Results 1-20 of 24 for going forward speaker:Colm Brophy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: UN Sustainable Development Goals: Discussion (1 May 2024)

Colm Brophy: ...the SDGs and to put every single effort into the importance of them, we will lose the argument. Somebody who is a much better expert on this than me once said to me there is no way the SDGs would be negotiated today. Think of that as an implication or starting point. That is why I agree so much with what Mr. Donoghue has said. Optimistically, the rollover point is where we are at. No...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: ...the witnesses answer, I will add something to what he said. There are reputable broadcasters, to use the terminology, where there is a balanced and fair approach, which may involve an interview going backwards and forwards. However, at the very end of it, there is a process, sometimes after the person who has been subject to the interview has left, whereby a series of tweets received by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union and the Commission Work Programme: Discussion (25 Oct 2023)

Colm Brophy: ...Nolan, who is head of the representation. She is joined by her colleague, the deputy head, Mr. Jonathan Claridge. They are very welcome and I thank them for coming in. At today's meeting we are going to discuss the state of the EU and the Commission's work programme. We very much look forward to that engagement on it. Before we begin, we have some housekeeping matters to deal with....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union and the Commission Work Programme: Discussion (25 Oct 2023)

Colm Brophy: .... Europe has now repositioned itself correctly, and we are on the correct path in this context. There were other missteps, to which Deputy Haughey alluded as well. There is a clearer path forward now, but this is a very fundamental thing for the current President the European Commission and her successors to be aware of in such a sensitive area. Ms Nolan mentioned the Global Gateway...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future of the EU-UK Relationship: UK Ambassador to Ireland (12 Jul 2023)

Colm Brophy: On behalf of the committee, I welcome the UK ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Mr. Paul Johnston, along with his colleagues. In today's meeting we are looking forward to having a discussion on the future of the EU-UK relationship, which I believe will be the first opportunity for the committee and the ambassador to engage on that post Brexit. This will obviously be a crucial relationship as we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU-UK Relations and the Windsor Framework: Engagement with European Commission Vice President (25 Apr 2023)

Colm Brophy: I thank Senator McDowell and I echo his words. I thank Commissioner Šefovi very much for his work. I had the opportunity to meet him over a year ago when things looked very different. I remember speaking to him at that time. The one thing that came through incredibly to me was that for someone who was not an Irishman his fundamental understanding of the need for patience when...

Employment Support Services: Motion [Private Members] (30 Nov 2021)

Colm Brophy: ...important matter. The Minister, unfortunately, has had to leave, but she was in attendance, as Deputies would acknowledge, for the vast majority of the debate. She spoke comprehensively on the Government's approach to the expansion of employment service provision and the extensive engagement with the sector. I commend the quality of the employment services the Department of Social...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (22 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: ...major national road improvement schemes that are included in the NDP, along with the maintenance of the existing national road network. The programme for Government includes a commitment to bring forward the review of the NDP from 2022 and to use that review to set out an updated NDP for the period out as far as 2030. The review of the NDP will be aligned with the NPF and Project Ireland...

Seanad: Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2021: Second Stage (31 May 2021)

Colm Brophy: ..., describing the different maritime zones of national jurisdiction recognised by international law. It sets out the State's jurisdictional rights in each of them and confers the power on the Government to delineate them in domestic law. How the State decides to exercise those jurisdictional rights is left to separate legislation. That is important. To address a number of Senators'...

Seanad: Good Friday Agreement: Motion (10 May 2021)

Colm Brophy: I welcome the opportunity to represent the Government and to speak in support of the motion on the Good Friday Agreement and the shared island initiative. I will not oppose the amendments. The Good Friday Agreement, signed 23 years ago last month, was both an end and a beginning. It was an end to long years of hard work and difficult compromises on all sides. It was the beginning of a new...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Search and Rescue Service Provision (12 Nov 2020)

Colm Brophy: .... I will park and put aside for one moment the cheap political shots and the usual snide Sinn Féin remarks made in respect of people. I will park also my own amusement at a party like Sinn Féin going on about undermining our Defence Forces, when it had such an involvement in doing so for so long with some colleagues. The defence organisation provides a broad range of...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Reopening the Economy: Supports for Business (9 Jun 2020)

Colm Brophy: .... McDonnell there as I want to ask a second question. Something which I believe is an absolutely essential part of the recovery and for which I would like to see support and buy-in from the next Government and from industry is a national recovery task force, an umbrella group to literally bring the country together and to allow for interaction between Government, social partners,...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee Stage (29 Nov 2018)

Colm Brophy: ...effectiveness of guidelines relating to minimum sentences. Overall, the legislation is moving us in the right direction. I agree with what the Minister is trying to do. There is more benefit in going forward with it than in removing sections 4 and 5, which would effectively gut the legislation. Essentially, when everything else is stripped out, what we have here is a difference in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: National Famine Commemoration Day Bill 2017: Discussion (28 Nov 2018)

Colm Brophy: To try to bring it back to a simple approach, a timeline might help. This Bill has been around for a while - since 2017 - and that is one of the problems. The Government made a decision subsequent to the introduction of the Bill. I like to think the decision was probably partly made because the Bill was there. My clear understanding and indication is that the Government allowed the Bill...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Colm Brophy: I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee and taking the time to make their presentations to us. To be very clear on where I am coming from, not just because it is the Government's position but because it is my view, I prefer straightforward simple deletion. It has been very interesting to listen to the positions and views outlined by the witnesses. Much of what I have heard...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Role of Women) Bill: Discussion (19 Sep 2018)

Colm Brophy: It is a misinterpretation. I said that, even if there is a straightforward referendum campaign about deletion, arguments would be put forward by people who want to see either more or less. That creates the complexity around the issue. I am not saying, either, that the issue is complex or that there are not economic issues but that, by going beyond a straight deletion, we run the risk of...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Corporation Tax Regime: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Colm Brophy: I am going to ask a few questions if the Deputy does not mind. Following up on that last point, we should certainly be prudent in how we project future rises. We should be prudent in how we make expenditure commitment. I was in business for 20 years before my election to this House. Everybody knows that companies make profits in some years and do not in others. We cannot rely on the...

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Public Service Performance Report 2017: Discussion (2 May 2018)

Colm Brophy: ...echo some of the comments made by previous speakers. The report is very good but more can be done, particularly in the forecasting of trends across different years and being able to look back and forward to really get an idea of where we are going. Much can be achieved in doing that.

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Business of Select Committee (12 Dec 2017)

Colm Brophy: ...have been received from Deputy John Lahart. Before we begin, I welcome all members to the meeting. I am delighted to have been selected as the new chairperson for this committee. I look forward to continuing to work with all members on a cross-party basis. I will also take the moment to acknowledge my predecessor, Deputy Josepha Madigan, on behalf of the committee and to wish her well...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Functioning of the Department of Justice and Equality: Department of Justice and Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Secretary General and her officials for coming. I do not believe I will have a productive time in asking questions because I will go over some ground that has been covered before and I am not doing so because I like to hear the sound of my own voice. I am doing so because there is complete inconsistency in the way the officials have answered questions. Perhaps that is because I...