Results 141-160 of 4,092 for speaker:Michael D Higgins

Human Rights Issues (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: A farce.

Human Rights Issues (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Vice President Garzón is a former trade union leader and in our meetings with him a few weeks ago he stressed labour rights as well as human and other rights. While people have disappeared and children have been inducted into narco-terrorist gangs and so forth, of the 70,000 people who have been killed in the past two decades the largest proportion is of trade unionists and trade union...

Human Rights Issues (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: The issue of the other two lead trade unionists was raised with the ambassador by me this morning.

Human Rights Issues (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Earlier I made a point on Colombia to which the Minister replied. The pressure that will be brought to bear on the economic benefits, which are real, between the European Union and Colombia may override, if one likes, the necessary progress that is made on human rights defenders and trade unionists. Unfortunately the former president, Mr. Uribe, in his visits to the European Union has been...

Straitéis 20 Bliain Don Ghaeilge: Ráitis (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Gabhaim buíochas le mo chomhghleacaithe a thug deis dom cúpla nóiméad a chaitheamh ag plé leis an ábhar tábhachtach seo. Mar a dúirt an Teachta O'Shea, táimid i bhfábhar na moltaí. Agus é sin ráite, tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuilimid dáiríre mar gheall orthu. I mo thuairim, d'fhulaing an Ghaeilge mar nach raibh daoine dáiríre faoi straitéisí agus tuarascálacha a...

Human Rights Issues (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 2: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the large number of trades unionists killed in Colombia and the failure in recent years of the European Union in its negations with Colombian Governments to make the protection and freedom of trades unionists and human rights protectors a condition of any beneficial relationship with the EU [43132/10]

Human Rights Issues (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: I am grateful to the Minister for his reply. I recently visited Colombia with Deputies Kitt and Breen and Senator Daly and put to the vice president a number of the points raised in my question. We also had an opportunity to follow up on these points at a meeting today with the Colombian Republic's ambassador to Great Britain and Northern Ireland, who is on a visit to Dublin. I put it to...

Human Rights Issues (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: The Minister and I could agree on much of this. The fundamental issue arises from the EU representative in Bogota who was not clear in his reply to the specific question as to how the human rights clause might be made transparent or enforceable. The issue that arises for the EU and Ireland is whether we can have an economic agreement first and that human rights will follow, which is a...

Human Rights Issues (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: That was my question. This is about the placing of human rights and the economic change in ratio to each other. We believe that if the European Union pressed, it could have a transformational effect in making human rights development and economic opportunities coterminous rather than human rights being residual by assumption to economic development.

Suspension of Member (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Hear, hear.

Suspension of Member (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: They are relevant to the Order of Business. This is not a statement.

Suspension of Member (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Hear, hear.

Suspension of Member (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: The questions relate to the statement that will be made.

Suspension of Member (18 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Deputy Gilmore is not the one dragging it out.

Bank Guarantee Scheme: Motion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Especially in Donegal.

Bank Guarantee Scheme: Motion (Resumed) (17 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Florence Nightingale in disguise.

Written Answers — Health Service Funding: Health Service Funding (11 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 28: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the estimated deficit in the Health Service Executive west; if progress has been made in collecting outstanding debts from health insurers to HSE west; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41878/10]

Written Answers — Hospital Accommodation: Hospital Accommodation (11 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 64: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that patients in the west had their planned chemotherapy cancelled in recent weeks because of a shortage of beds in University College Hospital Galway; if she has given any directives to the Health Service Executive to ensure the full implementation of policy on cancer treatment; and if she...

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (10 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 176: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the present situation as it pertains to a home (details supplied); her plans for this home in the coming years; if her attention has been drawn to the real dangers which will be involved in any decision to close it down; her advice to those persons using the facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41848/10]

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (10 Nov 2010)

Michael D Higgins: Question 252: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the situation following a proposal made by Irish hotels to introduce a 30% waiver on rates due on hotels and guest houses particularly given the slowness of revaluation of properties under the Valuation Act 2001; his views of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42021/10]