Results 3,761-3,780 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland - Time to Deal with the Past: Amnesty International (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: Before going back to the witnesses I commend them on their helpful work. When we consider the absolutes inherent in the dirty war for 30 years, as people had a fixed position and one group was right and another was wrong, bar stool conversations meant everybody had a fixed opinion. We have had many groups before us and some want justice, others want truth and yet others want...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland - Time to Deal with the Past: Amnesty International (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: I am not necessarily referring to parties. As Deputy Smith noted, Justice for the Forgotten has a line regarding what it wants from the process but other groups want other goals. How can such disparate issues be brought together?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland - Time to Deal with the Past: Amnesty International (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: I will allow Deputy Seán Crowe to speak first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland - Time to Deal with the Past: Amnesty International (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: We are under pressure timewise, but perhaps I might throw something into the mix. The Eames-Bradley recommendation of a £12,000 reconciliation payment was controversial and failed. As we have not mentioned money or economics today, I think I should throw it into the mix. Some 3,600 people were killed during the Troubles and 40,000 injured, not to mention those affected psychologically...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland - Time to Deal with the Past: Amnesty International (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: I thank the delegation for its presentation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Cross-Border Support: Special Olympics Ireland (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: On behalf of the committee I welcome Mr. Matt English, chief executive, Special Olympics Ireland; Mr. Peter O'Brien, director of training and volunteers; Mr. John McKernan, chairman of Special Olympics Ulster; Mr. Shaun Cassidy, regional director of Special Olympics Ulster; and Mr. Liam McGarry, a family member with Special Olympics Ulster. The committee will hear about the work the group...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Cross-Border Support: Special Olympics Ireland (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: Thank you, Senator. I also thank you for insisting that both representative groups be invited to appear before the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Cross-Border Support: Special Olympics Ireland (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: Most of the contributions were observations, and the witnesses do not have to reply to all observations, but I invite Mr. Matt English to comment, and Mr. John McKernan might give an Ulster perspective. I too am interested in the response to Deputy Conlan's question on Counties Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal. Are these counties in Ulster or not in Ulster? I would appreciate specific clarification.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Cross-Border Support: Special Olympics Ireland (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: Is Mr. Cassidy the regional manager for the north west?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Cross-Border Support: Special Olympics Ireland (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: Is he regional director for the nine counties of Ulster?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Cross-Border Support: Special Olympics Ireland (6 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: I remember one time when Cavan was not in Ulster, but I will not go there. We will not talk about the past. I appreciate the attendance of the delegation. The meeting has been a good opportunity for the witnesses to put on public record the good work that they do. If the committee can be of help then our door is open. We appreciate their being here and thank them for their contribution....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Procurement Contracts (11 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: 46. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the process and criteria required for the food and beverage industry regarding public procurement contracts to Irish embassies, including the length of contracts and timeline around the procurement process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11564/14]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (25 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: 220. To ask the Minister for Finance the reason the export repayment scheme is only available on M1 passenger vehicles, and not on commercially registered vehicles even though they have paid 13.3% VRT rate; if he will consider an exemption specifically for small and medium enterprise owners, where the business is more greatly impacted by this VRT rate then a larger business who is better...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (27 Mar 2014)

Joe McHugh: 59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a student grant in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14472/14]

Other Questions: Driver Licences (2 Apr 2014)

Joe McHugh: Five seconds or sentences.

Other Questions: Driver Licences (2 Apr 2014)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister's comment on the future construct of the tender. I stand to be corrected, but under the previous contract 30 locations were identified in the tender and this precluded companies such as An Post from tendering for it. When the new tender is being constructed we should consider An Post as a readily available outlet. There is an opportunity there if we are creative.

Other Questions: Haulage Industry Regulation (2 Apr 2014)

Joe McHugh: 257. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will investigate if it would be allowable under European Union regulations to have a common road charging regime between Ireland and the United Kingdom whereby only one charge would be levied for access to the road network in both jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15620/14]

Other Questions: Haulage Industry Regulation (2 Apr 2014)

Joe McHugh: In the short time available I will try to be as specific and constructive as possible. I acknowledge the Minister's role - I believe he made first contact on the issue approximately 18 months ago. Speaking off the record, people within the authorities in the United Kingdom have said this is a sin of omission. However, acknowledging this off the record is not good enough and still does not...

Other Questions: Haulage Industry Regulation (2 Apr 2014)

Joe McHugh: As of yesterday, this is in law and we need to use the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly as a mechanism for considering a more constructive approach rather than the British introducing levies in Westminster and then us reporting in June or July about a possible levy where we will be charging Northern trucks coming down the M1 and they will be charging us going up the A5. It is outside the...

Other Questions: Haulage Industry Regulation (2 Apr 2014)

Joe McHugh: -----involving both Dublin and Westminster. Ultimately, it was Westminster that introduced this legislation.