Results 1,541-1,560 of 2,476 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The State agriculture research agency, Teagasc, recently reported that among farm families in Wexford, Wicklow and Carlow, the average age of a farmer is now 56.6 years. This is slightly younger than the national average, but it points to the continuing challenge of the ageing profile of those within our farm communities. I have raised on a number of occasions in this House the question of...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I welcome this Bill which will establish a much-needed electoral commission. I also support the lowering of the voting age to 16 and we can do that as part of this legislation for the local and European elections in 2024. The leadership shown by young people, particularly in the Irish Second-Level Students Union, on the leaving certificate and...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The last county to become a county in Ireland was Wicklow in 1606. The reason was that the British were trying to design it as a shire but three families, the O'Tooles, the O'Kavanaghs and the O'Byrnes all rebelled to delay the process. Therefore, if we are to design it around the original county boundaries it should perhaps be around the O’Byrne lands which stretched from Wicklow...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: In a modern context we need to look at what makes sense from a geographical point of view and that may not necessarily be around the county boundaries.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State and the witnesses for attending the meeting. To echo Deputy Ó Laoghaire's point, while it is welcome that the accreditation issue is being addressed, the sooner it is resolved the better. As the Minister of State will understand, if people are entering into a course or programme of study, they would like some certainty as to the nature of the award and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I appreciate the Minister of State may not necessarily be able to get into the details of the SNA contract negotiations. She referred to the specialised nature of the work and we all appreciate the work SNAs do. As the Minister of State herself said, those students with special educational needs in many cases would not survive without the support of SNAs. One thing that is important as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: That is critical. I am conscious that the new system of post allocation that is planned is based on current student needs and a range of criteria, and it is for a two to three-year period. My question relates to new schools for rapidly-expanding schools where a significant number of new students are enrolled within the school at any one time. This can be in areas of high population growth...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank all the witnesses for their evidence. Something I find strange from an educational perspective is commencing a course without formal accreditation being sorted in advance. Any learner entering a course should know the level of accreditation. I am entirely in agreement with the witnesses on many of their concerns and I hope this matter is expedited. I share the concerns of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Yesterday, I attended Mental Health Reform’s online publication of a report, My LGBTI+ Voice Matters. It is an extensive piece of research which looks at the experiences of the gay, lesbian and trans community within our mental health services. One statistic that certainly stands out is that 19% of those who access mental health services in Ireland identify as lesbian, gay or trans,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thought that was standard attire for Dún Laoghaire.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank our witnesses. We have engaged with quite a number of them on different issues over the past year. All of us are interested in having a well-respected, good value tourism industry. I would echo many of Deputy O'Sullivan's concerns. Members of this committee, within our own parliamentary parties and elsewhere, went out on a limb during the Covid period and made specific arguments...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I understand Mr. Fenn’s point about last-minute bookings, and colleagues have dealt with that. Let us say I was to look at booking a hotel in Dublin now for a date three months from now, namely, 15 September, which is a Thursday night. What does Mr. Fenn expect I should pay for an average hotel in Dublin in about three months' time?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I accept it is last-minute. Because I knew the focus was going to be on this, I looked at 15 September, which is a Thursday, and it is not a supply issue because there are over 120 properties available in Dublin across a range of the booking sites, and I went onto some of the hotels' own websites as well. There were some very good value bed and breakfasts and some hotels but most of the...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: It is ironic that some politicians and political parties who object to hotels being built now complain about a scarcity of hotel spaces. Are there other planning measures that would help to assist on the supply side? What does Fáilte Ireland hear from developers? Are there specific planning measures that could be taken? I hear about the time it takes when something goes to An Bord...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank all the officials and witnesses, as well as people in the Department and wider agencies. It should be acknowledged that during the Covid-19 period, the services they provided to the sectors they deal with, including arts, sport and tourism in particular, were among those worst affected by Covid-19. Quite a number of the schemes administered by the Department had to be designed...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Rinneadh cáineadh ar na seirbhísí rialtais le linn Covid-19 agus bhí tuairisc inné nó inniu ón gCoimisinéir faoi na seirbhísí rialta sin le linn na paindéime. Ar mhaith Mr. Ó Conaire aon rud a rá faoi sin?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Gabh mo leithscéal.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Public Service Performance Report 2021: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Gabh mo leithscéal faoi sin.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The Leas-Chathaoirleach will be aware of the reported decision of the UK Government to unilaterally change parts of the Northern Ireland protocol that was agreed between the UK and the European Union. The Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs have been clear that this has been a breach of good faith as well as a breach of international law and that it undermines the trust that is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Hear, hear.