Results 1,701-1,720 of 5,754 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I had not been aware of the Leader's engagement and I am delighted for him. It could not happen to a nicer man. I wish the Leader and his partner all the best and I really look forward to the wedding. I will start saving from today. At the request of the Ceann Comhairle I led a delegation last week to Berlin. I was joined by my colleague, Senator Butler, who will I am sure have something...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Agenda Developments: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I congratulate Deputy Helen McEntee on getting the toughest portfolio for any Minister of State. She will probably meet herself coming off Aer Lingus flights as she represents the country abroad. I wish her well in it. It would be wrong of me not to acknowledge the role played by her predecessor, Deputy Dara Murphy. Everywhere I have travelled in Europe, I have heard about the work...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Agenda Developments: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: While the Minister of State is on the job out there in Europe, two things need to happen when we talk about Europe getting closer to its citizens. First, Europe needs to change, become less bureaucratic and needs to get closer to the ground to the people. Second, European Governments, including our Government-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Agenda Developments: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: -----imposing this on us. That has to stop. We have to be honest and say we negotiate-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Agenda Developments: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: -----that is what has led to this disastrous Brexit. Europe was blamed for everything that was wrong in the UK, instead of the UK Government admitting it. I am delighted the Minister of State can bring that message that we need to get closer to the people and to build a strong Europe. On the issue of the Border, everyone who has focused on it, including the negotiators, have said...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Agenda Developments: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: This is a conspiracy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Agenda Developments: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: That is no problem. I do not believe the Government would have operated-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Agenda Developments: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (5 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Chairman and the technical support people who have given my voice a recording again. I thank them for their swift action on it. The Minister of State has had time to cool off, so I will kick back in again and try to put the pressure on. We were talking about security. It is my view that our State is not dealing with security on the same level as the 27. There is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU Presidency: Engagement with Estonian Ambassador (5 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the ambassador for her presence and congratulate Estonia on its first term of the EU Presidency. I wish Estonia well. It has a big job ahead in the next six months or so and I wish it the very best of luck. I am reading through priorities of the Estonian Government which the ambassador has set out in her presentation, starting with the finance model. I am very interested to see...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I rise today on the issue the Fianna Fáil Party has just brought forward, namely, the matter regarding the Defence Forces. The Minister of State at the Department of Defence is on record as saying he has pride in our Defence Forces. I would like to know whether he is proud to preside over a force where an average of 60 personnel of all ranks leave every month. Does he believe the...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Where stands our neutrality in that regard? I read in the newspaper today that to allow for this, parts of our neutrality will be required to be set aside. Who gave the permission for this? I wish to propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, be brought before this House to explain where neutrality fits in with Operation Sophia.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: Congratulations to the Leader if he is hurting.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: That is outrageous.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: In reply to the Leader-----

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I really want the Minister of State in here but I will not play politics with this as it is too important. I find it deeply regrettable that when the Leader answers these issues, he takes every opportunity to defend the Minister and the Government, which is rather sad.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I am prepared to agree with the Leader and defer it until next week but I want it dealt with next week.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: There is room there for a stadium.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: I read this morning in The Irish Timesof Michael Hayes's "courageous apology" for the IRA bombings in Birmingham in 1976. How hollow that reads. How is that courageous? This man allowed six men to languish in jail for 16 years-----

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: -----and kept his mouth shut. He had, no doubt, colleagues who assisted him. This was an attack on a pub where people were enjoying a social evening. Many things happened during the Troubles but this was one of the most disgusting of all. What is even more disgusting, however, is that this hollow apology is now being seen as a somehow courageous act. What is courageous about it? Can he...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2017)

Gerard Craughwell: When I saw the bonfires being prepared last night - every year these massive goddamn bonfires - I was able to understand why there was conflict in the North of Ireland and why it degenerated into what it did. What I cannot understand, however, is a coward like this, who comes out now when it is safe claiming that he is sorry and apologising to the relatives of the Birmingham victims. He did...