Results 1-20 of 562 for at speaker:Maria Byrne

Seanad: Order of Business (30 May 2024)

Maria Byrne: I rise, first, to welcome the fact that the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, has announced additional beds for hospitals, and especially the 184 beds that are being announced for the mid-west, specifically UHL, Nenagh Hospital, St. John's Hospital and Ennis Hospital. These beds are certainly most welcome. They could not come at a better time, where Limerick, especially UHL, is in the news every...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rail Network (23 May 2024)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to discuss this issue. It is not her direct area of responsibility but I appreciate her addressing it. The Limerick to Foynes railway line is a 42 km stretch that was opened in 1858 and closed in 2001. Now it is being reopened, which is leading to the expansion and development of the port and which is welcome. I call for extra funding for...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 May 2024)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the €6.8 million announced by the Government to tackle assessment of need places. I know from dealing with families in Limerick that the number of people on the waiting list locally and nationally is very large. The €6.8 million is due to cover 2,500 children nationally and it is most welcome that private assessments will be paid for by the State. I understand...

Seanad: Waste Management: Statements (22 May 2024)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, for engaging with this all-important motion. I thank my colleagues in the Labour Party for bringing it forward. Illegal dumping is something we all face, in both urban and rural areas. It is not confined to either but occurs in both. Living in a city centre, I see a large number of public dustbins being used for domestic refuse. I have...

Seanad: Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Second Stage (21 May 2024)

Maria Byrne: ...-important Bill. It is very important because it is about future-proofing. It is not just for us, it is for our children and our children's children. It is looking to the future. The fact is that while finances are good we are looking at putting away money so that in the future if any recessions or other events occur there will be no slowdown in State services. That is very important....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 May 2024)

Maria Byrne: I rise to propose a vote of sympathy to my colleague in Limerick, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science of Ireland, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, on the passing of his mother Nelly O'Donovan. May she rest in peace. She has been an inspiration to the Minister throughout his political career. She was also a very inspiring woman in her community. May she...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 May 2024)

Maria Byrne: I welcome that more than 40 sports clubs in County Limerick received over €1.3 million in sports equipment grants. This is very welcome news for the clubs in question. Much of the money will be spent on refurbishing older equipment, but new equipment will also be purchased to benefit those participating in these sports. Community centres have also benefited from this funding. It...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 May 2024)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the announcement yesterday from the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, and Mr. Bernard Gloster, CEO of the HSE, that a new team is being put in to look at the running of University Hospital Limerick. This is something I have been consistently raising here. I have been looking for fresh eyes to be brought to bear on the problem. Ms Grace Rothwell, the national director of acute hospitals,...

Seanad: Cost of Doing Business: Statements (17 Apr 2024)

Maria Byrne: I thank Senator Carrigy for sharing time. The Minister is so welcome here. I congratulate him on his appointment and look forward to working with him from here on in on the plight of small and medium businesses. Some 43% of employees are in businesses of under 50 employees. The Small Firms Association is looking for a PRSI rebate. That was discussed before and brought forward by the...

Seanad: School Enrolments: Motion (17 Apr 2024)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to discuss this important issue. I thank my colleagues, Senators O'Loughlin and Malcolm Byrne, for bringing this motion forward. It is an opportune time with September coming up as many people will be looking for school places. The experience from Limerick has been referred to here by many people. It works most of the time, but not always. That...

Seanad: Agriculture: Statements (16 Apr 2024)

Maria Byrne: ..., the rain was sporadic and was coming and going. It is certainly not helping the mental health of farmers and people working on their farms. I want to raise a number of issues. The fact of potato shortages affects retailers, a point referred to by Senator O'Reilly. I was in a small retail shop across the road from my house the other day. They usually have a selection of five or six...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Apr 2024)

Maria Byrne: I welcome Senator O'Hara to the Chamber and look forward to working with him. I am sure he will get great experience over the coming months. I congratulate my two colleagues from Limerick which did very well in the ministerial reshuffle, with Deputy Patrick O'Donovan being appointed to the higher education portfolio and Deputy Kieran O'Donnell, a former Member of this House, being moved to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2024)

Maria Byrne: I raise the situation at University Hospital Limerick, UHL, which I raise regularly. For two days in a row, all procedures at the hospital had to be cancelled. On "Morning Ireland" today, Mr. Bernard Gloster said that what was going on at the hospital was not acceptable. He questioned how financial resources were spent. This was a very strong message to hear. I pay tribute to the staff...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Mar 2024)

Maria Byrne: I raise the proposal to have the World Rally Championship held in Ireland in one of the years between 2025 and 2028. Limerick, Waterford and Kerry were successful in this regard. The decision is now before the Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Byrne, and has to be signed off by Monday. The problem is that if it is not signed off by Monday, the event will move outside...

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (6 Mar 2024)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister for coming to discuss this all-important issue. I also thank Senator Currie for sharing time. I wish happy International Women's Day to everybody present and especially to my female colleagues. We will celebrate the day on Friday. International Women's Day stated in 1909 in the USA. That is quite a long time ago and the day has been celebrated for many years. The...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2024)

Maria Byrne: I rise today to highlight the plight of small businesses. In the past day or two, we had the Habit coffee shop and retailers closing with the loss of 22 jobs. My real concern relates to small businesses and the hospitality sector. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment needs to look at small retailers and hospitality enterprises as stand-alone concerns. Reports are showing -...

Seanad: Community Safety and Investment: Motion [Private Members] (28 Feb 2024)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this important motion. I compliment our colleagues in the Labour Party for bringing it forward. The thrust of the motion is about stronger and safer communities. I was at a residents' meeting on Monday night and I would like to compliment our two community gardaí who attended. In the WhatsApp group for our area an issue...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Departmental Schemes (27 Feb 2024)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this all-important topic. My question is to do with the tenant in situ scheme and how long it takes for the AHBs to complete sales. I have been dealing with a number of people who are trying to avail of the tenantin situscheme. One particular person who comes to mind - and this relates to Limerick City and County Council -...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Feb 2024)

Maria Byrne: I rise today to highlight the fact that Explore Engineering will take place at Shannon Airport on Thursday, 7 March from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. It is a collaboration between industry, the ETB and the chambers of commerce. More than 60 different engineering companies will come forward to show what exactly they do. It is about encouraging students, especially, who wish to study engineering and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Feb 2024)

Maria Byrne: I thank the Cathaoirleach and Leader. I rise today to congratulate TUS, the Technological University of the Shannon, on its receipt of a QS 5 Star rating. It is the highest possible number of stars a university can receive. It will be among the top-rated universities of the world. It received five stars in all categories assessed. It is the first university in Ireland to receive five...