Results 1,501-1,520 of 9,823 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Mixing the issue of anti-Semitism with day-to-day politics is dangerous.

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: This is something that we must be clear and have a full stop on. We have a proud record in this country of our dealings as an honest broker in the Israel-Palestine situation in support of a peaceful solution that protects all of the people of that region.

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: The European Council will take stock of preparations for the November Asia-Europe summit, the Eastern Partnership summit, the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, in Glasgow and the UN Biodiversity Conference, COP15. The European Council will discuss preparations for the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting, ASEM, on 25 and 26 November. This biannual summit will bring together...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: He did.

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Deputies for their statements. The agenda for this week's meeting of the European Council was discussed yesterday in Luxemburg at the General Affairs Council, GAC, which I attended. The Taoiseach has outlined his expectations for the European Council's discussions, as Members have also reflected, on Covid-19, digital, energy prices, trade and migration. Deputies should make no...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Yes. However, the issue of anti-Semitism is very serious at the moment. We must remember the Holocaust, learn lessons from it and have it constantly in our memories and on our minds. We must constantly be on guard so that nothing like it can ever happen again. We cannot mix anti-Semitism into a discussion about the situation on the ground in Israel and Palestine. Ireland has been a...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: I was on "Six-One" yesterday saying that. I made that exact point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus le baill an choiste uilig as an gcuireadh seo theacht os a gcomhair. Ar dtús, rachaidh mé i ngleic le prótacal Thuaisceart Éireann. First, I will update the committee on the Northern Ireland protocol. Last week, the European Commission delivered on its promise to people and businesses in Northern Ireland to address their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Members have raised interesting questions that cut across a number of issues. Senator Chambers asked specifically about the next steps with respect to the protocol. As we speak, the UK team is in Brussels discussing with its counterparts at a technical level. I understand the discussion is focusing on the EU papers - the documents published last week. David Frost and Maros Šefovi...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Present themselves - I think the Irish media would be fascinated to hear from them as opposed to just politicians all the time so I think that would also help. I would certainly encourage that. I ask anybody who would be interested - and I do not know their identities - to please speak out and say whether he or she thinks it is a good or bad process and what he or she thinks of the issues...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: On the rule of law conditionality, this is the sequence. The recovery and resilience fund was agreed last year as part of the budget negotiations, an unprecedented financial boost from the European Union to try to boost the economies of the entire European Union. We need to get away from - and I do not accuse this committee of this - sometimes speaking in terms of "how much is Ireland...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: I will answer the question on the Conference on the Future of Europe first because it was a follow-up question from Deputy Ó Murchú that I did not really address in my previous answer. The Government has organised a number of events. Obviously, Covid has restricted things. With EMI and through the Department of Foreign Affairs, I have met a wide range of groups in my capacity as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: It would be highly significant. It would force a change of pace. At the moment the European Commission has not approved the recovery and resilience plans for Hungary or Poland. Some other countries have not put them in, but in those cases they just have not done it yet. I am happy to let the European Commission do its job there and I support what it is doing. I do not want to make its...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (14 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: B’fhéidir nach n-úsáidfidh mé an t-am iomlán but I am very grateful for the opportunity to speak on budget 2022 both as the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs and as a Deputy proudly representing the people of Meath East. It is a great privilege to represent the people in this Chamber, and I think about that every day. Many of us may...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: The French are not happy either.

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: The French people are not happy. The Deputy should not come in saying the French are happy. They are not.

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: The figure for animal welfare is €1.5 million out of €1.8 billion. It is 0.1%.

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Does the Deputy know why?