Results 1-20 of 79 for speaker:Cathal Byrne

Seanad: EU Regulations: Motions (3 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I acknowledge our guests in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. About six years ago, I spent a week in Mr. Williams's district, believe it or not. I had a very enjoyable and pleasant time and the people there were very welcoming and accommodating. He and his family are most welcome here today. I thank the Minister very much for coming into the Chamber. As my good colleague beside me...

Seanad: Sea Fisheries: Statements (2 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: The Minister of State is most welcome to the Chamber. As this is our first official engagement with him, I wish him the best of luck in his new role. I am from Wexford, a coastal county with a rich tradition of fisheries. I invite him to visit County Wexford to meet with some of our fishing communities. As a member of Fine Gael in the Seanad, I wish to recognise the great work that is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I rise today in support of my party colleagues in the continued efforts by the Fine Gael group of Senators to highlight the need for the Minister for higher education, Deputy James Lawless, to sustain and continue the cuts in the student contribution fee that were made in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 budget announcements. On 5 May, I seconded the motion brought forward by my party colleagues in...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (26 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I welcome the Minister. I am speaking on behalf of Fine Gael in the absence of our finance spokesperson, Senator Joe O’Reilly, who sends his apologies. He is abroad attending a meeting of the Council of Europe today. I welcome to the House Senator Boyle's brother, Councillor Michael Boyle, and his guests. They are most welcome and I wish Michael the very best of luck in his new...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (26 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: That is okay.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (26 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: Next Tuesday at 2.30.

Seanad: Dental Services: Motion (25 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for attending the Chamber to hear this important motion introduced by my Fine Gael party colleagues. It is refreshing, having listened to many of the contributions that have been made across the Chamber, that there is cross-party unity on this issue that is important for so many people across the country. At the outset, I will speak on the need for mobile...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Future of the An Post Network: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I thank the committee for facilitating my making a few brief points. The post office network is close to my heart. My grandfather spent his entire working career as a postman delivering the post in rural areas of in Cork, Kerry and Limerick. I have a number of questions about the future of the network. One of the key things I have been struck by is the range of Government services...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motions (24 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber. Like my party colleagues, I will speak in support of the motion. I am particularly struck by the comments of some colleagues who spoke about the fact that our Constitution underpins the need for a right to trial by a jury.It also allows, when the framers were framing our Constitution, under Article 38.3, for special courts to be...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Safety (19 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I thank the Minister of State for attending this morning. I believe this is our first official interaction in this House. He is most welcome. I want to highlight a stretch of the N25 road which runs from the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy bridge in County Wexford, through south Kilkenny and into Waterford city. I am referring specifically to the stretch from the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy bridge...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Safety (19 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I thank the Minister of State, and I welcome the commitment by the Government in the House today to funding the next phase, which is the design and environmental evaluation phase. It will be good news for the residents in the area. One specific question that I ask the Minister to take up with his colleagues in Government and the Department of Transport is responsibility for the speed...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I want to discuss the issue of childcare, specifically around the current planning rules that provide for a childcare facility to be made available, most commonly through the planning framework, for every 75 units that are constructed. In Wexford town most specifically, these units are being constructed but there is nobody to come on board, fulfil them and operate a crèche from them....

Seanad: Report of the Farrelly Commission: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I welcome the Minister to the House today. I begin by commending her on arranging to publish this report on what happened to Grace over a long period. I am speaking on behalf of the Fine Gael Party in the absence of Senator Bradley who cannot be here today. I will start with something that really struck me as I made my way through reading, as best I could, the almost 2,000 pages of the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: Last night, I attended a public meeting of approximately 600 residents from Wexford, south Kilkenny and Waterford to discuss a 6 km stretch of road along the N25 where, tragically, there have been 12 fatalities over the past 12 years. There was a phenomenal turnout from the local area. This stretch of road is the main carriageway taking people from Wexford, through south Kilkenny, to...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: CLEAR Report on Lady's Island Lake: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I thank the committee for hosting today’s proceedings. It is important that the report be analysed in detail. I acknowledge the presence of the Lady’s Island drainage committee chair, Councillor Ger Carthy, and Lisa McDonald, a former Member of Seanad Éireann. As a former member of Wexford County Council, I acknowledge the contribution of the representatives from the...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: CLEAR Report on Lady's Island Lake: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: If one agency were to take the lead role, which would it be?

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: CLEAR Report on Lady's Island Lake: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: Do the other agencies whose representatives are here agree it should be Wexford County Council?

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: CLEAR Report on Lady's Island Lake: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: Is it agreed between-----

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: CLEAR Report on Lady's Island Lake: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: The CLEAR report mentioned the tourism opportunities that exist and the Harper’s Island visitor centre, which has 20,000 visitors per year. Has the proposal been advanced in any way? Will it be included in the application for funding and will tourism proposals be incorporated into the work that is going to be done? It seems that if the report is to be implemented fully, all the...

Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy: CLEAR Report on Lady's Island Lake: Discussion (11 Jun 2025)

Cathal Byrne: My third question is as follows: where do the representatives envisage the funding for this coming through? Will it be EU funding, Government funding or local council funding? This is a multimillion euro project. The director mentioned €2.25 million earlier.