Results 16,881-16,900 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: There are only approximately four minutes left in the Senator's time slot. We will have a second round of questions.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: I will be here all day. The Senator asked very good questions and I am sorry for interrupting.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: Okay. I am going to bring in Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I am conscious of the importance of Mr. Ahern's replies and the points he is making about people working together. Deputy Carroll MacNeill will be followed by Senator Currie, and Senator McGahon may wish to contribute as well.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome Ms Claire Hanna.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: I will make just one point before we go into our second round. Some people are joining us online and I will bring them in in the second round. One point that strikes me is that some of us were recently in Belfast talking to community groups. They were not political people. They were in places like Turf Lodge. The people there tell us that the discussions have ended, there is increasing...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: Exactly.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: That forum at the local level is the issue.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: You are absolutely right, Mr. Ahern. They will not talk. They say that if they talk to us on an official basis, they participate in what we are talking about. On the point about the progress made in North-South co-operation on health, and certainly on an all-island cancer strategy, having an all-island strategy for education threatens nobody. You spoke about a job creation agency. Can...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: It is common sense. I know another speaker offered but I wish to make sure that every party on our rotation has an option to speak.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: I am conscious of Mr. Ahern's time and commitment which has been very helpful.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: I do not want to get involved in political debate. We have tried to steer away from that. I understand the Senator's strong feelings. Other people have strong feelings the other way. I ask that such feelings are left out of the meeting for now and that we stick to the main theme for the sake of everybody.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: There is no problem with the question.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: Everybody has made a contribution. I appreciate other people might still want to speak; two are offering. We will take Senators Blaney and Currie as the final two speakers.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: Does Senator Currie want to make a final contribution?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: I am trying to make sure everybody who has not spoken gets in. I have no problem speaking, but I am happy to let Senator Currie in.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: It is not a question of time.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: We have all spoken at length. There is no problem. The Senator has a right to speak; I certainly support that. I am sure we all want to hear her.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: On that point, as a committee we have met the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee of the House of Commons, and that has included unionists. As a committee, we are going to Westminster - hopefully they will still be there in a couple of weeks' time - to talk about it. That is a forum. I have spoken to unionist elected politicians in the North. They have a problem coming here. They...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: Of course. If it is reasonable for me to say, I thank Mr. Ahern for his time. It is very important to us. I thank Mr. Ahern for the contribution of his insights and experience, as well as his wealth of knowledge and contacts. The whole history of modern Ireland is tied up with Bertie Ahern. Northern Ireland is something where Mr. Ahern has been uniquely placed to bring about peace. We...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)
Fergus O'Dowd: This concludes our public session. If some members will remain, we have some private business to do with a few pieces of housekeeping.