Results 341-360 of 1,274 for speaker:Maria Byrne

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I move recommendation No. 12: In page 91, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “Report on Energy Efficiency 33.The Minister shall by 31st July 2023 prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the uptake of this new incentive to make rental homes more energy efficient.”.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I know this is to do with rental properties but it involves greater use of more heat efficiencies and greater insulation to make rental homes more energy-efficient. I welcome what the Minister has planned in respect of the Finance Bill. In my time on the council and in the Oireachtas, I have been in some rental properties that are substandard. I believe that this change will go a long way...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister. It is great that he is willing to accept the main thrust of the recommendation and has assured us the information will be put out there when it is available. On that basis, I withdraw the recommendation.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I second this amendment. I also wish to address the regional uplift from film production and section 481. In my own area of Limerick, we have Troy Studios, and this has been a great success to date. I refer to the reduction in the credit. It was at 5% for a number of years. While it was at 5%, Troy film studios was full. This credit is currently down to 3%, it will be 2% next year, and...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I appreciate that the Minister has outlined the circumstances of this. Before he finally phases out this credit, perhaps he might consider doing a review at that time to ensure nobody is left behind. That is the only commitment I ask the Minister to make.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: In light of the Minister's response, I will withdraw the recommendation.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I move recommendation No. 21: In page 104, between lines 42 and 43, to insert the following: “Report on Mineral Oil Tax rates 45.The Minister shall within 3 months of the passing of this Act prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the retention of the reduction in Mineral Oil Tax rates until 30th April 2023.”.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I raised this matter with the Minister of State on the previous occasion. It has to do with setting the price of a packet of cigarettes. I wrote to the Department in the meantime. I want to put on record the fact that some packets of cigarettes are on special offer and are being sold at a lower price. We are trying to encourage people to stop smoking. My understanding is that the price...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I move recommendation No. 24: In page 115, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “Report on VAT rates for e-books and audio-books 65.The Minister shall within 3 months of the passing of this Act prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the application of the zero rate of VAT to— (a) e-books, and (b) audio-books.”. E-books...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I accept the response from the Minister of State. I thank him for his commitment that the matter be considered in future budgets.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Second Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming in to discuss this all-important Bill. I compliment her on the amount of work she has done to date, certainly with regard to the different payments that were geared towards people at the lower end of the scale, as well as working families. I have come across an anomaly with regard to older people. I was speaking to a 102-year-old woman during the week. Her...

Seanad: Credit Union (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for attending to discuss this important issue. Senator Casey covered much of what I had intended to say. As a member of a credit union, I know credit unions are at the heart of our communities. When I joined my local credit union, it was the confraternity credit union. Applicants had to be members of the confraternity to be admitted and it was restricted to...

Seanad: Credit Union (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Dec 2022)

Maria Byrne: I rise to bring awareness to the report on autism published by Senator Carrigy and his committee today. I pay compliments to all the Members who sat on the committee, as well as the people who contributed to the report and its findings. I would like to highlight some of the key findings, which are the asks of the committee. I would like to put pressure on so that the Minister of State,...

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

Maria Byrne: I rise today to raise a number of issues. The first is that the post office in Castleconnell in County Limerick is temporarily closed but I thank Local Link Limerick Clare which is running a bus service from this Friday. It is running buses at appropriate times from O'Briensbridge past places like Lisnagry and Castleconnell to Newport where people now have to collect their payments for the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Nov 2022)

Maria Byrne: I raise a matter related to the regional hospital but this time it is not the waiting lists, though in another way it is. I refer to the long Covid clinics, which were due to open but have not yet opened. There are at least 24 people on a waiting list. While they are receiving care within the hospital and are being triaged, there are many people who have respiratory problems and other...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Local Authorities (24 Nov 2022)

Maria Byrne: I concur with the Senator. I mention my local authority even in respect of getting footpaths fixed for people with disabilities in wheelchairs.

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Northern Ireland (24 Nov 2022)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and call on Senator Currie to raise her Commencement matter.

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: General Practitioner Services (24 Nov 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this important issue. What will the Department do to alleviate the pressure general practitioners, GPs, are under, but also to improve the delivery they are able to provide? In Limerick, which is my area, many people cannot get a GP appointment. They are waiting three or four days for an appointment. I recently met a person...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: General Practitioner Services (24 Nov 2022)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. He indicated that the number of GP training places will increase by 2026. We have a problem in the short term, however. He referred to enhancements that are happening in rural areas. During Covid, there were a number of mobile units. Doctors held clinics in villages one or two days a week. Many of those clinics have not...