Results 2,321-2,340 of 2,792 for speaker:Colm Brophy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: A representative of the Government of North Macedonia made that point only a few weeks ago while sitting in the chair Dr. Colfer is sitting in now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: Political power.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: One of the tragedies of Brexit that is never talked about is the heft, balance and influence the UK brought to the core EU member states, as they were, in terms of its relationship with the Franco-German axis and the economic strength and heft it brought to the Union. If it had stayed in it, it would have left the bloc in a much stronger position to deal with eastward expansion, compared to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: I spent yesterday listening to the divisiveness of the views of countries excluded from Schengen that want to be in Schengen. We are slightly different. We do not want to be in it because of our other situation with UK. For member states that have fulfilled every single monetary requirement and every single security requirement, to see existing member states blackball their membership of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: That is the balance. I would agree with Professor Barrett on that. I call Senator Chambers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: It is worth noting that the language of the European Parliament that Dr. Colfer just quoted came specifically from Ireland. At the meeting we attended, those exact words comprised the Irish proposal in a discussion that otherwise did not recognise neutrality. Only when we proposed the wording was it included in the draft. It is very interesting that the member states participating at a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: We will have to-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: I wish everyone a good morning. On behalf of the committee, I would like to welcome Mr. Tony Murphy from the European Court of Auditors to the meeting. He is joined by his colleagues, Mr. Brian Murphy and Mr. Peter Borsos. They are all very welcome and I thank them for joining us this morning. Before we begin, I will read the note on privilege, which I have no doubt everyone will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: The Deputy asked a number of questions, but I cannot let them go without making one of my pet comments. Perhaps so many lobbyists on behalf of the petrochemical industry will not be needed with COP being hosted in one of the largest oil-producing and oil-exporting countries.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: No one seems to get the irony of that. That is by the by, though.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: The focus of the committee is on the audit. That is closer to the motion being debated in the Dáil Chamber than it is our work in this committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: I shall hand over to Mr. Murphy. I do not know how he will deal with that one.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: Sorry Deputy, but we should stick to the format agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: That concludes this round. Before Deputy Howlin comes back in, I want to pose some questions. I do not know if this can be seen as me causing trouble but I want to go back to the point made by Deputy Howlin in respect of the level of debt being incurred, the borrowing that is being done and the ratio involved. There has been exponential growth in that. At what point does the auditing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: What I was getting at with the two questions is at what point the ECA switches from highlighting to calling a halt?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: The ECA does not have the audit function of a private company. I know there was an allusion made to that. It is the job of an auditor of a private company, when management comes out with a line like that, to say “Well, do you know what guys?” There are certain recent examples in this State where perhaps the auditors should have stepped in at an earlier stage and said that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: That brings me to the second part of the point I was going to make specifically on Ukraine. Like others, I am pragmatic on these things. Funding mechanisms are put in place to get around problems that exist on the ground, particularly when a union of 27 sovereign states is trying to figure out how to do something. With regard to the role of the Court of Auditors, looking at one aspect, it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: Yes, we are. With that, I thank Mr. Murphy for the information he has provided and his engagement. It has been useful to the committee.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (28 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: 255. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update regarding the provision of a school bus service to a school in Crumlin (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51959/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Commissioner and his colleagues for coming in. I will try to narrow the focus onto something, rather than ask a number of general questions. I will use one example if that is okay. In his opening remarks and in answer to questions, the Commissioner talked about the stopping of the Luas and the protest that stopped it. In answering questions in relation to that, he talked...