Results 1,741-1,760 of 2,846 for speaker:Colm Brophy

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Teaching Council of Ireland (22 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Senator for raising this matter, which gives me an opportunity to outline the role of the Teaching Council and its current structures and to highlight the role played by the Teaching Council to support teacher supply during Covid-19. The Teaching Council was established in 2006 on a statutory basis through the Teaching Council Acts 2001 to 2015, to promote teaching as a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Teaching Council of Ireland (22 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Senator for the views she has outlined, which I will pass on to the Minister for Education. It is an important issue which she raises, and in my constituency office over the years I have been a Deputy, many of the points the Senator has raised about the Teaching Council have also been raised with me. I will make sure the Senator's views are heard by the Minister.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (22 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Senator for raising this matter and I know the road in question very well. I would like to explain that once funding arrangements have been put in place through the Department of Transport under the Roads Act 1993, the planning, design and construction of an individual national road is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, in conjunction with the local authorities....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (22 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: The Senator has made excellent points on this matter in a very strong way, as he always does. I will be delighted to convey to the Minister the Senator's views, and those of the people of Tipperary, on this very important project.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (22 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Senators for raising what they are quite right to say is a very important issue. I acknowledge that they had very limited time in which to make their contributions. I know they would have liked to make more substantial contributions on this but could not do so on foot of the rules governing Commencement matters. The issue of defective concrete blocks, DCBs, is particularly...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (22 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: I will be conveying the remarks the Senators have made to the Minister, as well as the feeling of urgency about this situation that Senator Chambers mentioned.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (22 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: Ireland is closely following developments in Ethiopia, including on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Tigray and elections. The construction of the GERD in Ethiopia is the cause of escalating tension between Ethiopia on the one hand, and Sudan and Egypt on the other, and poses a significant potential challenge to regional peace and security. As a member of the UN Security...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (22 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: The Programme for Government makes clear that the Government does not support the importation of fracked gas.  Following upon a commitment in the Programme for Government, the Government published a Policy Statement on May 2021 which outlines both constraints and opportunities for Government action in this area, including in the context of Ireland's obligations as a Member State of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Gender Equality (22 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: The Generation Equality Forum hosted by the Government of France and convened by UN Women will take place in Paris from 30 June to 2 July.  Ireland has engaged closely with the preparatory process, including through my participation at the virtual high-level event hosted by the Government of Mexico in March.  The Paris Forum will launch a series of ambitious actions to further...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (23 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: Ireland strongly supports the civilian-led political transition underway in Sudan. While Sudan has made significant headway in its reform efforts, significant challenges remain, including violence in Darfur, and an economic crisis. There are also significant delays in implementing the Juba Peace Agreement (JPA) between the Transitional Government and rebel groups, including on transitional...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (24 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: The UN Security Council is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security and it is in this context that it addresses climate change. I am deeply concerned about the security impacts of climate change. It is no coincidence that of the 15 countries most susceptible to climate risks, 8 host a UN peacekeeping operation or a special political mission. As a result, we...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (24 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: I am deeply concerned at the plight of the people of Gaza. Recent hostilities have caused severe damage to infrastructure and the humanitarian consequences have been devastating for a community already enduring both a blockade and the COVID-19 pandemic. According to local authorities, more than 2000 housing units were damaged or destroyed and essential services, including water, sanitation...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Oireachtas Committees (24 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: I have welcomed the March 2021 report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on the Distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to Developing Countries. I firmly believe that universal and equitable access to safe, effective, and affordable diagnostics, treatments and vaccines is crucial in the global fight against COVID-19.  I am determined that Ireland, in particular...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (24 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: The Generation Equality Forum hosted by the Government of France and convened by UN Women will take place in Paris from 30 June to 2 July. Ireland has engaged closely with the preparatory process, including through my participation at the virtual high-level event hosted by the Government of Mexico in March.  The Paris Forum will launch a series of ambitious actions to further...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (24 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 135 and 158 together. The Department of Foreign Affairs administers and maintains a roster of suitably skilled volunteers, who are available to participate in international election observation organised, in the main, by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). For information on the selection process...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (24 Jun 2021)

Colm Brophy: The Programme for Government makes clear that the Government does not support the importation of fracked gas.  Following upon a commitment in the Programme for Government, the Government published a Policy Statement on May 2021 which outlines both constraints and opportunities for Government action in this area, including in the context of Ireland's obligations as a Member State of...