Results 1,621-1,640 of 1,729 for speaker:Maria Byrne

Seanad: Controlled Drugs and Harm Reduction Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) (31 May 2017)

Maria Byrne: I thank Senator Reilly for agreeing to share his time. This is a very important opportunity to discuss our approach to people who come into contact with the criminal justice system as a result of drug use. I compliment Senator Ruane and think it a very well-intentioned Bill. It seeks to address drug use as a social and health issue rather than as a criminal justice matter, which I believe...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Amendment) Bill 2015 and Education (Parent and Student Charter) Bill 2016: Discussion (Resumed) (30 May 2017)

Maria Byrne: I have more of a comment than a question. It refers back to the students on the boards of management. I am chairperson of the board of management of an education and training board, ETB, school. We have students sitting on our board of management and their level of interest and interaction with the board of management is very good. They sit for the first half of the meeting and bring...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 May 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome that the new accident and emergency department in University Hospital Limerick opened at 8 a.m. yesterday. It was wonderful to see the new facilities there. I know the staff had a very busy day yesterday. Earlier in the week some of the more senior staff expressed concerns over whether some of the new staff appointed would be able to cope under the pressure of the opening with...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 May 2017)

Maria Byrne: I join with all the other speakers in their comments on what happened in Manchester last night. I do not think anyone here could support what happened. There are 22 people dead and I think something like 16 people under the age of 16 in hospital. They are the youth and they are our future. I pass on my sympathies to all involved. I wish to pay tribute to one other person, namely, the...

Seanad: Autism Spectrum Disorder Bill 2017: Second Stage (17 May 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister. It is great that he is here this evening to hear the debate. I compliment my colleague, Senator Reilly, on bringing the Autism Spectrum Bill before the House. Much has been said tonight and I will not go over some of the things that have been said. One thing I have learned from talking to family members of those on the autism spectrum is the nature of the gap...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Skills and Apprenticeship Schemes: Discussion (16 May 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the witnesses and thank them for their presentations. I will address the Irish Hotels Federation first. My own background is in the hospitality sector, so I am aware of the shortage of chefs, commis chefs, etc. From my experience of the training centre, and I know Mr. Vaughan has experience of it in Limerick, it targeted people from unemployed areas where it has been a great...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2017)

Maria Byrne: Today the media reported about grants which will become available over the next several weeks to encourage people to live outside of Dublin in rural towns and villages. There will be grants and incentives towards the renovation of such homes, particularly older ones. Encouraging people to live in rural towns and villages is to be welcomed. This funding is welcome, especially in the west...

Seanad: Business of Seanad: Prescriptions Charges (9 May 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, to the House and thank him for coming in. I know of his special interest in people with disabilities. I will go backwards to come forwards and refer to the over 70s prescription charges which came into effect on 1 April. It has been a great success story. I met recently with the families of young adults with disabilities, and I will...

Seanad: Business of Seanad: Prescriptions Charges (9 May 2017)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his response. While I understand exactly what he is saying - I believe he is saying that it will be considered down the line - one group that needs to be looked at is young adults who have to live in care and are on the minimum amount of money they can receive. There are many outgoings and a burden is placed on the family. I implore the Minister of State...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Funding: Discussion (Resumed) (2 May 2017)

Maria Byrne: I will comment rather than ask questions because some of questions I intended asking have already been put. This morning, I listened to a debate on my local radio station which featured Dr. Ed Walsh, the former president of the University of Limerick. Dr. Walsh pushed the idea that graduates should get a job and repay their student loans once they reached a certain income threshold....

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Apr 2017)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Cathaoirleach. A course was launched recently in Waterford Institute of Technology. It is an online maths programme to help parents of secondary school students. Parents can learn online to fill in the gaps where they feel they can no longer help their sons and daughters with their maths. The online programme is facilitated with books, worksheets and open access to lectures....

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Apr 2017)

Maria Byrne: I rise today to raise the issue of the alarming figures from Retail Excellence Ireland that show that more people are shopping online now than are shopping locally. I would like to encourage people to go out and support their local retailers. The fact that the value of sterling has gone down is helping people in terms of shopping online. Retail Excellence Ireland has started a campaign and...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Maria Byrne: I object as a publican.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Maria Byrne: So did I.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Maria Byrne: When I objected to the Minister speaking, I thought the Chair was cutting us off.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister and the members of the VFI and LVA. I also welcome former Senator Imelda Henry, who does trojan work on behalf of the vintners. I support this Bill. The Good Friday proposal dates back to the Intoxicating Liquor Act 1927 and the proposals also applied to Christmas Day and St. Patrick's Day. In the 1960s St. Patrick's Day was taken from the list and only Good Friday...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Apr 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome that an additional 47,000 school children will benefit from school meals and school breakfasts. They will join the other 200,000. It is a joint initiative between the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Social Protection. It is very positive. They have written to a number of schools that are not considered DEIS schools. I encourage all schools that have...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme (5 Apr 2017)

Maria Byrne: I rise to raise the issue of the primary medical certificate. This is required by people who apply for a disabled driver's pass. The disabled drivers scheme is very positive. There have been a number of initiatives that have been improved in recent years such as the amount of money that is allowed towards the car adaptation. Disabled drivers can park in disabled parking spaces and this...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme (5 Apr 2017)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. While I understand that there are many people in receipt of the scheme, the Minister of State might take back to the Minister the need to assess individual cases. There is an appeals process but the Minister might consider the inclusion in the regulations of a word relating to discretion.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Apr 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the very positive news that SUSI grants have been reopened to postgraduate students because they were closed in 2012. This will encourage people to further their education and increase their employment prospects in the long term. I commend the Minister for Education and Skills for reopening the grants to postgraduate students and congratulate Peter Furey from Ardscoil Rís in...