Results 15,441-15,460 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Apologies have been received from Senators Mullen and Hoey, and Michelle Gildernew, MP. All Oireachtas Members have to attend this meeting remotely from their offices within the Leinster House complex. Remote participation from outside the Leinster House complex is not possible. If there is unwanted feedback, it may be necessary to mute everyone and then the person speaking can unmute...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have lost the connection with Reverend Karen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes, we can hear you now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes. It is the next part.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Thank you. On the last point, the committee would be very happy to visit Belfast. In fact, the clerk to the committee has been asked to make those arrangements at the appropriate and suitable time. As Chairman, I will be happy to go as soon as possible, as would all the members. I wish to make two points. At the meeting Reverend Karen referred to, I made it clear that I refuted the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is a fact about Ireland's Future as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: People are entitled to have political views and to express them. However, when one is with Ireland's Future it is a different operation and different process, as you rightly point out. Coming from a unionist background, we are delighted to have Reverend Karen at our meetings. In fact, one of our biggest difficulties has been trying to get people from a unionist background to appear before...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is a fair point. I ask the Reverend Karen to give the clerk to the committee contact details of the groups we might usefully invite and who would like to come to give their perspective solely, which is what we want to hear. There are still five minutes remaining in this slot. Does anyone else from Sinn Féin want to come in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: The point about the €500 million for the shared island initiative was also referred to at our most recent meeting. As I understand it, the Taoiseach has stated categorically that it is additional, new and ring-fenced funding, as opposed to money that would have come anyway. It is new and additional funding.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Senator Blaney. We will go over to Reverend Karen and her colleagues now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Reverend Karen for that very important, revealing and clear analysis. We are out of time in the Fianna Fáil slot and we go over to Fine Gael now. I call Senator Currie.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have one minute left on this slot if Senator Currie wishes to make a brief reply.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Does another Sinn Féin speaker wish to contribute or do members want answers? It is their choice.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will make it clear that this has been dealt with. It has been acknowledged and addressed by me, as Chairman, and by Reverend Karen. I believe everybody has accepted that. I am just trying to keep things moving on this discussion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have all acknowledged that. Again, Deputy Mac Lochlainn-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: I want to make it very clear that Deputy Mac Lochlainn has every right to say what he said. Nobody here is disagreeing with him. I pointed out to Reverend Karen at the very beginning that while the person who made that contribution is a member of the Oireachtas, that person is not a member of this committee and, unlike Deputy Mac Lochlainn, is not familiar with the way we do business. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is very clear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: To add to what the Deputy said, I believe Reverend Karen expressly and explicitly recognises the position of the committee on that issue. She accepts the acknowledgment that she is not nor has that organisation been involved in any political activity as such. I want to make that exceptionally clear. If the Deputy was here earlier, he would have heard that. I say that by way of being...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: We continue our engagement with Mr. Niall Murphy, secretary, Ms Laura Harmon and the Reverend Karen Sethuraman from Ireland's Future. On behalf of the committee, I welcome them to the meeting. Before we begin, I have to read a note about privilege. The evidence of witnesses physically present from within the parliamentary precincts is protected pursuant to both the Constitution and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ireland's Future (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Táim ag éisteacht le gach duine inniu. Is dóigh liom go bhfuil an rud a luaigh Reverend Karen an-tábhachtach ar fad, an rud is tábhachtaí a chuala mé inniu. We will move on. Ms Hanna was present for the SDLP. She had another commitment in the middle of our meeting, as did Mr. Farry. I acknowledge their presence and their good wishes to our witnesses...