Results 6,061-6,080 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: 267. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a carer's allowance appeal will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14825/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: 307. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when a decision on a carer's allowance appeal will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15365/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: We have received apologies from Deputy Séan Crowe. The draft minutes of the meeting of 26 March have been circulated to all members. Are they agreed to? Agreed. As usual, I remind members and delegates to ensure their mobile phones are switched off for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference with the recording equipment in the committee rooms, even in silent mode.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: Normally we meet on a Wednesday afternoon at 2.30 p.m., but we are here today to facilitate the Debt and Development Coalition. I extend a warm welcome to Ms Nessa Ní Chasaide, co-ordinator, and Ms Morína O'Neill, policy and outreach officer. The Debt and Development Coalition was established in 1993 in order to create and increase awareness of the issue of the debt owed by Third...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: It is in the Senator's briefing notes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: How does that affect your reading?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank Ms Ní Chasaide. Around 18 months or two years ago, Ms Marie-Lucie Morin, a representative of the World Bank, came before the joint committee. She has moved on, but I met the head of the section encompassing Canada, the Caribbean and Ireland, and he is anxious to come to Ireland. We can raise these issue with him. I call on Deputy Brendan Smith to lead off on questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: Does Ms Ní Chasaide wish to respond to Senator Norris before I move on to the next question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: It is something that we will look at, but let us hear what the other members have to say also.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: There is a lot in that. Maybe the witnesses would comment briefly on the questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: How does one deal with corrupt governments, in African countries or wherever, that do sweetheart deals, for instance, with some of the Chinese companies?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: Do the delegates wish to comment on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: It is important Ms O'Neill clarifies that in regard to Honduras Irish Aid money is not going into that area.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: I call Senator Michael Mullins.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: I will wrap up the discussion with some final comments.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank our guests. Obviously, they are both experts in the area of debt and development working in the developing world. The witnesses' CVs reveal their tremendous experience in this area and I understand they continue to educate themselves in this regard. I found their contributions to be very interesting. Next week I will meet Trócaire's Latin America director, Sally O'Neill, who...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: I was about to raise that issue. The witnesses have presented a considerable amount of information and it is the committee's intention to seek the views of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on the issues arising, particularly in regard to human rights and Honduras. We will pursue the matter further as soon as we get the Tánaiste's views. As noted, we will be also get in touch...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: We will probably go down that road but we will first need to get the relevant information from the Departments of Finance and Foreign Affairs and Trade. I promise the witnesses that we will pursue the queries they raised today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: No; we have not received an invitation. Normally we are invited to the parliamentary dimension of these meetings, which is held in September. We do not attend the AGM. I have travelled to the parliamentary meeting on one occasion, in 2012. I did not manage to attend last year. We will keep in touch with the witnesses in regard to their queries.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank the witnesses for engaging with the committee. We had an interesting debate and I hope we will keep in touch.