Results 1,861-1,880 of 2,822 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: We all are very much aware of ongoing brutality of Putin's war on Ukraine. The fact the European Union has stood so strongly together in introducing a range of sanctions is something to be welcomed. However, it is a matter of concern there a significant number of companies continue to do business in Russia and indeed with Putin's regime. The Yale School of Management has conducted an...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: There is a little bit of déjà vuon this issue because the Minister of State and I discussed it in the Chamber in detail on several occasions, most famously during the Commencement debate in May 2021. It is the case that what is proposed here is quite reasonable. I am minded, on the basis of the commitment I received from the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, that this will be a...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Social Outcome Contracts in Irish Sport: Discussion (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I have met with Mr. McGroarty and Mr. Courell. I was following the opening statements earlier but got delayed at another event. I am very supportive of this. The involvement of local sports partnerships, LSPs, may be key. I suggest that consideration be given to establishing a series of pilot projects with LSPs. Such projects should have clear metrics and be measurable. I have one...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank our guests. In the context of this report, it is important that we have independent, evidence-based research. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence around the sector, which is a part of the challenge. I was at the meeting the committee had with representatives of Fáilte Ireland, the Irish Hotels Federation and the Restaurants Association of Ireland, and vintners'...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Where are those statistics coming from?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I am conscious of time and, with respect, Mr. Hynes has already cited those figures. Where are they from?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I am lobbied all the time about work permits and the delays included in that process. One of the requirements in order to get a work permit for non-EEA workers is that their annual remuneration must be at least €30,000 per year. I appreciate that depends on the number of hours we are talking about. How can Mr. Hynes reconcile the fact that the legal requirement to qualify for a work...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I am merely asking the question. Mr. Hynes seems to imply that the majority of people who are employed on work permits here are paid less than the legally required €30,000 per annum.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I am not saying that.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: It is just that the committee has not seen the figures.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Mr. Hynes gets my point. On a regular basis we deal with the issue whereby for employers to get a work permit they must show they will pay at least €30,000 per annum. Why would an employer go to the lengths of having to ensure they must pay somebody over €30,000 per annum plus pay, I think, €1,000 per year for a permit?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I ask the Chairman to request Fáilte Ireland to supply us with its data, which would get back to our point about having evidence-based data. I am very concerned whether the phrase "a culture of exploitation" appears. There are bad employers but many of the employers in the sector that I know are good employers. They care for their staff, look after them and are interested in...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: That is a core recommendation, Chairman. When I prepared for this committee I discovered that a lack of evidence is one of the challenges.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: There is lots of anecdotal evidence and I am not saying that it is not important. I certainly agree with the earlier point made about the necessity to have an information campaign so people are made aware of their rights and responsibilities.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: Yes, the data or statistics.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Working Conditions and Skills Shortages in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: We should request anybody who has evidenced-based statistics or data to supply same, particularly as the committee will produce a policy document at the end of this process and it should be based on existing evidence. I do not wish to defend bad employers but I do not want the impression to go out that there is a culture of exploitation in the sector. I do not believe that to be the case.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Second Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I welcome the Minister and thank him and his officials for the work that has gone into this comprehensive legislation. In a previous role, I was familiar with some of the background work involved. The Bill aims to replace the Higher Education Authority Act 1971. The HEA was established three years prior to that. The Minister referred to how our higher education system had transformed...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Insurance Coverage (22 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I am always happy to see the Minister of State in the House but I am disappointed because I tabled this matter for the Department of Justice and it was transferred to the Department of Health. In December last, I tabled the exact same Commencement matter. Before I list chronologically some of the delays and problems around this, I will refer to the Minister of State's response to my...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Insurance Coverage (22 Jun 2022)

Malcolm Byrne: I seek the guidance of the Acting Chairperson. Is it possible for me to withdraw my Commencement matter? With all due respect to the Minister of State, and I am not criticising him personally, his reply is the exact same as the one he gave me last December. I know that because I compared the reply the contents of the two replies and they are almost word for word. I am not satisfied with...