Results 18,021-18,040 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Apologies have been received from Ms Michelle Gildernew MP. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Mr. John Boyle, general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation. From the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, I welcome Mr. Owen Reidy, general secretary, and Mr. Justin McCamphill, president. Representing SIPTU is Mr. Gerry McCormack, deputy general secretary. Today we are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank everyone for their statements. By way of explanation, our members contribute by political party by rotation, so the questions will be from Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and so on. I will call on them as we go along. One point strikes me. If the disparity between teachers' salaries North and South is such as it is, it must have huge implications both for those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: There is also the point that there are people from different communities in the North and if we want to work together, we have to make it open to all of them to work in both jurisdictions. We have to create a solution. I am a Gaeilgeoir and I speak it every day but I think it is important that for people who do not, it should not be a barrier to come down here or for us to go up there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Would Mr. McCamphill like to contribute.? Please feel free to comment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Mr. Reidy has to leave. Does he wish to say anything before he goes?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Mr. Reidy very much for his contribution.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Ms Hanna is online. The order will be Ms Claire Hanna, Senator Black, Mr. Mickey Brady, Mr. Stephen Farry and Deputy Tóibín. Can I ask Ms Hanna to come in there, please?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Ms Hanna. Our next speaker is Senator Black followed by Mickey Brady MP, Stephen Farry MP, and Deputies Tóibín and Wynne.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Another point is that it is hoped there will be a softening in a future British Government's attitude to the EU and perhaps there will be common sense that will assist in a lot of this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Dr. Farry. He got a good reference from one of our guests earlier, who said he was a very dynamic Minister in his day. I hope we will see him again, in some capacity, in that job. He could be a Minister in our Government any time. I am struck that the question of convergence of pay, North and South, in all jobs and employment, would be a huge issue, regarding standards and so...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: The other question is that we do not want skills shortages in one part of the island and an oversupply in another part.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Apologies, I had to ask the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science a question. I got a good answer. Senator Black wanted to come in there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Finance and Economics: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Sep 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I think Mr. Boyle spoke for all of us when he said that. He articulated all of our views. That concludes our public session. I thank Mr. Boyle in particular and Mr. McCamphill, Mr. Reidy and Mr. McCormack for their contributions earlier. It was very detailed. I think everybody expressed their views and listened intensively to what the witnesses said. We will now go into private session.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Mapping Diversity, Negotiating Differences: Constitutional Discussions on a Shared Island: Discussion (9 Nov 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: On behalf of the committee, I very much welcome Professor Jennifer Todd, University College Dublin, and Dr. Joanne McEvoy, University of Aberdeen, who are here to discuss their recent report Mapping Diversity, Negotiating Differences: Constitutional Discussions on a Shared Island. I thank them both for attending. I will explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practices...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Mapping Diversity, Negotiating Differences: Constitutional Discussions on a Shared Island: Discussion (9 Nov 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Mapping Diversity, Negotiating Differences: Constitutional Discussions on a Shared Island: Discussion (9 Nov 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Professor Todd and Dr. McEvoy. We will now move to the different groups, beginning with Sinn Féin as per the rotation order.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Mapping Diversity, Negotiating Differences: Constitutional Discussions on a Shared Island: Discussion (9 Nov 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Senator Black is next. Before she speaks, I will say that I looked at a television programme she featured in recently. I thought it was a remarkable assessment of her career and ambitions and the work she has done. I congratulate her.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Mapping Diversity, Negotiating Differences: Constitutional Discussions on a Shared Island: Discussion (9 Nov 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Does Mr. Molloy wish to comment? He is online.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Mapping Diversity, Negotiating Differences: Constitutional Discussions on a Shared Island: Discussion (9 Nov 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Does Mr. Maskey wish to speak? He had his hand up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Mapping Diversity, Negotiating Differences: Constitutional Discussions on a Shared Island: Discussion (9 Nov 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Do Mr. Molloy or Mr. Maskey wish to come back in there on any of those points?