Results 12,441-12,460 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: We are out of time. Senator Mark Daly wants to make a brief comment. We are due to finish this session at 10.30 a.m. because of Dr. Devine's commitments in college. I ask Senator Daly to be brief.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I am sorry. I will call Senator Ó Clochartaigh and Dr. Devine can come back in then.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: Dr. Devine, on the other issues raised-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I chair this meeting. Dr. Devine will deal with the other issues that have been raised.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Dr. Devine. Her paper is very thought-provoking.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: Hopefully we will have an opportunity to discuss her full paper when she submits it. This committee, Parliament and the Government have to be very strong within the 27 member states negotiating with Britain to advocate our interests and it is in our interests that Britain gets the best possible deal with the EU because of our historical trading relationships and interdependence. There is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: In session B we are meeting representatives of the Irish Exporters Association as part of the remit of the committee is trade promotion. I welcome from the association Ms Nicola Byrne, president-elect, and Ms Marie Armstrong, vice president. I thank them for attending to give members of the committee their unique perspective on the potential challenges facing exporters when Britain exits...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Ms Byrne for her presentation. There is a lot of very good material in it regarding the many issues that must be dealt with in advance of and following Brexit. I am very glad that she highlighted the need for us to develop more transport links with northern Europe and elsewhere because ferry services and cargo services from this country are quite limited. We do not seem to have a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: How do the witnesses wish to divide the replies?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: What engagement do the witnesses have with the Export Trade Council? Did the Irish Exporters Association have an input into the Government's trade strategy that was published yesterday? The target is a 0.25% increase in exports.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: That is good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: Some of our exporters, for example, in the part of the world I come from use Warrenpoint and Larne ports. Do the witnesses have a figure for what percentage of our exports go via those ports?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: That would be an extra complication as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: It would be very important. We can talk about high-end premium products and food but it must be remembered that one must get a price as well. I have some experience in the food area. Our agrifood sector works. It is highly sophisticated. There is not much more we can do as we are the best there is. We export food to approximately 181 countries. That is a significant number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I am very optimistic about the profession we trade in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: We did not mention currency fluctuations today, nor did we mention our high dependency on Britain as a location from which we import a considerable amount of products, particularly intermediate products for manufacturing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: We must be concerned with ourselves.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Irish Exports: Irish Exporters Association (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: The other point, to which Deputy Crowe alluded, concerned the land border. We have raw material in agricultural products, such as milk. The milk is taken from the North to be processed here. I am thankful that many of our major food companies are all-Ireland companies. They have processing sites on both sides of the Border. Depending on the time of year or season, raw material may travel...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Implications for Good Friday Agreement of UK Referendum Result (Resumed) (9 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Dr. Morrow for his detailed paper. As Dr. McDonnell said, he laid out the huge issues facing the entire island and the EU. He mentioned the community groups he met at the cross-Border study centre. I have witnessed the impact of Brexit, particularly on SMEs in the Border region, because of currency fluctuation. That uncertainty has kicked in. I attended a conference recently...

Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (21 Mar 2017)

Brendan Smith: 53. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the actions he has taken since the passing in Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann of Fianna Fáil Private Members' motions regarding the proposed North-South interconnector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13890/17]