Results 1-9 of 9 for eric byrne segment:6104702

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Association Agreement between EU and Moldova: Discussion (14 Jan 2015)

Bernard Durkan: Item 3 concerns Moldova and involves a presentation by Deputy Eric Byrne. The subject of Moldova arose at a meeting of the joint committee before Christmas. It is timely that it is on today's agenda in view of the fact that the select committee is scheduled to consider the association agreements between the EU and Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia next week. I now call on Deputy Byrne to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Association Agreement between EU and Moldova: Discussion (14 Jan 2015)

Eric Byrne: I will not take that long.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Association Agreement between EU and Moldova: Discussion (14 Jan 2015)

Bernard Durkan: Deputy Eric Byrne, we thank you for a comprehensive report on an important subject. You obviously spent considerable time and put a good deal of effort into it. We might follow up the point about access to the sea with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Association Agreement between EU and Moldova: Discussion (14 Jan 2015)

Eric Byrne: It is down on the water by the Black Sea.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Association Agreement between EU and Moldova: Discussion (14 Jan 2015)

Eric Byrne: This is why we miss the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade representative.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Association Agreement between EU and Moldova: Discussion (14 Jan 2015)

Eric Byrne: Moldova was a republic of the USSR and from the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Moldova was run by the Communist Party. As Moldova progressed the Communist Party split and other democratic forces came into play. Among the minority groups that got no seat there were probably some right wing parties with which I am not familiar, but they are not to the fore. I suppose one could say the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Association Agreement between EU and Moldova: Discussion (14 Jan 2015)

Eric Byrne: The next slide shows images of how the parties campaign. The party on the right is the PLDM, Pro-EU Liberal Democrats, the second largest party that got 20% of the vote. The banners are those of the Patria party, which was struck off. On the next slide, we see the Socialist Party. In the West, we think of socialists as social democrats but in Moldova, this is the most pro-Russian party...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Association Agreement between EU and Moldova: Discussion (14 Jan 2015)

Eric Byrne: Can we have the first slide? In fairness to the Moldovans, we should respect in this presentation the fact that Moldova is an independent state. This is their national emblem and this is their national flag. I thought we should show the flag as the first symbol of Moldova. These are on the screens if anybody wants them. In respect of the next slide, it is important for us to see where...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Association Agreement between EU and Moldova: Discussion (14 Jan 2015)

Eric Byrne: I wish to thank the Vice Chairman and other members of the committee for affording me this unique experience to make a presentation as a member of the committee, rather than the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade giving us the storyline. This is the first time we have used a mixture of verbal and visual elements in a presentation. I wish to thank the staff who have worked with me in...