Results 30,141-30,160 of 33,214 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (25 Jun 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I am absolutely confident that this tradition will be maintained and that whoever is selected will be somebody who will do a superb job. What is very clear, as has been identified in particular by Deputy Creighton, is that the work the European Commission must do in the next five years is absolutely vital. It is in our national interest to ensure we have strong Commissioners who are able to...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (25 Jun 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. The Taoiseach has asked me to update the House on a number of areas. I will also respond to some of the points made in the time available to me. Deputy Martin raised the issue of Ukraine and noted the seriousness of it. Further progress with regard to our relationship with Georgia and Moldova is a very important development that will take...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Commission Country Specific Recommendations for Ireland: Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (12 Jun 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: It is too early in the year, as the Minister for Finance has said, to determine the exact figure that will help us to get there. The final point, about housing, is a matter for other Ministers but I agree that a housing assistance payment is an important step forward and I look forward to seeing it being implemented in ways that will help the lives of many people.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Commission Country Specific Recommendations for Ireland: Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (12 Jun 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I think we have covered a broad spectrum of nearly every policy in 90 minutes. I wish members travelling to Albania and COSAC a productive visit. I visited Albania in January and I am certain they will have a productive visit. They will emerge more enlightened about Albania and with a richer view of what is going on in Europe after hearing the perspective of the Albanians during the visit...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Commission Country Specific Recommendations for Ireland: Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (12 Jun 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank all the members for their questions. I will go through each of them in turn and will commence with Deputy Kyne's questions. He asked about the legal basis for the country-specific recommendations. They come from two different articles, 121 and 148, of the consolidated treaties of the European Union. With regard to the Deputy's key question on the sanction nature of these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Commission Country Specific Recommendations for Ireland: Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (12 Jun 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: It is consistent. It refers to the timing of achieving this objective as recommended by the Commission. We will achieve it but we believe it will take a different length of time from that in the CSR. The third CSRs is focused on further strengthening of our active labour market policies. This means building a bridge to the workplace for the unemployed. It also means being responsive to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Commission Country Specific Recommendations for Ireland: Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (12 Jun 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chairman very much for the opportunity to discuss the Commission's proposed CSRs. These all touch on issues that will be at the heart of the Irish policy agenda over the coming months and years. It is, therefore, welcome to have this early opportunity to look at the June European Council and the decisions beyond. Before going into the detail and nature of this process and...

Topical Issue Debate: Foreign Conflicts (4 Jun 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy again for raising the grave humanitarian difficulty that is occurring in Libya. It is important to consider the events which led to the UN making the intervention it did. At the time, the then ruler of Libya, Colonel Gadaffi, was threatening attack and assault against the people of Benghazi. He was, in effect, threatening genocide against people inside his own borders....

Topical Issue Debate: Foreign Conflicts (4 Jun 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: If the international community had not taken action against Gadaffi at that time, would the Deputy not be standing here accusing it of displaying double standards? I emphasise again that the action that was taken was to prevent the slaughter of people in Libya. The current situation, as the Deputy pointed out, is one of grave difficulty within the borders of that country. The European...

Topical Issue Debate: Foreign Conflicts (4 Jun 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The current political and security situation in Libya, as the Deputy has outlined, is both highly complex and precarious and remains a matter of deep concern, both for Ireland and for the international community generally. Since the fall of Colonel Gadaffi in 2011, serious difficulties, including a weak and divided central government, impotent...

Garda Síochána (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 May 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I begin by referring to the work Deputies Clare Daly and Wallace have done in this area. I disagree strongly with the Deputies in respect of many issues, particularly with regard to the many challenges and choices facing our country, economy and society. That is because, like them, I have many genuinely held views in respect those challenges and choices. I acknowledge, however, that in...

Seanad: Central Bank Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 May 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Senator for tabling this amendment. While we understand the objective of the amendment and appreciate the importance of it and the role it could play, we will not accept it. A debate on the amendment took place in the Dáil between Deputy Pearse Doherty and the Minister, Deputy Michael Noonan, and I would like to emphasise a number of points in regard to that discussion. I...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (28 May 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I am not in a position to state the exact number of Irish citizens in Libya, but I assure the Deputy that through our embassy in Rome which is accredited to Libya we are providing advice for anybody who is considering travelling to Libya and that we will monitor and offer support to Irish citizens who are in the country or the region. With regard to the response to the grave difficulty in...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (28 May 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I am extremely concerned regarding recent events in Libya where the situation remains highly precarious. The security environment has further deteriorated in recent days after renegade Army General Haftar sent his paramilitary force, the "Libyan National Army", to attack the parliament building on 18 May. According to reports received, militia members used anti-aircraft weapons,...

Other Questions: Workplace Safety (28 May 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: The Soma mining disaster which claimed 301 lives was the worst mining accident in Turkish history. The Tánaiste has written to the Turkish Government to convey our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of this terrible tragedy. Health and safety standards in Turkey's mines are an issue which the European Union has consistently raised with the Turkish authorities. Ireland...

Other Questions: Workplace Safety (28 May 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I agree entirely with the point made by the Deputy that anybody going to work should have the expectation that he or she will return home safely at the end of the day. I emphasise three points in response to her further question. One of the main items for negotiation in respect of Turkey's accession is chapter 19 which covers issues such as employment law and social policy. I emphasise...

Other Questions: Workplace Safety (28 May 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Again, I point to the fact that Ireland has been proactive in this area in the recent past. Chapter 19 which forms part of the accession process for Turkey and in which Ireland played a leading role through the Tánaiste during its EU Presidency refers employment law and social policy. As a member state, we have raised this issue and will raise it again at the meeting that will take...

Europe Week: Statements (6 May 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank all Members for their contributions. I will respond to each in turn and offer some views on the points made. Before doing so, I want to frame the debate with figures that provide the.backdrop to the discussion and some of the challenges Europe and Ireland will face together in the years to come. The first concerns Europe's share of the world's population. At the beginning of 1900...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council Meeting and European Parliament Elections: Minister of State for European Affairs (6 May 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: If for whatever reason people may be moving on, lack of appreciation of the role of their institution is not one of them because it is very much a changing body. The Deputy asked about protest votes and legislation. I believe people can protest strongly against the direction the European Union is taking and still be effective legislators. They just have a very different outlook from mine,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council Meeting and European Parliament Elections: Minister of State for European Affairs (6 May 2014)

Paschal Donohoe: Excellent. I thank the Chairman. A full range of issues have been raised, everything from models to quarterbacks. I will do my best to respond to each question in turn. A number of consistent themes made an appearance and I will deal with those. My colleague Deputy O'Reilly asked about TTIP, the transatlantic trade and investment partnership which is the opportunity for a trading deal...