Results 1-20 of 1,424 for and speaker:Malcolm Byrne
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: ...from St. Aidan's advocacy group in Gorey. St. Aidan's provides services for people with intellectual disabilities. The St. Aidan's advocacy group, known as STAAG, represents the clients and users of the services and advocates on their behalf. In the context of the forthcoming election it has called for all political parties to have regard to those with intellectual disabilities, not...
- Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rail Network (23 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: ...ilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I again wish to raise the issue of underinvestment in the Dublin to Rosslare rail line. I do so because of growing traffic volumes along the N11. Many car users in Wexford and Wicklow would quite happily transfer to the train if they knew they had a regular and reliable service. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for quite a long time. The...
- Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rail Network (23 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: ...I appreciate he is taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport, in summary, there is no real progress, apart from the potential for additional services to Greystones and Wicklow. There is no promise of additional services for anyone south of Wicklow, but rather a promise of a "seamless" transition from trains. Those who will end up standing in the cold and wet...
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: I echo Senator Cassells's comments about the immigrant investor programme. I know of one particular project that is held up and the decision of the then acting Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris, to simply slam the gate shut on this programme was wrong. I raise the importance of local radio today and, in particular, as we approach a general election, we need to ensure we have trusted...
- Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima (23 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: I sincerely thank the mayor for his contribution and welcome him to Ireland. I also thank the embassy team, led by our good friend Ambassador Norio. The team has been doing extraordinary work building the strong friendship between Ireland and Japan. That can be measured in many ways. Japan is now Ireland’s fifth largest trading partner. We do €23 billion in trade every...
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: No. I want to raise an issue which is covered by The Irish Times today, the challenge of rapidly growing areas and ensuring there is an adequate number of school places. I raised this issue in the House in a Commencement matter last week. There is a significant problem, particularly in what we might call the wider commuter belts around our cities, ensuring that we have an adequate number...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I will speak specifically to this section. I refer to the case of the National College of Ireland, NCI, which Senator Clonan and I raised on Second Stage. This also applies to a number of other private colleges that are offering level 8 programmes. The challenge with this legislation is that as a result of its enactment, only the graduates of those...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: I ask the Minister to allow an intervention. He might raise this with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, and ask that he supply to me and other Members of the House an update on that process, particularly as it is critical in the context of this legislation.
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister. I welcome that. I wish Senator Clonan the best of luck in the 2029-2030 Seanad elections when Technical University, TU, Dublin and Dublin City University, DCU, will be included. I would also remind him that-----
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: -----the National College of Ireland is also a northside institution now, so hopefully it will be designated by that stage as well. I would certainly agree with the Minister in terms of the register of electors. Most universities are even moving to that situation now whereby they are ready to encourage people and ask them as they sign up to graduate whether they would like to be added to...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: It is, so I have no doubt that will start to happen. What is being proposed makes sense, but it is the supporting campaigns of information and so on that will be critical.
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: ...the purpose of the advisory committee. The purpose of the advisory committee is not to advise on higher education policy more generally. It is on the functioning of the register of electors and how this electorate is constituted. It is also critical to remember that it is electing Members of the Seanad. They are not representative of any sector in the sense that they are not...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: ...comes back to the core question around competencies. I disagree with Senator Higgins on one point. I think higher education institutions have been particularly good at promoting student participation and student inclusion, and their record is generally quite strong. Student unions may not always agree with the decisions of the university but the engagement in the participation process...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: ...going to be slightly more challenging in Seanad elections given the nature of the electorate. For instance, An Coimisiún Toghcháin has already started to conduct qualitative research. Both in the local and European elections and during the referendums in March, somebody was conducting surveys on behalf of An Coimisiún Toghcháin in my local polling station in Gorey,...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: ...xfa;n Toghcháin has been asked to look more generally at the issue of list systems rather than by-elections. I raised with the Minister the question of whether list systems will apply more generally and whether it is his view it should apply more generally, whether to other Seanad elections or indeed to Dáil elections in the same way as it applies in European elections.
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: These are not requirements that are too difficult. If you are not able to get 60 names to assent to your nomination, and I appreciate we want to encourage people to run, but 60 is not a huge number to get when we are talking about a potential electorate of up to 1 million. While we want it to be as broad as possible, if somebody is serious about contesting an election they will be either...
- Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (10 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. Given the rapid growth in population in Ireland, one of our key requirements is to ensure that we have an adequate number of school places at primary and second levels. I am aware that there is a forward-planning unit within the Department. My question is to look at how that unit operates,...
- Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (10 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: I thank the Minister of State. I am always heartened when I hear that the Department is having regard to local area plans and national plans. As he is well aware, however, just because the Office of the Planning Regulator and the national planning framework state that a particular location is where population growth will happen does not mean that is always the case. I want to avoid a...
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: I note that this week marks the centenary of bilateral diplomatic relations between Ireland and the United States. It is fitting that the Taoiseach is meeting with President Biden. It was a for a new State when the United States recognised Ireland and established those diplomatic relations. It was important. Our relationship has had its ups and downs, but the United States and Ireland...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)
Malcolm Byrne: ...Aire. I too welcome delegation from Stormont who have arrived for an important discussion on electoral reform of this Chamber.There is nothing politicians like to talk about more than electoral reform and changes to the operation of politics and so on, but this is a piece of reform that is long overdue. I doubt there are a few in this House that would even remember the referendum in 1979...