Results 4,721-4,740 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Discussion with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran (10 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: As a vote has been called in the Seanad, I ask Senator Norris to conclude so that I can allow Senator Daly to contribute.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Discussion with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran (10 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: We will give the remaining Senators who wish to ask questions an opportunity to do so after they return from the division in the Seanad. Perhaps the ambassador might respond to this group of questions, which was dominated by questions about human rights, with reference to the Amnesty International report that was mentioned by Deputy Crowe, the issue of executions and the plight of those who...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Discussion with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran (10 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: What is the situation with regard to the Baha'i faith?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Discussion with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran (10 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: I have just questions. Deputy Crowe mentioned Syria and support for President Assad. Will you comment on that? Also, what effect are the sanctions having on the Iranian people?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Discussion with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran (10 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: Will the ambassador give the committee an example of the effect of the sanctions on ordinary people in Iran?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Discussion with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran (10 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: What about the situation in Syria?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Discussion with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran (10 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: This is one of our Senators who follows the transcripts of the UN General Assembly very closely. I wish to add a supplementary question to that. A number of parliamentarians from Ireland travelled to Paris to attend a conference with the People's Mujahedin of Iran to discuss Camp Ashraf. At the time, that group was listed as a terrorist organisation in the United States but I understand...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Discussion with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran (10 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: I thank the ambassador for appearing before the committee and being so forthright with us. The discussion was very useful. Committee members raised questions on people in prison. I do not expect the ambassador to know where all prisoners are located so if we provide him with the names perhaps he can get back to us through the secretariat with information on where these people are and what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Discussion with Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran (10 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: Perhaps, and the re-opening of the embassy when we are out of this recession. I thank the ambassador and his staff for the work they have done in the past 12 months in improving bilateral and trade relations with Ireland, in particular with regard to the long-standing ban on the import of Irish beef. The ambassador's announcement on the imminent re-opening of market access is very important...

Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. It is interesting to look at the Opposition benches. Deputy Finian McGrath stands alone; there are no Fianna Fáil or Sinn Féin representatives.

Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: They are running for cover. This Bill ensures that the debt rules contained in Articles 3 and 4 of the Treaty on Stability in the Economic and Monetary Union are given effect and that the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council is established on a statutory basis. As the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, stated in the House on Tuesday last, when he moved Second Stage of this Bill: "This Bíll...

Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: Deputy Finian McGrath should read the recent article in Fortune magazine in which are listed "4 reasons why Ireland's roar will return". The commentary provided in this article is extremely positive with regard to Ireland's future and its author pointed out that we are better positioned than most other European countries to recover from the crisis. The article also cites the fact that we...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of headage payments will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43916/12]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of headage payments will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43916/12]

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Select Committee (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: Apologies have been received from Deputy Durkan who is in Brussels and Deputy Neville who is attending a suicide prevention conference. I would remind members and those in the Visitors' Gallery to ensure that their mobile telephones are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference, even on silent mode, with the recording equipment in the committee rooms.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: We are holding a special meeting to consider the Estimates for public services: Vote 27 - International Co-operation; and Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade, and to discuss the 2013 allocations in the context of the multi-annual expenditure framework. On behalf of the select committee, I welcome the Tániste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, and his...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: With the co-operation of members we will take questions under the five programmes. I will go through each programme as efficiently as possible because of the time constraints. I ask members to confine themselves to asking questions rather than making statements. Everyone will get to contribute on five occasions. I am conscious that the Tánaiste has an important commitment. We will...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: I thank the Tánaiste. We will now turn to Vote 28, programme B, which pertains to consular, passport and Irish abroad services. Some of these subjects already have been covered.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: These questions may not concern budgetary issues.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (11 Oct 2012)

Pat Breen: The committee witnessed at first hand the work done by the GAA when we visited Treasure Island GAA club in San Francisco earlier this year. That club is very thankful for the funding that the Department provides and the same can be said for many other emigrant groups. As I want to spend more time on Vote 27, poverty and hunger reduction, I propose to take Vote 28, subheads C and D,...