Results 19,461-19,480 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (13 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I am very conscious of the time and that there are some outstanding questions. I ask the ambassador and the other guests that their answers be directed to the clerk of the committee in writing because they will assist the committee in the context of our report. I ask Ms Hausdorff if she would like to make some concluding comments and I will then bring matters to a conclusion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (13 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: On behalf of the committee, I would like to express our appreciation to our guests for joining us, for dealing with our questions and for responding to the submissions. I would like to conclude matters by once again calling for the cessation of violence and calling for condemnation of all violence, referring specifically to the rockets from Gaza and to the violence being perpetrated in East...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I suggest we start our meeting which will continue our review on displacements and demolitions in the occupied Palestinian territory. In the first part of this afternoon's meeting, I welcome, on behalf of the committee, Mr. Christopher Holt and Mr. Simon Randles of the West Bank Protection Consortium. They are joining us from Ramallah and Jerusalem. We continue with our review of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Mr. Holt and we will come back to him during the questions and answers. I now give the floor to Mr. Simon Randles, who is in Jerusalem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Mr. Randles. I will proceed to members of the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I certainly am keen there be a further opportunity but obviously it is dependent on the time. I will go now to Senator Joe O'Reilly and then back to Mr. Holt and Mr. Randles.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I will revert to our witnesses for a period of five minutes to respond to Deputy Brady and Senator O'Reilly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I am looking at the clock. I might ask Mr. Holt to make a final comment following his presentation. Are there any parting words he would like to leave with us? I thank the witnesses for meeting with us, for preparing their presentation and for dealing with members' questions. I regret that the time allotted was much shorter than our members would wish. Nevertheless, it was an important...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Mr. Holt for the manner in which he dealt with our questions. As well as his presentation this morning, if Mr. Holt has any documentation that he would wish to furnish the committee with by way of annual or interim report, for example, that he has prepared and that he feels might be of assistance to the committee in the context of our work, I ask him to send it straight on to us. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I welcome Ms Cait Moran, the director of the Middle East and north Africa unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Feilim McLaughlin, director of global programmes in Irish Aid. The format of the meeting is that we will hear the opening statements of our guests before going into a question-and-answer session with members of the committee. As we are quite time limited due to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Mr. McLaughlin and Ms Moran. I will now come to members of the committee, starting with Deputy Brady. I will ask members to raise their hands thereafter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I will go briefly to Deputy Clarke and Senator Craughwell before coming back to our witnesses. I am conscious of the time but I wish to ensure everybody has an opportunity to contribute.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: Before coming back to the witnesses, I am conscious of the terms of reference of our review with respect to demolitions of buildings and displacements of communities and people. I am also conscious of the opening comments from Ms Moran, when she indicated quite rightly that matters are somewhat fluid, as well as being very sensitive. A number of political questions have been directed at our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: Mr. McLaughlin is not on my screen but he may proceed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: Does Deputy Brady wish to take a minute or two before I refer back to the witnesses?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I have a question on the legal advice given to people who may be subject to a demolition or an eviction order. East Jerusalem is the most recent area where evictions have given rise to violence. The committee heard last week from an international lawyer, Ms Natasha Hausdorff, who was very unambiguous when she stated that the title to the lands in East Jerusalem were never actually given by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Ms Moran and Mr. McLaughlin for their engagement, as well as for dealing with the questions and issues raised. I thank both of them and their colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs for the manner in which this committee is briefed. The strong relationship between the Department and the committee is very much appreciated by all members.