Results 1-20 of 27 for israel speaker:Feargal Quinn

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I have been to Israel as well. I will outline a little of the history. After the 1967 war Israel offered a deal of land for peace. That was turned down and the Arab summit held in Khartoum immediately afterwards arrived at its triple negative resolution — no negotiations, no recognition and no peace. That is the line Hamas and Fatah have taken over the years. Achieving peace in...

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: Israeli Arabs have their own free press, free trade union and free television stations. I am concerned about the unbalanced nature of the words used in Ireland about Israel. I believe Israel does not get the fair hearing it needs. When we talk about an ethical, moral and fair foreign policy, we should include a fair, ethical and moral viewpoint on the balance of interests in that difficult...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

Feargal Quinn: ...the two French teams playing in the rugby final gave much life to the city. Sport can also bring a benefit in peaceful co-existence in many ways, and I will make an example of what happened in Israel recently. Israel has an organisation that sponsors soccer between Israelis and Arabs, and the competition has been going since 1924 and particularly since 1997. The competition last week...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2014)

Feargal Quinn: ...huge experience of exactly the sort of difficulty the new national children's hospital aims to resolve. I wish to respond to Senator Ó Murchú. I have a slight worry about the attitude that says Israel is always wrong. One must expect a response at some point if rockets and bombs are being dropped on civilian areas in Israel on a permanent basis. Those in Gaza who are...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2015)

Feargal Quinn: ...a difficulty, however, in that every time we seek to solve problems in other parts of the world we seem to be saying what they should be doing. I have a difficulty with that and especially in the case of Israel and Palestine. Palestine has continued to say it does not recognise the existence of Israel. It was continually bombing Israel, so it is very difficult to blame Israel for...

Seanad: Interception of Gaza-bound Humanitarian Flotilla: Statements (2 Jun 2010)

Feargal Quinn: ...is old enough to remember it. Russians with loaded ships were heading towards Cuba in international waters but President Kennedy told them not to go any further. He told them to stop, just as Israel told the flotilla not to go any further in international waters. Fortunately, Russia agreed at the time to turn back. The Americans said they would not allow the Russians to land in Cuba...

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: However, the Arab League has responded by urging that the state of Israel be wiped out. I am seeking to achieve a balance in our viewpoint. I do not believe that balance is heard regularly in this House. I am sure there is a strong opposing case to be made but the fact that I am not making that case is because it has so often been made in so many other ways in the past. Israel is the only...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jun 2010)

Feargal Quinn: ...had been delayed since last January and some 300 or 400 farmers were left waiting. Last Tuesday the Minister responded to the Leader's request and moved on it. As the debate on the actions of Israel will take place tomorrow, I do not intend to speak on the matter now. I hope, however, that we will have a logical debate and also take into account the concerns of Israel, a country which...

Seanad: Interception of Gaza-bound Humanitarian Flotilla: Statements (2 Jun 2010)

Feargal Quinn: ...argue that preventing this cargo from reaching Gaza was so important?". I suggest that anyone who thought it should reach Gaza was not thinking straight. I am told that for the last five years, Israel has been subjected to at least 10,000 bombs and rockets from Gaza. Did anyone really expect a democratic country like Israel to allow a flotilla of ships to come in and go straight to Gaza...

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: ...our foreign policy has been overseas aid. There has been a moral and ethical policy throughout those years. There is one exception. I believe Ireland has not taken a balanced view with regard to Israel. The voices we hear in the House tend to condemn Israel on practically every occasion so I wish to put a balancing argument against that viewpoint.

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: I object to the number of occasions the word "occupation" is used with regard to Israel and the West Bank.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2014)

Feargal Quinn: ..."No". It was not unanimous. This issue deserves a debate. Senator Mooney described it well when he said we must not ignore the fact that Palestine was dropping rockets into residential areas in Israel over and over again, and Israel retaliated in the end. Let us just make sure there is balance in that debate. It is 450 days since President Higgins signed the Construction Contracts Act...

Seanad: Israel-Palestine: Motion. (4 Feb 2004)

Feargal Quinn: ...should not be a partisan one favouring one side over the other but one of an honest broker. It is, in theory at least, open to the EU to fill a gap that has been created by the long-established pro-Israel policy of the United States. Most people in the Middle East are suspicious of the United States because, despite its protests to the contrary, it has for a long time pursued a policy that...

Seanad: Priorities in Foreign Affairs: Statements (2 Feb 2012)

Feargal Quinn: ...see what he can do about it. He has the details already. Can we take it that the Tánaiste will not support the admission of Palestine as a state until it recognises the existence of the State of Israel and allows it to exist? To the best of my knowledge, Palestine does not recognise the State of Israel or its right to exist. I would like to congratulate the Tánaiste on becoming the...

Seanad: Ethical Foreign Policy: Motion (28 Mar 2007)

Feargal Quinn: The Israelis were in Lebanon because they had been attacked from there over the years but they left it voluntarily. As soon as they did, the bombs and rockets were launched from there as well. I am not defending the situation or trying to make it simple or easy. However, I believe there has not been the balance of interests and moderation that is required if peace is to be achieved there....

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2014)

Feargal Quinn: ..., I was concerned about a newspaper report mistakenly indicating that last month's Seanad vote on recognition of Palestine was unanimous. Some Senators indicated that we should take the rights of Israel into account and provide some balance on the issue. It is necessary that I confirm this was the case. While the House should by all means identify Palestine as having a right to exist,...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Nov 2012)

Feargal Quinn: The horror of what is happening in the Holy Land is affecting all of us. However, I am rather surprised that I hear no support for the problems faced by Israel itself. Imagine being in a situation in which bombs and missiles are being continuously loaded onto your cities and you are expected to sit back and do nothing. We want peace in Israel and Gaza, but we expect and only hear...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Nov 2012)

Feargal Quinn: ...No. 14, the Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2012 be taken before No. 1 today. I hope there is consideration of that. It is time for us to ensure there is a discussion on what is happening in Israel and Gaza at some point, but sooner rather than later. It seems to me that we must find a solution to the horror and terror that is being inflicted in that part of the world. I am sure...

Seanad: Defence Forces Overseas Missions: Statements (8 Oct 2014)

Feargal Quinn: ...previously described Irish troops stationed on the Golan Heights as human shields. As was the case in respect of other peacekeeping missions, they are stationed in the middle of an area between Israel and Syria. It appears they are in more danger from the various Syrian factions than they are from the Israeli defence forces. If some major incident involving these Irish troops occurs, we...

Seanad: Head Shops: Statements (Resumed) (11 Mar 2010)

Feargal Quinn: ..."bubbles" or "meow meow". The substance is often advertised as plant food or bath salts, which surprised me. The drug, which comes in powder or pill form, is banned in Norway, Finland, Denmark, Israel and Sweden and is restricted in both the United States and Germany. Doves, which are pills that according to experts contain certain properties that are similar to ecstasy, are packaged as...