Results 1,641-1,660 of 1,774 for speaker:Maria Byrne

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (13 Jul 2017)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State and I appreciate her response. In this case, the man applied and made the case of what he was providing at home but, unfortunately, he was refused. I will now go back to him to encourage him to reapply. Consideration needs to be given to the fact that persons in their later years are looking after their loved ones. I understand that there is a bit of leeway...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Curriculum (13 Jul 2017)

Maria Byrne: They have carers but they themselves provide extra carers as well.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2017)

Maria Byrne: I rise today to welcome the good news that Limerick Institute of Technology was granted its requested planning permission this morning. The new €14 million development at Coonagh Cross will be great, not only for the students and teachers, but also for the greater Limerick area. This comes on top of the good news that the Department of Education and Skills announced during the week...

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (12 Jul 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State and acknowledge his passion for and commitment to his role in respect of school transport. He stated the system had been brought about in 1968 and further changed in 2012. There are 116,000 children availing of school transport daily, including 12,000 with special needs. I understand there is a recommendation that everybody on a school bus, including the...

Seanad: Equality of Access to Education: Motion (12 Jul 2017)

Maria Byrne: I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after “That Seanad Éireann:” and substitute the following:“ - affirms its continued commitment to promote equity of access at all levels of the education system; - recognises the benefits to society and the individual, culturally and economically, of the State’s investment in educational opportunities for all of its...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (11 Jul 2017)

Maria Byrne: I, too, thank all of the witnesses for their presentations. I also want to raise a number of local issues. I have been contacted by parents in Tipperary who have to drive their children two and a half miles to the nearest bus stop. There are other children whose parents have to do likewise. It does not make sense that so many children have to be driven two and a half miles to meet the...

Seanad: Rugby World Cup 2023 Bill 2017: Second Stage (11 Jul 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister and thank him for coming forward with this proposal which I fully support. Having attended rugby matches in Ireland, elsewhere in Europe and worldwide for the last 40 years, this is a very positive move for Ireland. France and South Africa are its main competitors in seeking to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023. Having attended the Rugby World Cup tournaments in...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the fact that the national cancer strategy has been launched in the last few minutes following its approval by Cabinet. A great deal of money has been granted for the expansion of services. As Senator Swanick said, it is a proven fact that cancer is on the increase. While I welcome the fact that the age threshold for bowel screening has been brought down, I ask the Acting Leader...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2017)

Maria Byrne: I congratulate the Leader and wish him all the best for the future. It is great news. The very best of luck to them both.I raise the issue of the new accident and emergency unit in University Hospital Limerick which is the most overcrowded emergency department in the country. Some 4,150 people have been treated on trolleys in the hospital since the start of January. Despite the opening of...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Children's Mental Health Services: Discussion (29 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: I thank all five ladies for their moving presentations. There is a common theme running through all of them, namely, that those under 18 have fallen through the cracks because they do not fit in with adult services. The HSE report stated that only eight out of the 17 provide weekend services. That is something we need to focus on because, from listening to the witnesses, it is out of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Farm Relief Scheme (28 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle. A number of young farmers spoke to me recently about the farm relief scheme. While it is positive and farmers are members of it, at present young farmers are finding it hard to get relief workers. People are not applying for the vacancies as they arise. A young farmer, who was going to a wedding one weekend, had to bring back somebody who was...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Farm Relief Scheme (28 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. More secondary schools are beginning to teach agriculture-related subjects and perhaps that is the route to follow in order that students can secure part-time employment at weekends and so on and help out on farms. It is a significant issue in the farming sector and I acknowledge the Minister of State is very much aware of it. Hopefully, it will...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the announcement made by the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran, on free access to cultural and heritage sites for all children under 12 years. This is a very positive move. Children are the future of the country and it is important from an educational point of view to instil a love of culture and heritage in them. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: There are two issues I wish to raise, the first of which has already been mentioned by Senator Gallagher, that being to wish Peter O'Mahony of the Munster rugby team the best of luck. He has been instrumental in his play for Munster and Ireland. It is great to see a man from Munster captaining the Lions in the first test match. An issue which has been raised many times in the House is the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: General Practitioner Services (21 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Daly, to the House and congratulate him formally on his appointment yesterday. I am delighted for him and wish him the best of luck for the future. I raise this matter to call on University Hospital Limerick to provide access for general practitioners to the blood clinic over five days a week. Currently, there is access only on four days a week,...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: General Practitioner Services (21 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his response. The point the GP is making is it is restricted times on a Friday and the Shannon Doc only operates Monday to Thursday so there is a shorter timeframe. I understand extending the time would create greater costs on the hospital, but if the service were extended, it would help to reduce the numbers going in through accident and emergency....

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: Reference has already been made to the fact that today is UN World Refugee Day. I congratulate the University of Limerick on becoming a university of sanctuary. Yesterday, at the first Department of Justice and Equality citizenship event held at the University of Limerick, the president, Dr. Des Fitzgerald, made the announcement that the university would become a university of sanctuary....

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: I rise on this historic day to pay tribute to the outgoing Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, and to wish him the very best for the future. I also wish to pay tribute to my own Limerick colleague, the outgoing Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan. The two of them, working together, have done a fantastic job in bringing the country back from the brink and restoring our finances. I wish...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed and Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (8 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome Mr. Doran and Ms O'Brien and thank them for their presentations. Mr. Doran mentioned that many nurses from both sides of the Border go to England for training, including specialised training. I will mention one area that is of concern in this context. Many qualifications are recognised at present. If nurses train here, their qualifications are recognised in the UK and in...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement on the Future of the European Union (7 Jun 2017)

Maria Byrne: I welcome my fellow Limerick person to the Chamber. I am not sure if he covered it in his presentation but I have a question on education. Foreign students in Ireland pay higher fees. When Irish students go to the UK, they pay the same fees as UK students. I am very concerned about whether Irish students travelling to the UK to college will be treated like foreign students and faced with...