Results 10,361-10,380 of 19,424 for speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (8 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Given that the Dublin Inner City Community Alliance had cited EU Directive 2014/24/EU during its presentation as a valid reason for not proceeding with the tendering, we asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to confirm to the committee whether it was the valid directive. Has the previous directive which was used for the tendering process earlier this year...

Order of Business (9 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: It is not agreed. The Minister will be aware that the debate on this legislation would probably conclude in a shorter time than would be achieved by the guillotine being imposed on it. We should oppose all guillotines on legislation given that the Government had promised it would not be used without reason, and there is no reason for its use in this case.

Statute Law Revision Bill 2015: From the Seanad (9 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I do not have a major problem with this amendment or amendment No. 2. They are technical in nature-----

Statute Law Revision Bill 2015: From the Seanad (9 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: -----but we do not want to come back at some stage and find that we have repealed or revised other legislation. Are we sure that this it?

Statute Law Revision Bill 2015: From the Seanad (9 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: A huge job of work has been done under the statute law revision project. With regard to some of it, I regret that use was made of JobBridge and so on, although that is not a slight against those who took part. I said at the time that it was highly technical legislation and it should have been for those who are paid to work rather than someone on an internship. There is no opposition from...

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Deputy O'Dea's proposal in respect of people over 16 years of age but under the age set down in this particular Bill is very reasonable. During the debate on the heads of this Bill and on Committee Stage, we debated the various onuses this Bill accords at different ages. I acknowledge the significant progress that has been made in the past number of years in terms of the approach of the...

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I will withdraw amendments Nos. 14 and 32, because the Minister of State said there could be potential unintended consequences. The intention was to ensure that those aged under 16 or, for that matter, anybody else, would not have to comply with strict medical reports. The Minister of State has given a commitment that that was never the intention of the Bill, and therefore I am happy to...

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I move amendment No. 6:In page 7, to delete lines 20 to 26 and substitute the following:"Review of operation of Act 7. The Minister shall not later than 1 year after this section comes into operation, commence a review of the operation of this Act, and commence a subsequent review not later than 5 years after that date, assessing, in particular, its consistency with international best...

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I know that in legislative terms and in terms of where we have come with this piece of legislation, the 12-month difference might not seem significant to me and the Minister of State, but given that we are talking about young people in many cases, as well as others who may fall foul of what we have produced, all we are asking is that the review be initiated. It means that work will be done...

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I will not divide the House on this. In view of what has happened with regard to reports, recommendations and reviews in the past, even though the provision for a review after two years is in the Bill, there is no guarantee that a Government will act. It does not matter whether it is my amendment or the wording in the Minister's Bill. There are two reviews provided for in my amendment;...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (14 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 90. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to ensure outstanding issues in relation to the Stormont House Agreement and previous multi-party agreements are implemented; and the measures his Department is taking to ensure the devolution of fiscal powers to Stormont to ensure sustainable and workable budgets may be agreed. [28659/15]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (14 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: In my question I ask the Government about its plans to deal with the outstanding issues arising from the Stormont House Agreement and previous agreements and call on it to ensure fiscal powers are transferred in order that there can be a sustainable and workable budget in the North in the future. In the most recent budget we saw the scale of the cuts imposed by the Tory Government which did...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (14 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Mention was made of the new mechanisms for dealing with the legacy of the past and it is to be welcomed that there is progress on that issue. I do not know whether the Minister has had any contact with his counterparts since the Tories announced their budget, in which they cut the block grant to the Assembly by €1.5 billion. Based on the trajectory from the budget, there will be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (14 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: The Minister mentioned sustainable finance again. Has he asked his counterparts not to cut further the Northern Ireland Stormont Assembly block grant? If that is to continue, all the agreements will be undermined, because the funding is not available to go ahead with the changes required. It is a post-conflict situation. There is, as the Minister mentioned, a different society in the Six...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (14 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 93. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware that the Sri Lankan Government continues to refuse co-operation with international investigations into alleged war crimes committed by their military, that there is ongoing persecution of the Tamil persons in Sri Lanka and that a significant military presence remains in the northern and eastern provinces of the state; and if...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (14 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I tabled this question as I firmly believe that the international community is ignoring the plight of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Is the Minister aware of their plight? Is he aware that the Sri Lankan Government continues to refuse to co-operate with international investigations into alleged war crimes committed by its military during the war which ended in 2009? Is he aware of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (14 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I welcome members of the Irish Forum for Peace in Sri Lanka, who are present in the Visitors Gallery today. I thank them for their vital work in continuing to keep us abreast of the horrific conditions in Sri Lanka and international developments. In 2009 the Sri Lankan Government defeated the Tamils with much brutality. That brutality has continued since then through the occupation by...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (14 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I thank the Minister for his answer. As he said, in September there will be an opportunity for Ireland and others on the Human Rights Council to examine a report on the investigation into the last years of the conflict, not what has happened since then. I hope he and the UN will be able to persuade the Sri Lankan Government to co-operate fully. The new government has to date not...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (14 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 99. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware that new data from Medical Aid for Palestinians show that 17 hospitals, 56 primary health care facilities and 45 ambulances were damaged or destroyed during Israel's attack on Gaza in July 2014, that the total cost of the conflict to Gaza's health care system is estimated at $50 million, and that 511 Palestinians died after...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services Provision (14 Jul 2015)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 101. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department is still assisting the families and victims of those affected by the balcony tragedy in Berkeley in the United States of America and the attack on tourists in Sousse in Tunisia. [28356/15]