Results 30,401-30,420 of 33,214 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: It is the gas Bill, so I will do my best to come to a conclusion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I return to Deputy Dara Murphy's point about the legitimacy of our national Parliament. A very important part of how we do that is that when things go very well for our country we must acknowledge Ireland's role in making that happen and the role of Europe and its bodies in allowing that to happen. When things do not go so well we also need to be honest. The semester process which will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank my colleagues for the kind comments they made and assure them that I hope to continue the tone of how I have done things in the past.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, and I would tell them to buy silver or gold or the dollar or sterling. Those discussions happened a number of years ago, but for the most part they have come to an end and that is huge progress. However, we cannot take that progress for granted in future discussions. Deputy Dara Murphy asked about the nuts and bolts of how the money will be spent. I will be able to answer those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I see Deputy Durkan is exhorting us about that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank my colleagues for their contributions. Deputy Kyne suggested an interesting research project that would ask people what they think of when they think about Europe. The research with which I am familiar includes the Eurobarometer polls conducted across Europe. These polls clearly demonstrate that people's faith in European institutions declined during the crisis. However, I would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Is that in respect of regional funding?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Chairman and colleagues for their comments. I wish Deputy Dara Murphy and Senator Noone, the new members of the committee, the best of luck and hope they enjoy it as much as I did. Yesterday, I read an interesting newspaper article on the UK’s Liberal Democrats recent conference. When delegates get up to speak, a set of traffic lights appear behind them. If they speak...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: -----appropriate to mean a set of economic governance procedures that would be used to overview how member states operate their economies and national budgets? I have no doubt during my tenure in office I will get sucked into using the same language. At the beginning of my opening statement, I spoke about banning the use of the word "institution" and then used it throughout my contribution....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Thank you very much for your kind words, Chairman. I am delighted to be with the committee members. My appearance at the committee is striking for two reasons - at least, it is striking for me - the first being that I spent seven very happy years working with it on matters about which we were concerned. I had the privilege of being a member of the committee as a Senator and then being its...

Seanad: Directive of European Parliament on Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children: Statements (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I wish to thank Senators for all their contributions. I have listened intently to what everybody has had to say and I wish to respond to the core points. I want to answer a question that was put to me concerning the status of the sexual offences legislation. I note Senators' concerns about its assignation as a C-piece of legislation. It is so designated at the moment because in order for...

Seanad: Directive of European Parliament on Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children: Statements (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: That is it. Burglary can be a crime and many transgressions in civil law are crimes also. The matter under discussion here, however, is in a whole different universe of acting against somebody. They are torture scenes and we need to keep that in mind as we discuss how to respond to the problem. Senator Brennan mentioned the issue of incomprehension. I find myself in exactly the same place...

Seanad: Directive of European Parliament on Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children: Statements (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Absolutely. One of the consequences of the human condition is that we can never really know what it is like to walk in somebody else's shoes. That can be a good or a bad thing. One of the bad things, however, is that we can never fully appreciate what it is like for somebody to be harmed in the way these images indicate, unless one is the victim. That is why it is so important for the EU...

Seanad: Directive of European Parliament on Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children: Statements (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I will give up time to allow everyone to speak.

Seanad: Directive of European Parliament on Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children: Statements (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Senator.

Seanad: Directive of European Parliament on Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children: Statements (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: We are still young.

Seanad: Directive of European Parliament on Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children: Statements (19 Sep 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I was wondering how long I would have to wait for that reference to be mentioned so I thank the Acting Chairman for getting it in quickly during my first appearance before the Seanad. I am delighted to be present today, taking this issue on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Deputy Alan Shatter. Like many Senators who will speak on this topic I wish we were handling a...

Council of the European Union (Lithuanian Presidency): Motion (17 Jul 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for this question. I am aware of his interest in the matter because I attended the committee meeting held last week at which he raised it with the Lithuanian ambassador. I have requested an update on the issue. In my work as a constituency representative I have visited a prison because I entirely agree with the point made by Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan that regardless of...

Council of the European Union (Lithuanian Presidency): Motion (17 Jul 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: What the Acting Chairman should have done was wish me an appropriate number of years in office.