Results 2,821-2,840 of 32,547 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Other Questions: Human Rights Issues (2 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: According to reports received, Khalil al-Marzooq, assistant secretary general of the Bahrain opposition party al-Wefaq, was arrested on 17 September. Mr. al-Marzooq is a former Deputy Speaker of Parliament who resigned with other opposition MPs in response to the government's suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations in February 2011. It appears that Mr. al-Marzooq's arrest was in...

Other Questions: Human Rights Issues (2 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for his question and assure him that the Government raised the issue at the UN Human Rights Council in September. It will continue to raise the case of Mr. al-Marzooq through its bilateral contacts with the Bahraini authorities and multilateral contacts with the institutions in the region. It will also raise Ireland's broader concerns about the situation in Bahrain. The...

Other Questions: Human Rights Issues (2 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for making that point. The Government's core interest in this area is to support freedom of conscience and freedom of expression. This has been articulated clearly both at the United Nations and in direct contact with Bahrain. I refer to the sentences handed down to 13 political activists about which the Government has expressed concern. It has called on the King of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation Issues (2 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: My understanding from the Tánaiste is that no Ambassadors have called on him to lodge a complaint since he took up his current office.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (2 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: The constitutional status of Catalonia in Spain is currently the subject of public and political debate in Spain, including in Catalonia itself. As I have previously stated, it is a matter for the people of any country of the European Union to establish the arrangements for their own democratic governance and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on that process in any particular country.

Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Awareness (10 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy Maloney for raising this issue and will address the specific points he made. I also heard the media reports this morning to which he referred and join the Deputy in extending Members' thoughts to this family at this difficult time and hoping for the recovery of their son, who is in hospital at present. It is highly appropriate that the Deputy should raise this issue today,...

Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Awareness (10 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy in his contribution made reference to phase of "looking into the mirror" and about our having to confront things about our society that are both good and bad. There is no doubt that the huge difficulties and challenges our young people face with respect to their mental health is one part of the jigsaw in terms of ensuring we have a society that looks after people who need help...

Topical Issue Debate: Northern Ireland Issues (10 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I join the Tánaiste in offering sincere sympathies to the families of the two men murdered in north Belfast and in Derry. We both utterly condemn these vicious, brutal and cowardly murders, as has Deputy Smith. As the Tánaiste stated earlier, the people of Belfast and Derry and, indeed, people all over Ireland have moved on. There is no justification for crimes against the...

Topical Issue Debate: Northern Ireland Issues (10 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I have taken careful note of Deputy Smith's remarks. As he said, there is no rationale for acts of terrorism like the killings of recent days. Like the Deputy, I did not think I would have to speak about two murders in the week of a conference that has been organised to try to create a prosperous and inclusive society and ensure Northern Ireland will have the kind of bright future we all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister of State (17 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I congratulate the Vice Chairman on his appointment. I am delighted to have this opportunity to brief members on the forthcoming General Affairs Council meeting which will take place in Luxembourg next Tuesday. I will also use it to provide them with a brief update on some of the visits I have made and the work in which I have been involved since I last attended the committee. Before...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister of State (17 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank all members for their questions, which I will handle in order. I thank Senator Leyden for raising many different issues. I compliment him on his continued focus on international issues. In regard to Palestine, I respectfully take a different view from the Senator. The European Union has done a great deal of work to ensure our investment programmes in the Middle East, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister of State (17 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputies and Senator Noone for their questions. I will begin with Senator Noone’s question on taxation and the digital sector. It is possible that there will be reference in the conclusions of the forthcoming European Council meeting to taxation and its role in the digital sector. I wish to make clear this country’s commitment to its corporation tax rate. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister of State (17 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: The Vice Chairman is correct that larger companies tend to have either their own pools of finance that they can draw upon or access to credit at different rates from those offered to small companies. It is worth acknowledging that the Commission and the European Investment Bank presented their report in June confirming they are working closely with the European Central Bank to develop a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister of State (17 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: Is this about my comment about his iPad?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Discussion with Minister of State (17 Oct 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I fully agree with Deputy Durkan. This goes back to the issue of scalability to which we referred. All global companies had humble origins. There are many such companies located in this country at the moment. I am certain that in a few years time companies that will be globally recognised brands will originate from this country.

European Council: Statements (6 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy worked for a few of them.

European Council: Statements (6 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy McGrath.

European Council: Statements (6 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank both Deputies for their questions. The answers to many of their points lie in paragraphs 41 to 44 of the conclusions of the European Council. On Deputy Dooley's question, the Government is very much focused on ensuring that the commitment made to breaking the link between the sovereign and banking systems will be upheld. We have been very clear that, in order to do that, a robust...

European Council: Statements (6 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: In response to Deputy Pringle, I did not say that. I said that at the end of the hierarchy that is in place or that is being negotiated at the moment, there is a role for backstops within all of that. We are very clear that within those backstops there must be a significant and clear European system in place. As evidence of that I would just point to conclusion No. 43 which calls on the...

European Council: Statements (6 Nov 2013)

Paschal Donohoe: No.