Results 12,801-12,820 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Organ Harvesting in China: Discussion (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank all the witnesses for their presentations. They have outlined circumstances which would trouble anyone with a shred of decency or concern for human rights. It is horrific to consider the number of people involved. I recall that Mr. Gutmann made a presentation to the committee some years ago. He indicated this morning that he underestimated the numbers of victims of this particular...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Organ Harvesting in China: Discussion (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: Do colleagues of Dr. O'Seaghda and Dr. McDaid in Britain and other northern and central European countries have concerns that persons in those countries are participating in transplant tourism?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Organ Harvesting in China: Discussion (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: Before inviting members to contribute, is the violation of vulnerable individuals primarily carried out to facilitate kidney transplants?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Organ Harvesting in China: Discussion (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: Whichever witnesses wish to respond to the various questions can do so now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Organ Harvesting in China: Discussion (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: Would anyone else like to comment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Organ Harvesting in China: Discussion (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Dr. McDaid for his contribution. There are medical councils in each jurisdiction. It would be important that they would communicate the concerns of the physicians and medical professionals to their relevant health departments and governments. The representative organisations would have ongoing contact with their relevant government department on a regular basis. Regardless of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Organ Harvesting in China: Discussion (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: The joint committee is aware some local authorities passed this motion. The local authorities which passed it should convey that message to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It is important the message is sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It would be no harm if the said local authorities communicated directly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean: Médecins Sans Frontières (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: In part B of today's meeting, we will receive presentations from representatives of Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF. I welcome Mr. Sam Taylor, director of MSF in Ireland, Dr. Conor Kenny, who has recently returned from vital fieldwork aboard a rescue vessel in the Mediterranean, and Mr. Alex Dunne. It is essential for the committee to hear first-hand accounts of the ongoing crisis,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean: Médecins Sans Frontières (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: I sincerely thank both of you for your graphic presentations. Mr. Taylor said the deaths at sea in the Mediterranean now are comparable to those in war zones. That is graphic and demonstrates the huge, needless loss of life. It is a gruesome picture of the horrors being inflicted on innocent people every day, unfortunately. The first group of questioners is Deputies Crowe, Maureen...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean: Médecins Sans Frontières (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: With regard to Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan's Topical Issue debate, I had some contact from some interested parties on the Saturday and Sunday prior to the Council of Ministers meeting held on the Monday morning. Through Marylee Wall, policy adviser to the committee, interacting with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that Sunday, it was raised at the meeting of the Council of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean: Médecins Sans Frontières (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: It was also raised subsequently in parliamentary questions. With regard to the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, Ireland has committed to €3 million for the Horn of Africa.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean: Médecins Sans Frontières (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank the witnesses very sincerely for their presentation. The committee secretariat became aware that Dr. Kenny would be back in Dublin. He mentioned that an opportunity to engage with the committee would be useful in a private capacity. It was my firm opinion that we should meet in a formal capacity because there may be some chance of people listening or watching these proceedings....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean: Médecins Sans Frontières (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: Absolutely, we can do that. We will be asking the Minister, Deputy Coveney to report to us on the European Council meeting as well. We will follow up on that suggestion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean: Médecins Sans Frontières (6 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: We will follow up all those proposals and suggestions. Our thanks to the witnesses again. I remind members that we are meeting as a select committee on Thursday, 13 July at 12.15 p.m. to deal with legislation. As the first half of the year is gone, I thank members for their co-operation. I also wish to record our appreciation of the many groups with whom we have had the opportunity to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Recruitment (11 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: 40. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the position regarding recruitment to the Permanent Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32093/17]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reserve (11 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: 45. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the position regarding recruitment to the Reserve Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32092/17]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Illicit Trade in Fuel and Tobacco Products (11 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: 155. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce new measures to deal with the smuggling of illicit fuel and tobacco products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32570/17]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Illicit Trade in Fuel and Tobacco Products (11 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: 156. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce additional measures in co-operation with the authorities in Northern Ireland and Britain to deal with the illegal trade in some fuel and tobacco products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32571/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (11 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: 227. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when special needs assistant allocations will be made to schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32538/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service Provision (11 Jul 2017)

Brendan Smith: 435. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to provide additional resources to improve ambulance services in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32537/17]