Results 181-200 of 9,358 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Unless those private sector workers are working, there will be no taxes coming in to pay public servants. The majority of public servants understand this. We must get the public finances and the economy back in shape or nothing else will happen. I welcome the level of capital spending in which the Government has engaged. No other country in the developed world is spending such a percentage...

Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: I want more schools to be built in the constituency with small building firms getting the tenders for the projects. It has been brought to my attention that companies from abroad or larger companies — the big boys who did very well as we are constantly reminded by the Opposition — are now tendering for small building projects. I want to see a fairer chance for small local building firms...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: We are debating this legislation on Second Stage but only 20 minutes ago in this Chamber, Deputy Joan Burton made statements about the alleged involvement of Fianna Fáil in Anglo Irish Bank. She started saying this only last week, when the Opposition was smearing us. It is a lie that Fianna Fáil was intimately involved with Anglo Irish Bank over the last few years. Most of us had never...

Banking System: Motion (25 Feb 2009)

Thomas Byrne: I am glad to have the opportunity to take part in this debate and to participate in this Dáil, whose primary focus is to address the loss of jobs. One way to do so is to restore the country's financial reputation, which I am convinced the Government is trying to do. There has been serious action on investigation. Deputy Michael McGrath and I wrote to the Garda Commissioner a couple of...

Leaders' Questions (4 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: We thought Deputy Gilmore had the answers.

Public Finances: Motion (4 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Tá áthas orm labhairt ar son rún an Rialtais anocht. Bheinn sásta i ndáiríre labhairt ar son rún an fhreasúra seachas an chéad alt mar deir sé chuile rud agus atá an Rialtas ag rá le fada an lá. Fine Gael's motion is similar to the Government's amendment, with the exception of the first paragraph, in which it asks us to cut substantially the €40 billion borrowing requirement....

Public Finances: Motion (4 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Every interest group will be involved in lobbying. Earlier the Combat Poverty Agency appeared before the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs for the third time. Every agency whose budget has been cut by the Government will be supported by the Opposition when it appears before a committee. It is about time that stopped and the Opposition got real. That seems to be happening and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (10 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Question 447: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the status of applications made under the rural environmental protection scheme by persons (details supplied) in County Meath. [9624/09]

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: I welcome the principle of this Bill. It is very important to have strict spending limits for all elections. In the last election, I was vastly outspent by the Labour Party. I had no billboard or glossy advertisements on the side of the newspaper bins outside shops across the constituency, unlike the Labour Party. The idea that Fianna Fáil spends all the money, or that money gets one...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Spending money on food and drink for election workers was never part of the spending limits. I have not read the provisions of this law, but one would not need that much money to get elected to a town or borough council. Only a handful of votes are needed to get elected to town councils like Belturbet. I would have thought that a limit of €2,000 would be in order, but I will go with the...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: I am talking about the island of Ireland. I am a republican, just like Deputy Lynch. I would have problems with people buying their posters in Spain, Turkey or Russia, but I understand that posters have been bought in these places before, although not by members of Fianna Fáil.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: The 60-day period is useful and relevant. When the Taoiseach goes to the President to call for an election, many people have already made up their mind. Thankfully, enough people changed their minds during the course of the last campaign and we are grateful for that on this side of the House.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: I could see many of them change their minds at their doors when I knocked on them. The 60 days give people an opportunity to interact with the electorate, and many people make up their minds in that period. Before that period, many people have no interest in local, European or national elections. I cannot see any of these limits causing problems. We certainly know of one Senator who spent...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: They probably were, but it has occurred across the board and it happened to me as recently as the last referendum. At that time a poster was repeatedly re-erected in a particular part of the constituency. It causes annoyance and I am unsure what can be done. It is very difficult for us to do anything in that regard. Rather than the council coming down hard on candidates, it may be...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Perhaps something can be done in that regard, but it should be done in practice rather than in law. The law must be clear. I commend the legislation. Will the Minister examine the limits, as I believe they are too high? He has examined the matter in more detail than I have and I accept his word on the matter. Following the local elections the Minister must examine how much was spent and...

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (24 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Question 492: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason the medical card in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath has been removed. [12277/09]

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (24 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: Question 626: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the status of an application for a Gaeltacht grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath. [10939/09]

Pre-Budget Statements (Resumed) (25 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy would not talk to the Taoiseach before he left Fianna Fáil, even when the Taoiseach wanted to talk to him.

Pre-Budget Statements (Resumed) (25 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: I picked up a copy of The Daily Telegraph earlier which is not something I do ordinarily, but it printed a picture of the new French Minister for Overseas Territories, Christine Kelly. Perhaps we should examine our diaspora in this context. However, I read a front page article and thought that a number of RTE's economics gurus had emigrated. The article states: There are growing fears that...

Road Safety. (26 Mar 2009)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Transport with responsibility for road safety, Deputy Noel Ahern, for being in the House. I welcome this opportunity to speak on the national roads programme and road safety, particularly in light of an extremely serious road accident that occurred in my constituency in Slane, County Meath, on Monday. The accident involved a lorry, delivery...