Results 3,481-3,500 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: I have also kept in very close touch with the Palestinian ambassador and with our partners in the region, including Egypt, which is centrally involved in current efforts at mediation. I spoke again this morning with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Shukri, to be briefed on current ceasefire efforts and to commend the vital mediation role which Egypt is playing in the current crisis and to...
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: The cold reality is that had a common abstention not been agreed, there was a very high likelihood of a number of our EU partners voting with the United States against the resolution, thereby reducing overall EU influence even further.
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: What we are now witnessing in Gaza is a brutal and utterly futile conflict. Ultimately, both sides will have to talk to each other and engage in negotiations of some kind to address the underlying issues. The world has been rightly appalled by the violence we have seen and the intransigence both sides have shown towards the repeated entreaties - most recently and tellingly, by all 15...
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: I stated that failure to take decisive action could embolden others-----
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: -----to take further destabilising steps and indicated that we were ready to support strong action, something which our citizens expect. The proposals on sectoral sanctions were discussed by EU ambassadors in Brussels on Tuesday of this week. In its intervention, Ireland indicated that it could agree with the package as proposed because it believes it to be effective and balanced. The...
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: It is 16 July, by the way.
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: I hesitate-----
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: The Senator said 16 June.
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: No, in regard to the questions. Please be fair and reasonable about it. It was 16 July.
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: It is not correct; 16 July.
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: I again thank the Leader of the House for allowing me the opportunity to not only outline the response of the Government to date but also to listen to what has been a most constructive debate with varying views on the part of Members from all sides of the House, all of which have a common bond, which is that all the views were expressed in an honest and sincere way. I particularly welcome...
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: I do not accept that this is in any way an abdication of responsibility.
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: I outlined them in detail and if the Senator listened to my remarks he would have heard them. EU members at the council try to vote together where possible. If Senators check the record going back over a series of meetings they will see that we try to vote together where possible in order to maximise our influence. Having 28 voices instead of one is far from an abdication of responsibility...
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: I was asked about the matter of sanctions. Again, this is not for the first time the issue was aired in this debate. Senators will be aware that, as a small trading nation, Ireland will only consider sanctions as part of UN or EU measures. While we would like to think otherwise, the reality is we are too small to affect matters on our own as far as the imposition of economic or social...
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: As a member of a common trading area, we could not exclude goods lawfully on sale in the European Union; therefore, any sanction would have to be at EU level.
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: Whether we support it - Senator Jim Walsh had his opportunity earlier-----
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: -----I am not sure if there is the prospect of any such sanctions against Israel being agreed at EU or international level.
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: Sanctions are a slow-moving remedy and I am not sure of the effect they would have within the timescale of this conflict, having regard to the urgency and importance of a ceasefire. I am surprised at Senators warning or advising that Ireland should not take its lead from the United Kingdom. I have seen nothing in any of this debate, or in the past few weeks or months, to show that Ireland...
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: Is Senator Jim Walsh is going to deny me an opportunity------
- Seanad: Situation in Gaza and Ukraine: Statements (31 Jul 2014)
Charles Flanagan: -----of replying to the debate that has lasted for over four hours?