Results 6,581-6,600 of 8,604 for speaker:Seán Crowe

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: As a previous speaker said, lines were drawn on maps that did not really take into account the people in those regions. The Tuareg are moving into that region. One of the worrying comments is the suggestion that the French intervention was carried out under UN guidelines. Will the UN support this intervention? I have listened carefully to the Tánaiste's response that intervention by...

Other Questions: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: Does the Minister of State accept that most people would agree with aid being provided in times of crisis? I do not believe people have a hugely negative view of development. However, their perceptions become muddied when aid is being provided for large countries with massive resources and corrupt governments. If we are seen to be involved in such countries, difficulties often arise. This...

Other Questions: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: Many who contribute get really upset and annoyed when they see larger states failing to live up to their responsibilities and commitments to aid and development. Ireland and other EU countries are going through extremely difficult times, with spending cuts in health and education and other areas. In the recent budget Irish Aid’s budget was cut by €16 million. It has been cut...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Peace and Reconciliation Programme (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the programmes which will benefit from the €315,000 increase in Reconciliation and Cooperation on the Island services of his Department as laid out in Budget 2013. [1675/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Peace and Reconciliation Programme (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: I thank the Minister for his reply. I welcome the fact there has been an increase in the reconciliation fund from the Department. However, I would like to know where the money is going, what groups avail of it and what type of work they are doing. It would be useful to get that information onto the public record. This work is vital. As Deputy Smith said, some Members of the House...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Peace and Reconciliation Programme (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: It is about people being comfortable working together. That is part of the difficulty in regard to what is happening at the moment on the flag issue. What is the Minister's view on how the flag issue and what is happening on the streets are affecting those groups? The trouble seems to be happening in isolated areas whereas the work is still going on outside the Belfast area and it is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Use of Non-Conventional Weapons (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: In 2006 the European Parliament adopted a resolution that called on the European Union and its member states to work hard to ensure the scope of the protocol to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons would be expanded to prevent the further use of white phosphorous shells and depleted uranium warheads against military and civilian targets. In the previous conflict in the area in 2009...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Use of Non-Conventional Weapons (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: I am working on information I have been given based on the reports of medics. However, I accept that information has not come across the Tánaiste's desk and accept what he has said on the issue. We know ordnance used in previous conflicts remains on the ground in the region. Previously, I referred to the fact that the head of the medical authorities in Gaza was an Irish passport...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Use of Non-Conventional Weapons (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will support an international investigation to examine if the use of non-conventional weapons, such as chemical weapons and depleted uranium munitions, were used in Israel’s recent bombardment of Gaza in November 2012; and if they were the cause of a rapid rise in the number of patients being admitted into...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason his Department has been given significant increases in some administration spending, such as travel, €452,000, postal and telecoms services, €451,000 and office equipment and external IT services, €945,000, in Budget 2013. [1676/13]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (16 Jan 2013)

Seán Crowe: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, in view of the concern over the possible likelihood of an armed conflict between Israel and Iran, he shares the concerns of many of those who want to see a peaceful resolution to conflict in the Middle East, that the increased militarisation of the region is increasing the likelihood of this conflict; his views on whether...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Departmental Agencies (20 Dec 2012)

Seán Crowe: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in view of the fact that he plans to reduce Fáilte Ireland’s budget from €63.3 million in 2013 to €53.2 million by 2015, his views on whether this will have a negative impact on the tourist industry in terms of visitor numbers and employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57260/12]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: State Airports (20 Dec 2012)

Seán Crowe: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify his statement regarding Shannon Airport when he welcomed enormous possibilities for additional military flights; the kind of military flights he was referring; his views on the use of Irish airspace by foreign military forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57241/12]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Promotion: Discussion (Resumed) with Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce (19 Dec 2012)

Seán Crowe: It does to some extent, but are there difficulties with some countries' regimes? Is the Joint Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce propping up those regimes by getting involved in trade with them, or are they being opened up to the idea or prospect of greater democracy, including human rights, in the region by continuing that trade? That is one of the difficulties involved in trading with some of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Promotion: Discussion (Resumed) with Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce (19 Dec 2012)

Seán Crowe: I welcome Mr. Maguire to the meeting. The worst thing that could happen would be for the embassy from which one sought a visa to be located in a country of which one's own country was a former colony. I can envisage all sorts of difficulties arising, depending on where one was obliged to apply for a visa. For example, in the case of Madrid, the Spanish state formerly had colonies in parts...

European Council Brussels: Statements (19 Dec 2012)

Seán Crowe: The IMF made a statement during the week on meeting its deadlines. The subtext was that austerity is not working throughout Europe. Was there any sense of this growing reality among the European leaders at the Council meeting and were there discussions on the social cost of austerity? The Taoiseach mentioned a meeting on Syria that took place in Marrakesh, attended by the Minister of...

European Council Brussels: Statements (19 Dec 2012)

Seán Crowe: It is good to hear the Irish Presidency will focus on youth unemployment. Like everyone, across all parties and none, we want to see this acted on and delivered during the six months of Ireland's Presidency. We know some countries in the European Union have introduced measures that have kept youth unemployment at a low level. Countries like Ireland, with and unacceptably high level of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Universal Health Insurance (19 Dec 2012)

Seán Crowe: To ask the Minister for Health if, in relation to the Government's plan ‘future health’ and its statement that social care services will not be covered by universal health insurance, this will mean people having to pay for care services which they are eligible to receive without charge at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57014/12]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (19 Dec 2012)

Seán Crowe: To ask the Minister for Health his views on he study commissioned by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation showing that significant under-staffing in our public hospitals adversely affects patient care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57015/12]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Exchange of Views with Mr. Egemen Bagis, Turkish Minister for Europe and Principal Turkish Negotiator for EU Membership. (18 Dec 2012)

Seán Crowe: I extend a warm welcome to the Turkish Minister. I am a Sinn Féin Deputy. While our party is not ideologically opposed to Turkish accession, we are aware that many in Europe are for reasons ranging from economic concerns to pure racism. There are others who have strategic concerns about whether the EU wishes to have a border with Syria and Iraq. Some people share strategic concerns...