Results 1,241-1,260 of 1,687 for speaker:Eric Byrne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Business of Committee (13 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: It went well. I understood it better than I understand whether they were going to give the diaspora a vote.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council Meeting: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (13 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: I also welcome the Minister of State. I will be very brief and concentrate on one area of his contribution: the rule of law. It is a great concern to a number of us on the committee that some members of the European Union have enacted laws that one could almost say were racist in content and that the action of these governments brought their national policy fundamentally into conflict with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council Meeting: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (13 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: They are deemed to be outside the mainstream Muslim faith. It has been expressed to me that they are coming under increased religious intolerance, pressure from other Muslim groups-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council Meeting: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (13 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: I am trying to remember the name of the group that opened the mosque.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council Meeting: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (13 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: In any case, I did not know the group existed until recently. In a nutshell, I support the Minister of State in his work in Europe, but will he reassure me that he is happy that we in Ireland have the ability to protect the rainbow society that has happily evolved in the past 20 or 30 years?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Enlargement Strategy: Centre for European Policy Studies (13 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: I welcome Mr. Fouéré. I confess that because of the political problems witnessed in the Chamber I have been distracted and have not managed to read the bulk of the documentation, which I should and normally do. I apologise to Mr. Fouéré. Members of this committee have travelled to countries to examine what was happening in them. I have a very fond relationship with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Enlargement Strategy: Centre for European Policy Studies (13 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: I thank Mr. Fouéré for his fascinating contribution. I thank him and the Chairman for vindicating me in so far as my analytical position on Ukraine was not shared before now. I had rows with Mr. Pat Cox who, based on conversations he had in Ukraine, concluded that everything was hunky-dory in that country. Based on my limited experience of working in Luhansk and Donetsk, I knew...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Reform (18 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: 148. To ask the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 41 of 6 November 2014, if she will clarify the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44261/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (18 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: 308. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Garda graduates of the most recent graduate class who will be sent to the Kilmainham district (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44279/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Evictions (18 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: 524. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when the Housing Act of 2014 will implement specific measures to increase the powers of local authorities and housing associations to properly discharge their duties as landlords; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44278/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Accountability Report 2013: European Movement Ireland (18 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: I thank Ms O'Connell for her presentation. I always find it rather interesting. I hope I do not repeat my questions of last year. It is noteworthy that European Movement Ireland is an independent organisation. I will play devil's advocate. How do we know it is independent? It has a private membership system. We do not know who the members are or how many there are. Ms O'Connell could...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Accountability Report 2013: European Movement Ireland (18 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: That is the problem with you in the Chair and me on the side lines. You have stolen my next question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Accountability Report 2013: European Movement Ireland (18 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: Those Ministers with 75% to 100% attendance rates should be applauded. The majority of members of this committee have excellent attendance rates. Does the delegation not feel disappointed that Ireland shows, sadly, a 55% attendance rate, given the importance of Europe and role of the European Movement Ireland in explaining and engaging with the broad masses on it? The electorate voted for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Activities and Priorities: Eurofound (18 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: I thank the delegation from Eurofound for its presentation and the documentation that accompanied it which is phenomenally interesting. What is the composition of Eurofound, as I note it is a tripartite agency? Mr. Menéndez-Valdés spoke about increasing labour market participation, combating unemployment by creating jobs, improving labour market functioning and promoting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Activities and Priorities: Eurofound (18 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: It was an academic question. Does it refer to the integration of the European workforce or of diverse communities in Europe? Eurofound is a tripartite European Union agency providing knowledge to assist the development of social and work-related policies, one of its objectives is increasing labour market participation and combating unemployment by creating jobs, improving labour market...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Syria and Middle East: Dr. Nader Hashemi (19 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: What a complex crisis it is. We extend our sympathy to the people of Syria who have suffered. They are heading into the winter months and have gone from having a very sophisticated wealthy middle class society to what it is today. I am concerned about several issues. While I accept and applaud Dr. Hashemi's outline of how Ireland can play a role in finding a solution, it is startling...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Syria and Middle East: Dr. Nader Hashemi (19 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: I always feel uncomfortable when we as Westerners are asked to provide solutions to problems in Africa, the Middle East or, as now for instance, in this war zone. Does Dr. Hashemi think the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIL, group have a structure with which to negotiate on peace or other alternatives to what it is doing? Does he see a role for the Arab League? The West should not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Syria and Middle East: Dr. Nader Hashemi (19 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: If I can summarise my interpretation of what Dr. Hashemi has been telling us, he would see Saudi Arabia as one of the more dangerous of the Islamic states in the region. Iran is suffering hugely economically, to the extent that the Republican Guard is advising the ayatollah that the finances of Iran are so treacherous that he cannot sustain the support already being extended to those forces...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Syria and Middle East: Dr. Nader Hashemi (19 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: However, you do provoke me because I have to find holes in your argument.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Syria and Middle East: Dr. Nader Hashemi (19 Nov 2014)

Eric Byrne: The Sunni military forces were not defeated; they just filtered away and have regrouped. Does this not indicate an understanding of society, power and structure, that they are capable of entering into dialogue on a peace process or some other process at some stage?