Results 1,841-1,860 of 2,822 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: This issue came extensively before the Committee of Public Accounts, and so on, at the time. I fully respect the academic autonomy of institutions, but we also expect that in respect of the very considerable sums of moneys that are made available to them by the State, that those institutions are accountable for these sums. I am particularly glad, incidentally, that the Minister is also...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: If we are to speak specifically with regard to the authority and this amendment, it should be about its members having sufficient experience to inform the decision-making processes and meet the strategic objectives of the authority, rather than them all being representative.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: We are only on amendment No. 2.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I do not think it is without protest, in fairness.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: It depends on votes.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Again, I speak in support. As the Minister knows, Senator Craughwell was at the TUI conference. In terms of what the Minister has done with governing bodies, it is about ensuring that the academic and non-academic staff are represented on governing authorities. I find what Senator Higgins said about public policy and giving the Minister more powers kind of unusual. Yet, most of the...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: All I am saying is that the next number of amendments are all going to be dealing with specific areas and, as the Senator knows, I agree with many of them.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I am. Here is the point around this. That is all fine; it is around the principle that if we put them into legislation and they form part of public policy, then there is an expectation that the Minister and an t-údarás will ensure that action is taken on them. If there is not action taken on them by the universities and an t-údarás, what should the Minister do? Should...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I propose that we suspend for ten minutes to allow the Minister to attend.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I propose a ten-minute suspension.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The next item is due to start at 7.15 p.m. Is it agreed that we keep going until the Institutional Burials Bill is to be taken?

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I will need the Leader-----

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I will check.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I will undertake to speak to the Leader in the meantime.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I certainly think it should be clear, as does the Minister, that the student voice should be recognised in all cases. That voice should be heard through the democratically elected students' union within the institution and the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, at a national level. As the Minister outlined earlier, it is obviously key within this legislation that there is very specific...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I could not get agreement from the Leader on it.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (5 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Senator Ahearn will need a bus to bring all the people to visit the school.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: International Students (5 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: The Minister of State may not be aware of the full history of this particular issue, but it is a problem for international students coming to Ireland and a requirement by the Department of Justice that they must have health insurance. This has been a long-running sore and to say it has been a difficulty is an understatement. I raised the matter not long after my election to this House and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: International Students (5 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. I am afraid my response is to tell us something that we do not know. The difficulty, as he rightly outlined, is that this has been an issue since the 2018 Court of Appeal judgment. Discussions have been ongoing since that time between the Departments so I do not accept there is any urgency among them about trying to resolve this. The issue had always been...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I, too, welcome Cara Hunter to the Gallery. Yesterday, she spoke profoundly on RTÉ radio in respect of her experience of online abuse during an election campaign. In these Houses last week we launched a report in respect of the abuse of referees, match officials and others involved in sport. Yesterday, Ursula Jacob who, as Members will be aware, is an All-Ireland camogie medal winner...