Results 121-140 of 932 for and speaker:Maria Byrne

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: State Examinations (15 Jun 2023)

Maria Byrne: ...House on behalf of the Minister for Education. My question relates to the inconsistencies that have arisen in respect of leaving certificate 2023. I am sure she has heard the reports on the radio and perhaps she herself has been contacted about this. Students in the area I represent who are sitting the leaving certificate or junior certificate were very upset and a great deal of stress...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: State Examinations (15 Jun 2023)

Maria Byrne: ..., Deputy Foley, has acknowledged as well. I hope some leniency is given to students. They are in the middle of the second week of examinations. It has been a really awful time for students and they are still very upset and downbeat about it. I hope leniency will prevail because the situation is not fair on the students, especially those who are looking to go to college or do an...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jun 2023)

Maria Byrne: ...of sympathy on the death of former Senator Paul Coghlan. He was a gentleman who I had known for many years before I met him in this House in 2016. He was a very welcoming man who was very kind and friendly. He touched the lives of many people. He was always there to lend a hand and give advice down through the years. He will be sadly missed by all and I extend my sympathies to the...

Seanad: Capital Investment in the Health Service: Statements (1 Jun 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming to discuss the capital plan and for his announcement last Monday. I welcome all the investment he announced. I am passionate about University Hospital Limerick, the mid-west and improving things down there. I welcome the Minister’s recent announcement of a further 98 beds. That is most welcome. The hospital needs to look towards recruitment of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: I congratulate Munster Rugby on the great win last weekend, becoming the United Rugby Championship, URC, champions. There was a great homecoming in Limerick last Monday evening. I compliment and congratulate the team because to go all the way to South Africa and come back as victors was something else. We have discussed Women’s Sheds previously. The Women’s Shed in Limerick...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: Amendments Nos. 33 to 36, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Tax Code (18 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this important issue. When this proposal was first discussed in 2022 the then Taoiseach asked that it be examined and the then Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, stated that while it was not an appropriate time to introduce such a rate as it would be very difficult to do so, the matter should be examined down the line. Last...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Tax Code (18 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. I also thank the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael McGrath, and the team in the Department. It is important that they look at this carefully. Obviously, on the basis of the progress made and the different steps that have been taken, it is clear that a thorough review is taking place. I thank the people who made submissions to the consultation process....

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (16 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: Amendments Nos. 16 and 17 in the names of Senators Warfield, Boylan, Ó Donnghaile and Gavan have been ruled out of order.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Home Care Packages (11 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for attending to discuss this important issue, which is also health related and involves home care packages. People are not getting enough hours every day or week and there is a shortage of carers and trained people available to help. During Covid especially, we saw that keeping people in their own homes adds to longevity and that people survive better when...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Home Care Packages (11 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: ...are still people who need more hours. Some people are getting half an hour of home care a day. Others only get care on a certain number of days each week. They do not get care on seven days, and some of them are badly in need of it. This puts pressure on family members and in some cases there are no family members and people end up in a nursing home. While the Government is moving on...

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media: Statements (11 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: ...here today to discuss this all-important issue. I wish to pay tribute to the committee that published this report. I acknowledge the amount of work that was involved. I congratulate my friend and neighbour, Ms Joy Neville, the only female referee from Ireland who has been selected to attend the Rugby World Cup. It is a great honour for Joy, her wife, Simona, her son Alfie, and the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: I congratulate the students of Laurel Hill Secondary School - Aisling, Maebh and Vivian - who won the gold medal at the SciFest regional final of the EirGrid: Climate and Delivering a Cleaner Energy Future competition for their project, "Turn it off or keep it on - which is more energy efficient?". Science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, projects are very much about our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: New School of Veterinary Medicine: Discussion (10 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: ..., but I have used the service in the current veterinary hospital. I compliment the staff there. I was there on two occasions with two different dogs. It is a very good service for small animals and I know there is also a service for larger animals. I believe those services need to be expanded. I see where I am from that many people travel abroad to go to college. I know the witnesses...

Seanad: Ireland's Application for Membership of CERN: Statements (9 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: I welcome to the House the Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with responsibility for Skills and Further Education, Deputy Niall Collins.

Seanad: Ireland's Application for Membership of CERN: Statements (9 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and now call on Senator Malcolm Byrne who has six minutes.

Seanad: Ireland's Application for Membership of CERN: Statements (9 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: Thank you. It was remiss of me not to acknowledge the presence of the researchers and students in the Visitors Gallery and also those looking in online. I know from a communication that I have received that there is huge interest in this. It is a good news story. As no other Senators are indicating, I call the Minister of State to respond.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (4 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: ...made by Catherine McAuley School on Ashbourne Avenue in Limerick. I was honoured when the Minister of State came to visit the school with me a couple of months ago to learn about its ethos and see what is going on in the school. It was a great day of celebration when we were there. The school put on part of its show about the story of Joseph and his multicoloured dream coat. Fantastic...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (4 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for her response. It is good to know that it is progressing through the system and that the NCSE is liaising. Does the Minister of State have a timeframe for when the report will be coming back? Maybe she cannot give that information today but she might be able to come back to me with a timeframe, if possible. I visit the school regularly and see the standard...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2023: Committee Stage (4 May 2023)

Maria Byrne: I understand from where Senator Higgins is coming with regard to hotels that have put up their rates but that is not the case for all hotels. I have had many dealings with small hoteliers and others in the hospitality industry. Yesterday, I spoke to a small hotelier who is so grateful that the 9% VAT was kept and for the supports that have been in place. He believes that if those supports...