Results 141-160 of 214 for long speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (6 Oct 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...not there to match it. Therefore, I am asking the following questions. Will we see the publication of the report quite soon? In the budget, or soon after, will we see a sustainable plan for the long-term funding of higher education? The Minister has also promised we will have a national strategy on research, which will be crucial for this country's long-term development. The current...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (6 Oct 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...in this sector, as the Minister of State himself outlined, that report needs to be published quickly. As for Ireland's very specific international offering, our economic strategy was based for a long time on tax and talent. We now know we will no longer base our arguments solely on tax, perhaps rightly so. This country will rely very heavily on its talent offering. As the Minister of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...as an Irish citizen cannot do so. The Department of Foreign Affairs simply will not accept applications. I know of one instance in which somebody who has lived here almost his entire life, since not long after birth, has had an application in for two years and there has been no progress made on it. There are a number of others in a similar situation. I therefore ask the Deputy Leader...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...it reopens. I want to raise the question of pensions. I am concerned by some of the very populist debate that is happening around pensions at the moment and that we are not thinking sufficiently long-term. Those who will sit their leaving certificate next year will probably not retire until the late 2060s or early 2070s. They will have a life expectancy of 90. They will live a lot...

Seanad: Housing For All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland: Statements (29 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...as possible for builders who need to employ international workers with specialisations to come into this country. The key issue about An Bord Pleanála is the decision-making process is taking too long. What most builders will tell one is it is not whether they get approval, it is the fact it takes far too long. We need to move to a situation whereby the board is giving quick...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Pollution (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...problem. Subsequently we discovered there was a case. While the systems failure was bad, the failure in communications was particularly appalling. The difficulty now for those of us who, for a long time, have defended agencies on the basis that we place our trust in professionals is that the trust is not there. What happened in Gorey could happen in any other part of the country. We...

Seanad: Report of Independent Review Group Jadotville: Statements (15 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...the veterans of Jadotville, and members of the Defence Forces and veterans more generally, that they feel passionately that this story should be told. This State tried to suppress that story for a long time. Credit should also be given to Mr. Ronan McGreevy of The Irish Times. He was one of a number of journalists who continued to raise and tell that story. All that anybody here ever...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vaccination Programme (12 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...the time during the Covid-19 pandemic away from Ireland but have now received a non-EMA-approved vaccine. We need clarity regarding what is going to happen concerning this situation, depending on how long it may take for the EMA to recognise those other vaccines. I also raise this matter in the context of a concern regarding international students coming to Ireland in the autumn.It is a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...tous. I also echo colleagues in their congratulations to Deputy Bacik, who is a committed parliamentarian and legislator. Everyone was very happy to see her election and wish her well. I have known her for a long time as somebody who is passionate about education and access. She is also somebody who will respect a person's point of view even if she disagrees with him or her. She always...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...and Boyhan, who have said that there are under-utilised buildings on many Office of Public Works, OPW, lands and not just in the Phoenix Park. We can be more imaginative in using those. For a long time, there has been talk about an official residence for the Taoiseach. Why not use some of the under-utilised buildings in the Phoenix Park for that purpose? I do not necessarily expect the...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...sinks. It also incentivises people who own the land to create them. This is an approach we need to take across all this legislation. I appreciate that the Minister is working at this for a long number of years so I will not say the easy part is the passing of the legislation. The bigger challenge will be putting it into effect with the carbon budgets. That means bringing people along...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming to the House and praise him personally. He is quite modest but he has fought for this legislation for a long time and deserves our congratulations for that. Like others have said, the Joint Committee on Climate Action has done enormous work. I also wish to praise the climate strikers over the years. Those young people drew all of our attention to the...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Trade and Co-operation Agreement, Northern Ireland Protocol, and EU-UK Relationships post Brexit: Commissioner Mairead McGuinness (15 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...moving towards the marching season, does it make sense to look at a negotiated extension of the grace period? Related to that, and the Commissioner's point about building trust is very valid, what long-term mechanisms should we put in place to ensure trust is built between the various parties? The fear is that it will be sausages this month and chicken nuggets the next. There will...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Direct Provision System (14 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...provision centres. I know what some of those families have experienced. From speaking with them, I know they have experienced war, political oppression and hardship. They have been waiting a long period and we have many problems with direct provision and the speed with which the cases of these families are being addressed. In north Wexford these families have been welcomed and I pay...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Direct Provision System (14 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...appreciate there is a broader issue around case processing times as it will provide greater clarity on the broader question of direct provision. It is completely unjust that families must wait so long to get an answer to their case, although I know it is a Government priority to address that. I am sorry but I strongly dispute the argument where IPAS claims it has fully engaged with the...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...were facetious. If he actually went out, he would find this is based on evidence. I would certainly encourage him to look at Central Statistics Office, CSO, data or the data compiled over a long period by the Higher Education Authority on graduate salaries. If one looks at the CSO data, based on all of its research comparing the median income levels in every single profession across the...

Seanad: Right to Housing: Motion (4 Jun 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...in that document that there should be a roof over individuals' heads. Senator Higgins is correct. It is unfortunate that there has been an interpretation that effectively excludes the common good over a long period. We must provide the necessary rebalancing. As colleagues have said, the provision of housing is the greatest domestic challenge we face. Unlike others, I do not believe...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Industry (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...Fiscal Advisory Council, IFAC, found that 71% of the farmers it surveyed had not yet identified a successor, and one third of them cited the fact they believed the farm they were farming was no longer viable. Let us put that into context by looking at careers or professions with similar numbers. Taking the public service, for example, if 55% of gardaí or teachers were over 55 and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: ...would happen. I have been very fortunate, like many others, because I live in the great town of Gorey and I have access to the sea and country areas. If people are cooped up in an apartment for a long period once we get a bit of sun of course they want to come out. It is only natural. This does not excuse irresponsible behaviour, for which the minority were responsible. If people...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Impact of Brexit on the Higher Education Sector: Discussion (31 May 2021)

Malcolm Byrne: Which softer projects have the greatest long-term benefits and that we, as a committee, can recommend to the Government?