Results 161-180 of 34,364 for speaker:Seán Fleming

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Charges (29 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: 145. To ask the Minister for Health if the hospital bill that was issued in respect of a medical card patient (details supplied) for a stay in a hospital will be cancelled in view of the fact the bill should have been covered by their medical card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52633/23]

Neutrality: Motion [Private Members] (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: In particular, this is covered in Article 29 which establishes the framework within which Ireland conducts its international relations. Article 29.1 reads: "Ireland affirms its devotion to the ideal of peace and friendly co-operation amongst nations founded on international justice and morality." Article 29.2 confirms that Ireland adheres to the principle of the peaceful settlement of...

Neutrality: Motion [Private Members] (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: I am pleased to join Deputies for this important debate and I thank them for their contributions in the House. This is the third time in recent weeks that we are debating the issue of Irish neutrality and the outcome of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy, realising one of the key aims of the forum, which was for us to have a more open and constructive debate on these...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: With the committee’s agreement, I will present for members' consideration the Supplementary Estimates for the Department of Foreign Affairs. These relate to Vote 27 - International Co-operation and Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs. In total, across both Votes, the request we are making is for a net increase of €71 million, comprising an increase of €25 million in Vote 27 and...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: I thank the Deputy. It is a key point we consistently make. Major conflicts are ongoing in some areas and when something else arises in other regions, they go off the agenda. The situation in Sudan and for refugees in the region is particularly difficult. We are gravely concerned about the situation. Since the outbreak of the war in April, we have emphasised the need for the protection...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: Ethiopia. It was signed by the World Bank and by me on behalf of the Irish State two weeks ago with its finance minister. We were very pleased that the World Bank was sitting at the table with us. It will oversee supervision of the spending of the funds because we personally could not do it. Those countries need a strong mechanism, normally through an organisation like the World Bank, to...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: To conclude on the Horn of Africa, last year we allocated and delivered more than €100 million on behalf of Ireland to that region. That is the scale of funding we are regularly providing to the region through UN bodies, or their EU counterparts, because sometimes our NGOs do not have the ability to deliver those types of projects on the ground. On Israel's actions, Ireland is one...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: The high number of civilian casualties is deeply shocking and needs to be criticised outright. We have been clear in that. Israel has a right to protect itself but that is not an unfettered right. It must do so in line with international humanitarian law. It is essential that it does that. We continually remind Israel of its international legal obligations. As people know, the...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: The Government was extremely surprised by the Israeli reaction to the tweet the Deputy referenced. We have to say that. Our approach, including the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and everybody else who has spoken on this issue, has been very firm. If the entire content of the overall statement that was issued is considered, as well as other statements we have consistently issued, we believe...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: No. That has not happened.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: At this point in time, we do not think there is a particular reason that specifically merits it. However, the one point I will make on all that is we-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: People say lots of things in difficult situations. While some people might like to have a binary situation of communications or no communications, Ireland's basic position is we have always wanted to maintain diplomatic links.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: That might be interpreted as a tit-for-tat. Truthfully-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: Fine, but we are taking a more principled approach, rather than one based on specific comments or rumours in different situations. We would want very hard evidence before raising-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: Okay.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Supplementary)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Seán Fleming: We are not satisfied that the specifics of that have been adequately demonstrated from our point of view.