Results 5,321-5,340 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: The next item is one of the main items on the agenda, a discussion with the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Lucinda Creighton. We are delighted that she was able to attend. This is her second visit and it is appropriate that she is here during Europe Week as she has responsibility for European affairs. Members are aware that this is Europe Week and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive account of what is happening in Europe at present, particularly with enlargement, the eastern partnership and relations in the southern neighbourhood. We will now take questions and I ask members to confine their remarks to questions and not to make speeches because we have a long agenda this afternoon.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: That was a fantastic Second Stage speech.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: Not too many questions were asked.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: I wish to ask about the Eastern Partnership in terms of Europe's energy needs that are met by the countries in question, for example, Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea gas line and Ukraine. Disputed areas are the source of conflict in the region and can affect the Eastern Partnership, particularly given the fact that Lithuania will take the Presidency over from us. The partnership theme comprises...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: The Minister of State did not cover my question on the Eastern Partnership.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: I asked about energy and the internal conflicts in various countries in the area. I refer to Nagorno-Karabakh and what is happening in Turkey.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement: Discussion with Minister of State (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: I thank the Minister of State.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Second Global Irish Economic Forum: Discussion with Department of Foreign Affairs (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: We will continue the meeting with a discussion on two very important topics, the second Global Irish Economic Forum and the undocumented Irish in the US. It is an appropriate time to discuss this with external action unit. To assist in the consideration of these matters, we are joined by Mr. Niall Burgess, director general of the Anglo-Irish division in the Department of Foreign Affairs...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Second Global Irish Economic Forum: Discussion with Department of Foreign Affairs (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: Thank you, Mr. Burgess. We will deal first with the issue of the undocumented Irish in the United States. I understand that the amendments to the Senate Bill to which Mr. Burgess referred are being published today and will be discussed tomorrow by Senator Patrick Leahy's committee. It is also my understanding that the House of Representatives intends to publish a Bill on the issue. These...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Second Global Irish Economic Forum: Discussion with Department of Foreign Affairs (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: We will deal only with immigration. We will come back later to the Global Economic Forum.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Second Global Irish Economic Forum: Discussion with Department of Foreign Affairs (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: We will now move on to the next item, the Global Economic Forum.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Second Global Irish Economic Forum: Discussion with Department of Foreign Affairs (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: I call Mr. Burgess for a final summing up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Second Global Irish Economic Forum: Discussion with Department of Foreign Affairs (8 May 2013)

Pat Breen: I thank Mr. Burgess. We have had a most interesting and wide-ranging discussion on the issues that are very important to the joint committee. We hope that action to address the issue of the undocumented Irish in the United States will be taken before the end of the year. Again, I wish to echo the comments of other members on the third global economic forum this year. That is important. I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Issues (9 May 2013)

Pat Breen: 85. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the numbers, if any, of retired teachers who have been successful in the recent recruitment process for appointment for superintending this year's certificate exams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21956/13]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (9 May 2013)

Pat Breen: 117. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of numbers of persons who applied for invalidity pension in County Clare for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012; the numbers of those who were refused and granted and of those who were refused the numbers who appealed the decision and the numbers who were successful and unsuccessful in those appeals; of those applications...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (14 May 2013)

Pat Breen: 335. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on an invalidity pension appeal will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22296/13]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Appeals (14 May 2013)

Pat Breen: 367. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a State non contributory pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22917/13]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agri-Environment Options Scheme Conditions (14 May 2013)

Pat Breen: 512. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review the conditions of the agri environment options scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22297/13]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Suckler Welfare Scheme Payments (14 May 2013)

Pat Breen: 526. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 736 of 5 February 2013, when payment of suckler calf premium will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22504/13]