Results 81-100 of 1,888 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House. It is a pity, in many ways, this Bill must be introduced because the overwhelming majority of citizens in the State are trying to do the right thing. We need to acknowledge that fact in this debate. It is a pity we cannot legislate to address stupidity but some people are blatantly seeking to disregard the public health guidelines...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: That is not happening in reality.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Now.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I am happy to state that I am in support of the amendment and proposal from Senator Ward. Senator McDowell is correct. We all know the import of this Bill and what it is trying to achieve, but there is no point in sending gardaí out with a ham-fisted piece of legislation. Senator Ward's proposal is a perfectly reasonable one that will give the necessary powers. As Senator Conway...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Is it possible to propose an adjournment for two minutes to allow the Minister of State to-----

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I realise the difficulty the Minister of State is in and I have proposed adjourning for a couple of minutes to allow him to have appropriate discussions on this. I appreciate the pressure the Minister of State is under but there is no point in the House passing dog's dinner legislation, to use the phrase being used all day. I am in support of the proposals of Senator Ward.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I propose that we adjourn for three minutes.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Departmental Priorities and Effects of Covid-19: Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media (4 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: The personal commitment and interests of both Ministers in these very broad fields is very evident. We could pick even one of these and spend hours discussing it. I hope to put a number of groups of questions together but I will see how many I can get through in the time available. Specifically with regard to questions around the arts, culture and media, I will pose a number of direct...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Departmental Priorities and Effects of Covid-19: Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media (4 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: There is a also a plan for a digital services Act at EU level on regulating online platforms. I agree with the Minister that the scale of what we will be considering in the online safety and media regulation Bill and the other legislation will be considerable. I flag capacity concerns for Ireland Inc. regarding how will be able to address that. Returning to the tourism sector, regarding...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Departmental Priorities and Effects of Covid-19: Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media (4 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I asked about the tourism recovery oversight group.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Key Departmental Priorities and Effects of Covid-19: Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport, Gaeltacht and Media (4 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: The Minister and the Deputy could do a duet.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Services (5 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I echo the remarks of the Senator. Much as this is an issue in Clare, it is also an issue in counties Wexford, Kilkenny and Carlow. This is not just an environmental concern. Dealing with this issue could revitalise our rural communities and villages. We have a planning issue whereby many people are being told they cannot have one-off housing, but we should at least allow them to live in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Services (5 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. I know he is personally very committed to this issue. This needs to be aligned with the Government's remote working strategy because it has the potential to solve many of the challenges we face. I ask that, as soon as these reports are published, they be made available. A fuller debate in the House might be facilitated at that stage.

Seanad: Ábhair Ghnó an tSeanaid - Matters on the Business of the Seanad (5 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: The Leader will be aware that I regularly raise the question about the social media giants, how they control ever more aspects of our lives and how they respond to consumer behaviour.I note that this morning WhatsApp introduced a feature that will make messages disappear after seven days. Given recent events, this is a clear indication that WhatsApp is responding to consumer behaviour. I...

Seanad: Biodiversity: Motion (5 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: Like my colleagues and others in the House, I strongly support this motion. The Government needs to be ambitious. The programme for Government sets out a certain level of ambition that does not fall only on the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, even though I am certain she is more than capable of leading the charge, but on the entire Government and all Departments. It falls on all of us...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I echo Senator Black's comments on the need for continued support for musicians, and those of Senator Bacik, who stated we should send our congratulations, we hope, to US President-elect Biden. I have no doubt the Cathaoirleach will happily welcome him to counties Mayo and Louth, should he decide to make a visit in the coming years.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I return to the questions on the clarity of the guidelines under level 5 and the position on the shooting of pheasants. As the House will be aware, recreational shooters play an important role in managing vermin, pests and predators in country areas. Due to level 5, however, recreational shooting has been stopped. I ask that we get clarity on that and in particular on the possibility of an...

Seanad: Data Protection Regulations: Motion (6 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Data Protection Act 2018 (section 60(6)) (Central Bank of Ireland) Regulations 2020, a copy of which was laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 28th October, 2020.

Seanad: Data Protection Regulations: Motion (6 Nov 2020)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and explaining, in an honest and clear way, the hallmark of the way in which he operates, that this is simply a technical issue to correct a printing error. I am aware from the notes, but I would be grateful if he would put it on the record of the House that no individual has been adversely affected as a result of this. That is...