Results 6,001-6,020 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Topical Issue Debate: Disabilities Assessments (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. As he said, Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and I had the pleasure of accompanying the Minister of State that evening in Clones when we met families and the support groups. Excellent work is being done by community groups throughout Cavan-Monaghan. The Minister of State would be very welcome to visit the area again. I know of his...

Topical Issue Debate: Disabilities Assessments (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I am very glad that this item was accepted and am pleased that the Minister of State is here to respond. I wish to refer to services provided by Enable Ireland for children up to age six and by the HSE's child development team for children aged from six to eight in Cavan-Monaghan. My comments are informed by my constituency work and by ongoing contact with parents of children with a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Implications for Good Friday Agreement of UK Referendum Result (Resumed) (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Dr. Morrow for his detailed paper. As Dr. McDonnell said, he laid out the huge issues facing the entire island and the EU. He mentioned the community groups he met at the cross-Border study centre. I have witnessed the impact of Brexit, particularly on SMEs in the Border region, because of currency fluctuation. That uncertainty has kicked in. I attended a conference recently...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: Apologies for their absence have been received from Senator Billy Lawless and Deputy Darragh O'Brien. Today we are meeting with Dr. Karen Devine of the Dublin City University, DCU, school of law and government, as part of a series of meetings on the potential impact of Brexit on areas identified as falling within the remit of this committee. At the end of a series of hearings over the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: There is much material there for consideration and I am quite sure some of it would be contested as well. The witness indicated she would present the full paper and if time permitted, we could have further discourse on another day and it might be very useful. With regard to Dr. Devine's concluding remarks about the Taoiseach saying we would be on the side of the EU 27, all of us would make...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: Yes. The Seville declaration in regard to the Lisbon treaty provided many safeguards in response to concerns expressed during those referenda campaigns. We had it built in and it formed part of the question in the referendum put to the people here. After the witness takes other queries, she might refer to the Seville declaration and its importance from the perspective of respecting our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I know Dr. Devine has time constraints because of college commitments. She might come back to the various queries after Deputy Crowe's contribution.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I would say more critical.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: We are out of time. Senator Mark Daly wants to make a brief comment. We are due to finish this session at 10.30 a.m. because of Dr. Devine's commitments in college. I ask Senator Daly to be brief.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I am sorry. I will call Senator Ó Clochartaigh and Dr. Devine can come back in then.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: Dr. Devine, on the other issues raised-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I chair this meeting. Dr. Devine will deal with the other issues that have been raised.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Dr. Devine. Her paper is very thought-provoking.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: Hopefully we will have an opportunity to discuss her full paper when she submits it. This committee, Parliament and the Government have to be very strong within the 27 member states negotiating with Britain to advocate our interests and it is in our interests that Britain gets the best possible deal with the EU because of our historical trading relationships and interdependence. There is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: In session B we are meeting representatives of the Irish Exporters Association as part of the remit of the committee is trade promotion. I welcome from the association Ms Nicola Byrne, president-elect, and Ms Marie Armstrong, vice president. I thank them for attending to give members of the committee their unique perspective on the potential challenges facing exporters when Britain exits...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Ms Byrne for her presentation. There is a lot of very good material in it regarding the many issues that must be dealt with in advance of and following Brexit. I am very glad that she highlighted the need for us to develop more transport links with northern Europe and elsewhere because ferry services and cargo services from this country are quite limited. We do not seem to have a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: How do the witnesses wish to divide the replies?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: What engagement do the witnesses have with the Export Trade Council? Did the Irish Exporters Association have an input into the Government's trade strategy that was published yesterday? The target is a 0.25% increase in exports.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: That is good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: Some of our exporters, for example, in the part of the world I come from use Warrenpoint and Larne ports. Do the witnesses have a figure for what percentage of our exports go via those ports?