Results 41-60 of 1,045,963 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Patrick Costello OR speaker:Brendan Howlin)

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Ruairi Quinn: The Deputy did it well.

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

John Bruton: The Commission will be much more diverse than the rainbow coalition. Fifteen people is the most a chairman can hope to keep on the right track individually, giving them encouragement when they need it — a pat on the back or an encouraging phone call — so they can play as part of a team. A Commission of 30 will not work. We have a Commission of 20 now and it is not working. There is no...

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Ruairi Quinn: Exactly.

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

John Bruton: If countries do not like the rules they should change them. We cannot exempt large countries from the rules while applying them to small countries. This makes no sense at all. If we want to create a sense among the new countries of the EU that this is a Union of rules and principles and not of persons——

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Ruairi Quinn: And of equals.

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

John Bruton: ——and of equals, then we must apply the rules equally to everybody. This is an area in which I am extremely critical of France and Germany. I stress the importance of the subsidarity early warning system, in so far as it will involve national parliaments in scrutinising EU law before it is considered by the European Council or Parliament. It would be a great step if this could be...

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Trevor Sargent: I am looking at the Deputy's back.

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

John Bruton: I agree with the Deputy's viewpoints on the EURATOM Treaty. It is a pro-nuclear and distorted treaty that distorts the energy market. However, it is the only one we have in this area and the only one under which the Sellafield plant could be closed down. If the EURATOM Treaty is abolished, there would be no supra-national, EU mechanism for closing an unsafe nuclear plant. I do not know if...

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Trevor Sargent: I look forward to seeing Deputy John Bruton closing the Sellafield plant.

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

John Bruton: I hope I will have the Deputy's help in getting me into a position to do so. I believe the idea of a European armaments research agency is a good one. Do Members, especially those in Sinn Féin, believe that we can exist in a world without arms or armies? Do Members believe that such a world is about to break out upon us? I am especially surprised that Sinn Féin should advocate such an...

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: That is not so.

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

John Bruton: Having already quoted Deputy Haughey's father, I wish to quote his grandfather, the former Taoiseach, Mr. Seán Lemass and agree with him when he said that, if a political union were to be created in Europe, we in Ireland should be willing to defend it. We have created enough in Europe that, if it were to be threatened by an external military force, we should be willing to defend it. It is...

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Ruairi Quinn: Yes.

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Dick Roche: Hear, hear.

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

John Bruton: The day of their accession will be a truly wonderful day in European history. We must not forget that the EU is a quality mark of democracy. States want to join the Union because it is a seal of approval. If a state is eligible to be a candidate for EU membership, it is an indication that it is a truly functioning market democracy. The Union is a great success without parallel in the world. I...

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Peter Kelly: I wish to share my time with Deputy Eoin Ryan.

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Pat Carey: Is that agreed? Agreed.

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Peter Kelly: The Irish Presidency will see the historic enlargement of the European Union to include ten new member states on 1 May 2004. This event marks an historic ending of the post-war division of Europe. It is important that this opportunity is taken to bring all Europeans together to build a better Europe for us all. The Irish Presidency programme has been drawn up in the context of the...

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Eoin Ryan: I wish the Government, in particular the Taoiseach, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, and the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, the very best in the Presidency. They have done a huge amount of work in organising it and getting it into the right framework and I wish them every success. Ireland has a tradition of running the Presidency very well and I have no doubt that this will...

European Presidency: Statements. (20 Jan 2004)

Bernard Durkan: I am pleased to speak on this matter, pertinent as it is at this time. Like other speakers, I wish the Taoiseach and the Government well in pursuing the Presidency and ensuring that Ireland and the rest of Europe remain focused on the issues that require attention at this time. Hopefully, they will not be side-tracked, as suggested by one speaker, into chasing butterflies across the world in...