Results 1-20 of 1,274 for speaker:Maria Byrne

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jun 2016)

Maria Byrne: I support Senator Butler's call in respect of SMEs and the rates they must pay. Will the Leader ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to come to the House to discuss incentives for small companies to set up? I acknowledge they work with LEOs and a number of small companies have been set up, mainly in urban areas, in recent times. There is more positivity among SMEs but we...

Seanad: Mental Health: Statements (22 Jun 2016)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State. I support what my colleague, Senator O'Donnell, stated earlier about the extra beds that were to be provided at University Hospital Limerick. At present, I am dealing with three families that have members with various mental health issues. I am very concerned about one particular family.I know of an older mother who lives with a son or daughter who suffers...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2016)

Maria Byrne: I join colleagues in congratulating the Irish team. As a keen sportsperson who has travelled worldwide to many matches, I support Senator Butler's motion that calls on Aer Lingus and Ryanair to reconsider their prices because they discourage people from travelling to matches. It is a disgrace that people are being asked to pay upwards of €1,000 to fly to France for just one day....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Regional Airports (28 Jun 2016)

Maria Byrne: I am delighted to see that there has been a substantial increase in tourism over recent years. In 2015, 29.8 million passengers passed through Irish airports. Of these, more than 24 million or 83.8% of the total passed through Dublin. Cork handled 6.9% and Shannon 5.6% while the remaining airports were responsible for only 3.7%. Passenger numbers to Cork continue to fall annually. The...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Regional Airports (28 Jun 2016)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for his reply. It is very positive that he acknowledged he is aware that most tourists come through Dublin. There is a problem with bed capacity. I welcome that the Minister has acknowledged it is something he is willing to examine. I look forward to hearing about whatever plans he has for the future.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2016)

Maria Byrne: I would like to raise a few issues. Last week we had a very good debate on mental health but I wish to raise the issue of unit 5B in University Hospital Limerick, from which five people were missing for a number of days, and security on the hospital campus. People were in the hospital for a particular reason and were receiving a lot of valid help. The fact they were able to walk out of the...

Seanad: Delivering Sustainable Full Employment: Statements (Resumed) (30 Jun 2016)

Maria Byrne: I welcome my good friend and colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, and congratulate him on his portfolio. I wish him the very best of success for the future. Full employment is the goal that the country must aspire to. Full employment can be defined as a situation in which all those willing and able to work are in employment. In 2006, at the height of the Celtic tiger, Ireland...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Jul 2016)

Maria Byrne: I want to raise an issue that has not been raised here today, namely, lifelong learning in which we are encouraged to participate. I compliment Limerick City and County Council on running the Summer Stars reading programme which encourages primary school children to read ten books over the summer months, to come into the library and to take part in reading groups. Such a programme should be...

Seanad: Farm Safety: Statements (6 Jul 2016)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister and congratulate him on his brief. I thank him for coming to the Seanad today. Agriculture has long been one of the cornerstones of the Irish economy and provides many people with a livelihood throughout this country. Today agriculture is actually smaller than the other two main sectors of the economy - manufacturing and services. However, the Health and Safety...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jul 2016)

Maria Byrne: I wish to raise the issue of eFlow tags. From 31 August, one will no longer be able to use one’s eFlow tag on the N7 between Dublin and Limerick, the Waterford city bypass and the M1. This follows a breakdown in communications between Celtic Roads Group and eFlow. I request that the Leader speak to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to ascertain whether he can intervene...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2016)

Maria Byrne: I wish Limerick and all the other counties that are going forward for the European City of Culture well. The judging team is in Ireland at present. It is visiting Limerick, where there has been a huge display of community spirit. The whole of O'Connell Street is closed off and everything from pastries to fish and chips is available to eat. Schools are also involved. There has been a...

Seanad: Social Protection: Statements (12 Jul 2016)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister and thank him for coming and sharing his ideas and listening to our ideas and concerns. The aim of social protection must be to provide those citizens who find themselves unemployed or unable to work with a helping hand and a decent standard of living. In 2016, some €19.6 billion - 36% of the overall national budget - was allocated to the Department of Social...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jul 2016)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister who I am glad is present for the debate. I also welcome the Bill and compliment Senator Michael McDowell and his team on drafting it. While we might not agree on every aspect of it, there are some positives but also issues that need to be looked at and teased out.To return to Senator Joan Freeman who spoke about democracy, I have been elected through four local...

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement 2016: Statements (Resumed) (14 Jul 2016)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. In recent years, the State has been confronted by some of the greatest economic challenges with which it has been obliged to deal since its inception. It is a testament to the legacy of the previous Government and the resolve of the current one that I stand here today to discuss a very positive set of plans for the Irish economy....

Seanad: Paternity Leave and Benefit Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the House. I also welcome the positive move to have this legislation in place by 1 September. The Bill sends out a positive message in terms of gender equality. I agree with most of what has been said already but I would like to make a few additional points. The Bill provides a number of guidelines for dealing with the abuse of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2016)

Maria Byrne: I wish to raise two matters, the first of which is the issue of the closure of Lowcostholidays. While it seems fine that people are being refunded, there are two elements in this regard. While there are those who booked their all-in package of flight and hotel accommodation, those who booked their own hotel accommodation are not entitled to anything. The legislation was enacted back in...

Seanad: Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Motion (19 Jul 2016)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister. I compliment Senator Butler on bringing this very worthwhile motion before the House. Senator Reilly referred to the self-employed as being risk takers, which is a very valid term. When we think about it, they are the ones who take risks, who invest their own finances and who start their own companies, which might just have one employee or 30, 50 or even more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Educational Research Centre: Discussion with Chairperson Designate (7 Sep 2016)

Maria Byrne: I welcome Dr. Travers and wish him all the best in the future with his new role. In terms of the board and its delivery, I am aware that numeracy and literacy are very much to the forefront across all subjects, as it affects them. This is something I firmly believe in myself, but maybe Dr. Travers would like to pick out targets in two or three other areas that he would like to see his board...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2016)

Maria Byrne: As I had intended to raise it myself, I first support the call by Senator Lombard regarding the grain industry. Consequently, I will speak on something else instead, namely, the protection of the 9% VAT rate for the tourism industry. This is a highly vulnerable industry and since the 9% rate was introduced in 2011, it has been responsible for the creation of many jobs right across the...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2016)

Maria Byrne: I want to raise the report carried out by the Simon Community over a three-day period at the end of August and the beginning of September in ten locations. It found that only 20% of properties came within the rent supplement sector and the HAP scheme. In May 2015, 1,500 such houses were available to rent but at the end of August and the beginning of September, there were fewer than 500....