister and his officials. Unlike Deputy Ó Ríordáin, my party and I had no doubt that the new Department would be a success.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: It was the right decision. The Minister and his officials have achieved an awful lot in a relatively short period, both in terms of what we have achieved with TUs, the higher education Act and some of the funding reforms. The Minister will appreciate that my job over the next five and a half minutes is not to spend my time praising him but to focus on a couple of the key outstanding issues....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: That is not going to make the full €130 million next year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I appreciate that. I have a number of other issues to raise. I do not know if there will be a chance for a second round of questions.