Results 6,781-6,800 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Interaction of GAA with the Diaspora: GAA (25 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: We have been all over the world in the presentations but one country was not mentioned. Ireland is doing a great deal of business with China. For example, the beef market was recently opened to us and our exports to the country are at an all-time high. There was a high profile visit of the then Vice-President of China, now President, Mr. Xi Jinping, to Croke Park. When we visited China...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Interaction of GAA with the Diaspora: GAA (25 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: That is good. The photograph of Mr. Xi Jinping in Croke Park can be seen in many places in Beijing at present and I know the Chinese are very proud of it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Interaction of GAA with the Diaspora: GAA (25 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: Good. In view of the numbers present, I intend to confine members' contributions to three minutes each. Some may wish to pose questions, while others may want to make observations. I call Deputy Smith.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Interaction of GAA with the Diaspora: GAA (25 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: I suppose I should congratulate Deputy Buttimer on Cork's win over Clare on Saturday night.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Interaction of GAA with the Diaspora: GAA (25 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: There is plenty of variety in the questions that have been asked. Some questions overlap, but our guests can do their best between them to answer the questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Interaction of GAA with the Diaspora: GAA (25 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: Will Mr. Duffy elaborate on the importance of achieving UNESCO cultural heritage status for hurling? I believe the committee will reach unanimous agreement in support of such status. What action can the joint committee take to assist the GAA on this issue? What would be the benefits of securing such status for hurling?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Interaction of GAA with the Diaspora: GAA (25 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: We certainly will lobby for that and ensure that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is informed. I will not say anything about Laois.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Interaction of GAA with the Diaspora: GAA (25 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: Does Mr. O'Neill want to make any further comments?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Interaction of GAA with the Diaspora: GAA (25 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: I travel in my role as Chairman, as do other members. Everywhere we go I have to commend the work done by our consulates, embassies and ambassadors. They will always give priority to the GAA to ensure that we see the work it and local clubs are doing. No matter what reception one attends on our behalf, young GAA players always attend. The €3 million the Department has given to the...

Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: Deputy McGrath spent more time wasting time and talking about time than anything else. If he had come up with some good analysis of the Bill I would have something different to say, but he has spent the past 15 minutes talking about nothing and only trying to fill up time. I was disappointed with his contribution.

Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: This is an important Bill. I commend the Minister on her introduction of the legislation. As most previous speakers have said, it is complex, challenging and lengthy. One thing about this legislation is that it is a watershed in the development of Irish family law, and that is to be welcomed. We must all accept that the family unit, as we traditionally know it, has changed dramatically...

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (26 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: I thank the Office of the Ceann Comhairle for facilitating me in raising this issue. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Paudie Coffey, for being present and congratulate him on the work he is doing in reforming the delivery of social housing. The social housing strategy for the period to 2020 provides the roadmap in terms of tacking our social housing crisis. Some 35,000 additional...

Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (26 Feb 2015)

Pat Breen: I thank the Minister. The last paragraph of his statement is helpful in that he recognises that the current limits may discriminate unfairly against certain classes of households and said that the limits will be considered in the context of the review of social housing assessment procedures being carried out by his Department. I would like the Minister to consider the example of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (3 Mar 2015)

Pat Breen: 161. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons from County Clare who have participated in the JobBridge scheme since its inception; the number of those participants who have been offered full-time or part-time employment on completion of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8906/15]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments (3 Mar 2015)

Pat Breen: 289. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when area based payments for 2012 will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9213/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Mar 2015)

Pat Breen: 482. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the status of a school (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8950/15]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Community Involvement Scheme (3 Mar 2015)

Pat Breen: 598. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the community involvement scheme; his plans to operate the scheme in 2015; his views on the introduction of a similar scheme for local improvements, such as a local improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8814/15]

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Mar 2015)

Pat Breen: Like other speakers, I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill, the main purpose of which is to give effect to the back-to-work family dividend scheme flagged in budget 2015. The Bill also addresses a number of other issues and clarifies the circumstances in which a person is considered as requiring full time care in respect of the application of the carer's benefit, carer's...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Orthodontic Service Waiting Lists (4 Mar 2015)

Pat Breen: 178. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on his Department's proposals to assist in reducing the long waiting lists for orthodontic care in the mid-west region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9583/15]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes Payments (5 Mar 2015)

Pat Breen: 109. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify the situation in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare, under the single payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9615/15]