Results 1-20 of 9,844 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Competition and Consumer Protection (Unfair Prices) Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: As much as anybody, I appreciate the need for really strong competition law, policy and legislation. The Deputy brought me back to my college days when he spoke about defining the market because that was one of the big questions we got in the exam every year. It is also one of the big challenges the competition authority has.

Competition and Consumer Protection (Unfair Prices) Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: No, she was on the criminal law side, although it is criminal law - it is as simple as that - because you can be jailed or fined and the EU has very significant powers as well for bigger businesses. We all want to see, because if prices go up, and I know tariffs were mentioned being used as an excuse and all of that and some of these are issues, but the reality is, as Deputy Donnelly said,...

Competition and Consumer Protection (Unfair Prices) Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: -----of abuse of market dominance. We support this Bill in the sense of letting it pass to the next Stage and wish it success for the future.

Competition and Consumer Protection (Unfair Prices) Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Labour Party and Deputies Nash and Bacik for bringing forward this Bill. Before I was ever a politician, competition law was my thing when I qualified as a solicitor so I am very interested in it and generally support what the Deputies are trying to do. The Government is not opposing this. The purpose of the Bill is to confer additional powers on the Competition and Consumer...

Competition and Consumer Protection (Unfair Prices) Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: I think they are totally separate functions but we are all responsible for that. We may have proposed it, and it may have happened then after 2011. I cannot quite remember but consumer protection law is one thing. Competition law, of course, is related to it but they are very different roles. I would love to hear more on the competition law side, to be honest. The mandate of the CCPC...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and appreciate his concerns regarding this process. The water framework directive establishes the general objective that water bodies be restored to at least good ecological status by 2027. It also makes provision that a more realistic objective for water bodies that have been heavily modified may be set. This applies where restoration would not be...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy says it is in breach of the citizens' assembly, but it is in compliance with EU law and guidance. This is not an exemption. It is defined in the EU guidance as an alternative target that is designed to get the best possible environmental outcome while continuing to provide societal benefits. This is a cyclical process. Water bodies currently proposed for designation are unable...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Transport Policy (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for bringing the focus to Galway and congestion and for being a strong voice for the city, for the wider constituency of Galway West and for Connemara. It is good he has raised the report in the Dáil because it outlines what congestion costs every man, woman and child in Galway. Galway citizens are likely to experience a much higher cost per capita than citizens of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Transport Policy (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta os rud é gur chuir sé an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo os comhair na Dála. Tá mise ag tógaint an ábhair seo thar ceann an Aire Iompair. I am aware of the Department’s recent report, The Economic Cost of Congestion in the Regional Cities 2022-2040, and the results pertaining to Galway. The report builds on an...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. As he will understand, the supply of public water and the provision of water services are matters for Uisce Éireann. Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate (29 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: Our water and wastewater infrastructure requires substantial and sustained investment over a number of investment cycles to bring the systems up to the standards required of a modern service that provides for population growth and to build resilience in the face of climate change. Uisce Éireann has ramped up capital delivery for water services and infrastructure and we as an Oireachtas...

Gaza: Motion (28 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: I thank everybody for contributing today. All of their contributions have been genuinely heartfelt and reflect the established opinion in Ireland for quite some time, which is the opinion of the Irish Government, too. It is a year ago to the day that the Government took a very important decision to recognise the State of Palestine. The decision was taken in the spirit of peace, in the...

Gaza: Statements (21 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: I thank everyone for their contributions. I will be clear from the outset, the attacks by Israel, which have all been detailed in this debate, are a further erosion of the principles of international humanitarian law that Israel is bound to comply with. People have been clear, as I am, in our condemnation of Hamas for its terror attack, for keeping people in captivity today and for the...

Gaza: Statements (21 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: Yes, I think the word came through during this debate. I only heard about it when I came into the Chamber. As I say, we have taken leadership on the EU-Israel Association Agreement. The Taoiseach was very strong again in calling for that agreement to be suspended while the review takes place. The EU must use all the levers at its disposal with the urgency that the situation demands....

Gaza: Statements (21 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: That is exactly what the Israeli Government accuses us of.

Gaza: Statements (21 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: He said it was a war crime.

Gaza: Statements (21 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: No, no.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Maritime Jurisdiction (20 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: Is there a time set?

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Maritime Jurisdiction (20 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Senator Conway for raising this issue. The Minister, Deputy Harris, cannot be here but I am very happy to be here. I am also very happy to hear a good explanation of the need for defence policy because many of the Senator's colleagues on the Opposition benches often openly question the need to spend anything more on defence than we are spending now. The Senator has set out...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Maritime Jurisdiction (20 May 2025)

Thomas Byrne: The co-operation will continue. We are a militarily neutral country. We are not joining NATO but we talk to it and we want our military to be able to operate to NATO standards and to have equipment worthy of a modern army. Tá sé an-tábhachtach go ndéanfaimid é sin agus go bhfuilimid ar an eolas go bhfuil bagairtí amuigh ansin ag teacht ó thíortha ar...