Results 3,221-3,240 of 6,872 for speaker:Ruairí Ó Murchú

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: In these changed set of circumstances, I imagine the witnesses are happier that there is more of a real engagement from the European Union and a route map through. Obviously, nowhere suffered more than Bosnia and Herzegovina when Yugoslavia broke apart. On some level, probably in a surface knowledge-type scenario, we are all aware of the various ethnic divisions. The ambassador has spoken...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: This is work the EU has to do to help Bosnia and Herzegovina along the road. We must all undertake considerations we never had to before. We are in a much-changed world, and we all accept that our interconnectivity and reliance on each other is greater than we previously believed. Short-term fixes for political expediency are not going to cut it. In fairness, I recognise from what both...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: In fairness, the ambassadors have been straightforward in terms of what they want to see from the European Union, which is that there should be no more obstacles and accession should be achieved as fast as possible. Equally, however, both ambassadors stated that their countries accept and want to meet the Copenhagen criteria and the specific 14 reforms to be undertaken in that regard. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: This energy source breakdown also means that Albania has an element of control regarding the price of energy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Mr. Qirko is saying that Albania's engagement is from the perspective of trying to facilitate a solution to some of the difficulties that exist in certain EU countries.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Albania is looking at a best-in-class system.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Mr. Filipovic said earlier that he was hopeful about how that election will turn out. Will he go into further detail on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: That makes it easier to sell in the ambassador's country, being able to say Albania has the European Union as a partner. This was probably not the case in previous years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: That is brilliant stuff. We have dealt comprehensively with a considerable number of issues, which will feed into the work we are doing on accession in general. While there are a number of caveats and worries, there is a lot of hope. We all want to go in the same direction and play whatever small part we can. Before I finish, do members have any questions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I too welcome both ambassadors. Tá fáilte mhór rompu. Maybe one day we will get to the point where we will have ambassadors in situin Ireland and the need to travel here would not be necessary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Go raibh maith agaibh go léir and we will finish the meeting on those kind words.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Citizens' Assembly (18 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 26. To ask the Taoiseach the expected timeline for the citizens' assemblies committed to in the Programme for Government. [45561/22]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Bodies (18 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 29. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, a statutory agency operating under the aegis of his Department. [45562/22]

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Bodies (18 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 37. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the Policing Reform Implementation Programme Office based in his Department. [45563/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (18 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 546. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider reinstating one-member arrangements and make those with less than ten members exempt from the additional audit functions; if not, if she will allow for the readjustment of a personal retirement savings account product to allow contributions from employer to employee to be exempt from USC...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens' Assembly (19 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I also reiterate that we really need a date for the citizens’ assembly on drugs. We can all accept at this stage that the so-called war on drugs is well and truly lost. We know that we have communities which are completely under the cosh of criminal elements and that we do not have the addiction services that are required to deal with the need that is there. Most of my dealings with...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (Resumed) (19 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: The proposition advanced by Deputy Andrews is absolutely necessary. We have all seen the European Union as a bright light in the sense of democracy and rights, but that means we have to be that bastion throughout the world. It means we have to engage with other states and other countries on that basis. At this point in time, we have failed the Palestinian people and that needs to be...

Central Bank (Individual Accountability Framework) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: All Deputies accept the absolute need for standards, sanctions and accountability in the context of the banking sector, so there will be general support for the idea behind the Bill. I do not think any Member will have a major difficulty with the four tenets, whether that is the senior executive accountability regime or new conduct standards for the regulated financial service providers,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I get it. We are in a world where there is not only the regular play of politics one would have had traditionally but also online platforms. Not only are we open to cyberattack, we have facilities that are very easily weaponised by state and non-state actors to push confrontational politics, which can make that worse. That is a particular worry we have. We had a meeting of the Joint...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Expansion: Discussion (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: This is something we have to build into any conversation we have in the next while. It is part of the wider conversation of just how interconnected we are, but we all have to make this journey together. We have to get through this winter and eventually put ourselves in a better place. Does Albania have a timeline to deliver on the obligations required by the European Commission in order...