Results 1,601-1,620 of 2,653 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The challenge is that many of those who were in receipt of concessionary tickets, while they certainly welcome the reduction in fees, would have been prepared to continue to pay some sort of fee as it would still have represented a reduction. The fear is that many people may have applied for tickets simply because the service is now free. I am not discounting the fact that it is an enormous...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The Leader will be aware that the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has published another report raising concerns about poor air quality in Ireland. We have known for quite some time that the poor air quality in many of our communities potentially contributes to up to 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland. In addition to poor air quality resulting in premature deaths, there are certain...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Although amendment No. 54a is mine, I will not press it. It concerns the nature of the membership of an t-údarás. The key point is that an t-údarás is not a representative body in the sense of people being drawn from different sections, but it is important that those who sit around the table have a specific knowledge of a range of fields relating to education. In that...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I do not get the point of amendment No. 60, in particular. The Bill clearly proposes that the chief executive will be appointed by the board following the usual process that will come through the Public Appointments Service. If we inserted that amendment, it would exclude anyone who, in the preceding three years, had been directly employed by the Government or a Minister thereof....

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Universities are obliged to adhere to all terms of the GDPR in any event, so these amendments will not be relevant.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I am tempted to shout "bingo".

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I have some sympathy for the proposal by Senator Clonan. I would almost have preferred if the wording of the amendment stated "students of the institution", which would have incorporated students' unions. The way that the provision is phrased is "students or the students' unions". My fear is that if a governing body or the management of the institution interpreted it in a particular way,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I wish to be associated with the vote of thanks to all of the members of staff in the Seanad and in the Houses of the Oireachtas more generally. We certainly could not do our job without their help, and also the work of our secretarial assistants. I hope all of the staff will get a well-deserved break at some stage over the summer. I congratulate the Houses of the Oireachtas on its...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming to the House. It is important to acknowledge his work and that of his officials. He has put an incredible amount of work into this. He has chosen not to play politics with it. He wanted to resolve an issue affecting significant numbers of individuals and families. I am speaking specifically to the amendment. We all value our homes. They are where we live...

Seanad: Night-time Economy: Motion (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I commend Senator Warfield on bringing forward this motion. He has been a strong advocate on this issue for quite some time. I also commend the team from Give Us The Night. I was not able to make the briefing this afternoon, although my intern went to it. Certainly, those involved with Give Us The Night have been very active on this issue for a long...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Governance and Related Issues in Cycling Ireland: Discussion (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank all the witnesses and particularly Dr. Daly and Ms Kerrane. I am very conscious that becoming volunteer members of a board, particularly during a difficult transition period, must be acknowledged. It should be acknowledged that Cycling Ireland is more than just the board. It is about the members and cyclists on the ground. The good work by all the volunteers in the country must be...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Governance and Related Issues in Cycling Ireland: Discussion (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I appreciate the matter is out of Sport Ireland's hands.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Governance and Related Issues in Cycling Ireland: Discussion (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Let us just say there is no other occasion in the near future where we are expecting another national governing body to be before the committee.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Governance and Related Issues in Cycling Ireland: Discussion (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Of course. Mr. McDermott is aware there is a seriousness about the issues which happened at Cycling Ireland and certainly at the IABA. There are ongoing issues in respect of addressing gender balance and other matters at governing body level. In terms of specific serious concerns-----

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Governance and Related Issues in Cycling Ireland: Discussion (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: With the Chair's indulgence, I have one further question. Contrasting Cycling Ireland with the IABA, in Cycling Ireland we had a board which voluntarily stepped aside. Excellent volunteers like Dr. Tom Daly and Ms Helen Kerrane stepped up to the mark. As is clear from the weekend, the outgoing IABA board has lost the confidence of the clubs and members. It certainly arguable and our...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Governance and Related Issues in Cycling Ireland: Discussion (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I was comparing and contrasting, Vice Chairman.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: This issue has exercised both the Minister and his officials quite a bit over the last number of weeks. I thank him and his officials for the briefing and the engagement around this issue. It should be clear that there is a long-running tradition of effective student representation in Ireland and-----

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Indeed. I referenced effective student representation specifically. The key point is that within this legislation, there is an acknowledgement by the Minister of the role of students. There is a challenge in ensuring we always have independent students' unions. In outlining some of the legal difficulties, I hope the Minister can assuage some of the concerns and fears because it has...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I am concerned about some remarks that Senator Gavan made concerning private institutions. Ireland is unusual in that about 95% of students attend publicly-funded or public institutions, which is different to most other countries. We have one of the highest third level education participation rates in the world, with about 62% of 18-to-20-year age cohort attending. As for the money Senator...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I propose a suspension of the House for 15 minutes.