Results 6,921-6,940 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (23 Sep 2009)

Dick Roche: I very much support the view that the international community must continue its engagement in Bosnia-Herzegovina and more generally do all possible to achieve lasting stability in the countries of the Western Balkans. In relation to Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), which monitors the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, last met in Sarajevo...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (23 Sep 2009)

Dick Roche: The Conflict Resolution Unit (CRU) was established within the Department in 2007 to enhance Ireland's engagement in conflict resolution internationally. The work of the unit is intended to build on Ireland's tradition of UN peacekeeping, our commitment to overseas development aid, our experience of the peace process in Northern Ireland, and our commitment to international human rights and...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (23 Sep 2009)

Dick Roche: At present, 37 properties are owned by the State abroad for use as Chanceries and official Residences of Heads of Mission. The estimated total valuation of all these properties is €146 million. However, I would caution that this estimate is subject to the price volatility of the current property market across the globe. In recent years, and with the support and encouragement of the...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (23 Sep 2009)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 25 together. Ms Sharon Commins, a Goal development worker, and her Ugandan colleague, Ms Hilda Kawuki, were abducted by a group of armed men in Darfur on Friday 3 July. I can assure this House that, in the weeks since, the Irish Government has been making every possible effort to secure their release. A strong multi-disciplinary Irish team, led by the...

Order of Business (24 Sep 2009)

Dick Roche: The Deputy has no more interest in jobs than in supporting a "Yes" vote.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: Mr. Alan Dukes had a different view.

Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: It was a diesel car.

Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: Which Christmas?

Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: And Kilkenny.

Treaty of Lisbon: Motion (8 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the terms of the Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, signed at Lisbon on 13 December 2007, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on Tuesday, 6 October 2009. I move this with some considerable relief.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: Rather than reading out, as Ministers do, a speech praising our side and criticising the Opposition side, it struck me that we might, for a change, consider what people are saying. Like most Members of this House I have received hundreds of e-mails recently and I have tried to engage in a dialogue, through the e-mail system, with my constituents and with people from far and wide who have...

European Union Bill 2009: Second Stage (21 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: There is one on Deputy Timmins's side with a view about the national parliament.

European Union Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: It does.

European Union Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: I thank all the Deputies who made contributions to this important debate which comes on the heels of a referendum where an extraordinary amount of people voted. I was amazed at Deputy Ó Snodaigh's views about the referendum, but then I am very frequently amazed at his views. I will come back to it. An astonishing number of people voted. It was the highest number of people to vote "Yes"...

European Union Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: The reason for the reference to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union is they are referred to in the definitions section of the 1972 Act and that they are amended by the Lisbon treaty. The latter maintains EURATOM as a separate entity and makes only technical changes to it. Therefore, it is not necessary or desirable to make the change proposed...

European Union Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: I understand the Deputy's point but for presentation it is important that it is done in this way and that we make it very clear lest a dispute of a legal nature should arise in the future on the question of what precisely we are referring to. Although I may have some personal views on the issue of the European Atomic Energy Community and the legislation that created it, it would be wrong to...

European Union Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: Paragraph (d) includes reference to bodies competent under the treaties governing the European Union. Therefore, it is not necessary to include this reference in paragraph (c), as proposed by the Deputy. It would be otiose to include that reference twice.

European Union Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: I am struggling with the point the Deputy is making. It is very clear that the treaties to which we refer are the treaties governing the European Union. That is the point in amendment No. 13, tabled by the Deputy. To include a reference to the treaties governing the European Union would be superfluous, because it is clear that the reference in section 8 (3)(b), to "those treaties" means...

European Union Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: I would love to help, but I have to be negative. The Attorney General has advised that the drafting convention, when referring in brackets to a provision inserted or substituted by another enactment, is actually to use the word "inserted". I must say we are in fairly arcane-----

European Union Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Oct 2009)

Dick Roche: It is because it is actually bracketed, and that is where the term "inserted" is normally used. Apparently, this is a drafting convention. Given some of the debates that we have had about minor changes in wording in the recent referendum, I have become very averse to changing words at all. The advice is very clear that the drafting convention, when referring in brackets to a provision that...