Results 7,261-7,278 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Foreign Conflicts (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: I agree. As in the case of agreements we have with Central and South America, within which there are human rights elements, as discussed on an earlier question, it is imperative the banking system within Europe is not used in the manner in which it has been historically used, from the time of the Holocaust and previously. It is an affront to civilisation that people who have been deprived...

Foreign Conflicts (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: A raft of elections will be held over the next few months in Nigeria. The elections to the National Assembly will take place on 2 April, the residential elections are due to take place on 9 April 2011 and the gubernatorial and state legislature elections are due to take place on 16 April 2011. On 13 January 2011, the People's Democratic Party, Nigeria's largest political party and the party...

Foreign Conflicts (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: I dealt with the issue of violence in Jos, Nigeria, on the Adjournment in the Seanad last night. There has been significant violence in that area and while it looks to be purely Christian-Muslim violence, it is more complex than that. It is not about religious leadership; there are complex issues relating to land ownership and property. There has been widescale violence, the causes of...

Foreign Conflicts (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: I am not sure what the provisions are for overseas voting in Nigerian law. I do not have that information.

Foreign Conflicts (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: Yes. A number of countries have such a process, although we do not. We are all deeply involved, including the EU, in the general issue of the violence that flows from the sense that flawed elections are a denial of democracy because there is no point in going with a process that is a facade for fraud. I get the impression from material I have read that the INEC is making real efforts. With...

Foreign Conflicts (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: I share the hope with Deputy Higgins that the welfare of the Nigerian people and that alone will be the sole concern of the election.

Foreign Conflicts (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: It is not my practice to comment on matters contained in leaked documents which have no official standing. I have already made some comments on the documents in question.

Foreign Conflicts (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: The Deputy is correct that a Cabinet sub-committee was set up. It was set up in 2008 and dealt with some familiar aspects of international human rights law. It met on three occasions and was chaired by the Minister for Finance. The renewed programme for Government in October provided for a review, and a change if necessary, of the legislation affecting civilian aircraft in the context of...

Foreign Conflicts (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: Deputy Higgins's connections are ingenious. The Garda Síochána has the power in law to carry out those extensions where there is reason to believe that an offence has been committed. That mechanism has not been triggered.

Middle East Peace Process (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 16 and 44 together. The questions cover a range of issues. Ireland and the European Union regard all Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories as illegal. The partial freeze on new settlement construction in 2010 was, nonetheless, an important element in creating the atmosphere to allow substantive political negotiations between...

Middle East Peace Process (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: There are several aspects to the issue of children. Most of us accept that violence against children, from whatever source, is simply unacceptable.

Middle East Peace Process (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: I do not suggest the Deputy has done anything otherwise He has been altogether even-handed in this regard. As I stated at the end of my last contribution, the cause of peace is not served by violence, regardless of its source. The Deputy will be aware of an additional point. Issues relating to criminality or criminal responsibility arise with regard to the manner in which children from...

Middle East Peace Process (20 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: Yes. The making of a Palestinian child criminally responsible at the age of 16 years is simply unacceptable when an Israeli child is deemed not to be criminally responsible until he or she is 18 years. This is clearly discriminatory and a breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. I urge the Israeli authorities to accept immediately the recommendation made. I am also...

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: As one who does not engage in betting online or offline, I found this debate fascinating.

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: No, it is not, at least not in our party. I was not present at the time but Deputy Barrett asked about the 2% duty provision. As I understand it, this is regarded as not required which is why it is being repealed. However, according to the answer provided to me, the opportunity of reintroducing it remains.

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: That is a valid comment but my understanding-----

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: -----is that it can be reintroduced. I shall make the Deputy's point to the Minister when I speak to him - in whatever capacity he may return to the Chamber.

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage (26 Jan 2011)

Dick Roche: The predominant part of the discussion since I came into the Chamber has concerned how to capture the online sector. As all of us know there is no doubt this sector has grown very dramatically in recent times. It is a very difficult area to capture. Obviously, provisions and arrangements will be made by regulation. We all accept that a regulatory framework must be put in place which will...