Results 1-20 of 93 for speaker:Cathal Byrne

Seanad: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I place on the record my support for this Bill. It is important that this House, as a Chamber representing people throughout the country, takes stock of the fact there are now so many people living together as a committed couple in the context of a relationship that is cohabitant, which traditionally might have been a married couple. Society has moved on. It is very important that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Safety (9 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: The Minister is most welcome to the Chamber. This is an issue that has been raised with me by local councillors in my home county of Wexford, near Mount Leinster, but also those in Waterford, affecting the Comeragh Mountains. The key issue is that there is a feeling in farming communities that the restrictions in place to control and restrict the controlled burning of scrubland on our...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Safety (9 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I thank the Minister for bringing a bit of clarity to this situation because there is a genuine feeling among farmers that attempts are being made to fully prohibit controlled burning. While I recognise that there is a closed period, this fact may not be as well known among farmers as it should be. From speaking to many farmers, particularly those in Kiltealy, which is on the Wexford side...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Building Projects (9 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: It was not me.

Seanad: Post Office Network: Statements (9 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: The Minister of State is most welcome to the Chamber. I acknowledge the presence of the many individuals in the Gallery with a strong connection to our strong and vibrant post office network. My family's involvement with An Post started when my great-grandfather served as a local postman for 40 years. My grandfather was a postman for forty-seven and a half years. Pride of place in my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Engagement with the Taoiseach (9 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: It is no problem at all. I have one question. It relates to the nitrates derogation. I saw the announcement regarding feedback from the European Commission and the requirement to consider impacts on habitats directive goals. Given the changes we have seen from the European Commission side of the table, how likely is it that we will be able to retain the nitrates derogation in its current form?

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Business of Joint Committee (9 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: It is at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Judicial Review and Appeals Process: Engagement with Courts Service (9 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I appreciate that. I thank the Chair very much. I thank our visitors who are in with us today. I have a couple of questions around the idea that it is so easy to take judicial review proceedings. It is a personal opinion of mine that somebody who is not directly impacted by a planning decision should not be allowed to contest and challenge it either at the local authority stage or...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Judicial Review and Appeals Process: Engagement with Courts Service (9 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: When somebody gets past that initial stage and then gets permission to bring forward the case, what is the average time it takes from step 1 to step 2?

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Judicial Review and Appeals Process: Engagement with Courts Service (9 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: This committee is interested in trying to fast-track the delivery of infrastructure, be that houses, hospitals or whatever other key State infrastructure. If there were to be changes, what changes would Ms Denning like to see that could speed up the process for the case getting from when the initial application for permission is granted to the case being substantively heard?

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Judicial Review and Appeals Process: Engagement with Courts Service (9 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: Individual cases can go on for any length of time. It is important for us to get to grips with what can be controlled, for instance, how long it takes to get to the court even though we cannot decide how long the case will be in court. I am trying to get a better understanding of that. I ask Ms Denning to come back to the committee with the information as to how many of those applications...

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...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Role, Responsibilities and Processes of An Coimisiún Pleanála and Office of the Planning Regulator: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: The witnesses are most welcome and I thank them for the frankness of their answers so far. The majority of my questions are for An Coimisiún Pleanála. I have listened carefully as some of my colleagues have spoken about the delays with strategic housing developments, SHDs. I just want to focus on that. I am aware of a case in my area that has been awaiting decision for 168...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Role, Responsibilities and Processes of An Coimisiún Pleanála and Office of the Planning Regulator: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: I will turn to fines. The Irish Times reported that An Coimisiún Pleanála paid approximately €1.43 million to developers because of the delays in assessing these strategic housing failures. Is that liability capped out or are we expecting further-----

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Role, Responsibilities and Processes of An Coimisiún Pleanála and Office of the Planning Regulator: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Cathal Byrne: When assessing a general planning application for large-scale strategic infrastructure projects, and I am talking about the biggest projects that the witnesses consider, are some of the difficulties as a result of our planning framework and legislation or are they coming from our obligations as a member of the European Union?

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.