Results 861-880 of 1,687 for speaker:Eric Byrne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions of the Passport Office (29 Jan 2014)

Eric Byrne: Mr. Nugent mentioned the scarf or the hijab. Could he explain the reasoning behind the burka?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions of the Passport Office (29 Jan 2014)

Eric Byrne: Presumably the Saudi Arabians have their own passport for which the women have to unveil.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: The Deputy is wrong.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Review of Foreign Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: I thank the Chairman and welcome the three speakers whose contributions were very stimulating. However, we do not live in an ideal world. While I accept many of the contributions made, many are predicated upon resources and reform within the State itself. For example, we are theoretically addressing the review of foreign policy and external relations. How does one create a policy around...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Review of Foreign Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: My question asked who led us up the garden path. Everybody believed the agreement would be signed, right up to the last moment right until Putin brought Yanukovych over and maybe threatened his oil and gas supplies in the middle of winter when temperatures were minus 30 to 40 degrees. My criticism was there were early warning that the Russian Federation had already moved on Armenia and that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Peer Review of Ireland's Development Co-operation Programme: OECD (4 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: The delegation is more than welcome. I am familiar with the committee's oversight role. My understanding is Portugal and Austria are the two partners that will review Ireland's overseas development aid programme and Malawi is being taken as the counter country. How were Austria and Portugal chosen? What is the relationship between these countries? Are OECD staff in those countries? What...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Peer Review of Ireland's Development Co-operation Programme: OECD (4 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: I have a brief supplementary question. Busan was mentioned. I have been to Seoul with the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, and the OECD. We are examining and preparing for the United Nations post-2015 framework. I was shocked to hear from so many parliamentarians and delegates that some of these countries do not even know some of the agencies that are operating in their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Peer Review of Ireland's Development Co-operation Programme: OECD (4 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: I was just wondering if our guests have come across evidence of this type of behaviour.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigrant Investor Programme (5 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: 46. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of applications that have been received and approved for the immigrant investor programme and the start-up entrepreneur programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5247/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: In regard to the Minister of State's reference to a Mediterranean and maritime flavour over the next six months, I hope he likes eating fish and drinking quality wine and that if he can get some time off from his busy schedule he will enjoy doing so. I understand the Minister of State wishes to concentrate today on issues such as security of energy and so on. However, he has caused a drift...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (6 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: 13. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of Irish personnel that are serving with the UNDOF mission in Syria; their roles and the duration of their tours of duty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5562/14]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Foreign Conflicts (6 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: 16. To ask the Minister for Defence the outcomes of his high level meetings in Ramallah and Israel on his trip to the Middle East; if he will provide an update on the current difficulties in the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5563/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (6 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: 122. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if future rounds of the local community development programme or Leader programmes will be subject to a competitive tendering process; if so, will private for profit companies be eligible to tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5939/14]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Trade Agreements (11 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: 258. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding the free trade agreement between Ireland and Canada; what it entails; if he will clarify a situation regarding this agreement (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6278/14]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Eligibility (11 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: 303. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if an exception will be made in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 in relation to an exceptional needs payment to cover expenses in relation to a continuous cardiac monitor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6442/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (12 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: Deputy Crowe and I have just returned from Europe, having looked at how it operates and its structures. When one hears eurosceptics, etc., one should argue that they should look at the humanity of the European Union, as a 28 nation group. It is prepared to put €30.5 billion into the alleviation of hunger and development programmes, mainly throughout Africa, but also in the Caribbean...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (12 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: Is the railway not there anymore?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (12 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: The discussion has refreshed my memory about the Tanzania railway. In the early 1970s or late 1960s the Americans built the road which ran alongside the railway. I understand the Chinese were building a narrow gauge railway at the time. Is the road still there? Is the railway still there? Is that one of the projects funded?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (12 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: No, in the late 1960s and early 1970s the Americans were there. Let us call a spade a spade. They all wanted access to the Copperbelt at Kitwe and Angola and so on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (12 Feb 2014)

Eric Byrne: My question is about the status of the road and railway at this stage.