Results 2,161-2,180 of 5,034 for speaker:Billy Timmins
- Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: Question 240: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the concerns of a person regarding the new Civil Partnership Bill. [46968/09]
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: Question 380: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46675/09]
- Debt Relief. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: Was the â¬58.64 million contributed under the MDRI initiative in 2006 classified as Irish aid funding at the time? Am I right that there is a review ongoing currently on debt cancellation? When can we expect the publication of this review?
- Debt Relief. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: The problem I have is one figure is given for ODA, but other figures are filtered down throughout the year and they all come from the one budget.
- Debt Relief. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: When will we see the policy debt review?
- Diplomatic Representation. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: That is a bit far from the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's bailiwick in the centre of Wexford to be out knocking on doors. I know the place well. I want to compliment the Minister on the work done by the Department of Foreign Affairs, particularly that of ambassador O'Brien, in assisting in getting the release of Fr. Sinnott. Unfortunately, his release is in stark contrast to the murder of the...
- Diplomatic Representation. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: Does the Minister agree that, although US foreign policy comes in for criticism quite regularly in this Chamber, it is important to acknowledge the role US foreign affairs officials played in securing the release of Fr. Sinnott.
- Departmental Expenditure. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: Question 28: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the impact the Budget Statement for 2010 will have on the services provided by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47057/09]
- Departmental Expenditure. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: The Minister said that he looked after the most vulnerable and mentioned the emigrant services. I believe that the McCarthy group recommended a reduction of perhaps â¬1 million to reduce it from â¬15 million to â¬14 million, but the Minister actually doubled the recommendation and applied a â¬2.2 million cut on emigrant services. The Minister spoke of protecting the most vulnerable, but...
- Departmental Expenditure. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: The Minister is incorrect because he has not maintained the full amount. It is important to acknowledge that he has cut it. In his initial response he clapped himself on the back on how well he was looking after them. He went further than McCarthy recommended in the measures he took. He doubled the cutback recommended. I am not saying he should be led entirely by McCarthy report. I...
- Diplomatic Representation. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: Question 30: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent meeting with the Papal Nuncio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47058/09]
- Diplomatic Representation. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: The Minister has mentioned a litany of precedents. I could also mention the commission of inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, in which the Department of Foreign Affairs took an active role in seeking information. I agree with Deputy Higgins about the Minister's mention of "shock and dismay" on the part of the Vatican. I do not know how it could have been shocked-----
- Diplomatic Representation. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: -----because it had all the files. To me, the reason for shock and dismay is that the Department failed to take a proactive role. It simply passed on the message to the commission and did nothing. Does the Minister not think the Department should have told the papal nuncio that the response was unsatisfactory? It should have liaised with the commission and made a request for the...
- Diplomatic Representation. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: Would the Minister not agree that there seems to be something extraordinarily contradictory in the fact that the Murphy inquiry went to considerable lengths to get a great deal of material, yet there seems to be a failure by the commission to seek the material from the Vatican through diplomatic channels? Why was this? I should like to hear from the commission why this happened because it...
- Diplomatic Representation. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: I agree, but perhaps the Minister could express a view on it. The commission went to great lengths to get all this material, and yet here was something at the very heart of the investigation. There was a mechanism whereby the material could, at least, be requested and this did not happen. Can we expect a response from the Vatican, and in the event, when will it be?
- Diplomatic Representation. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: Has the Minister any idea as to when this response will come?:
- Middle East Peace Process. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: Question 31: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to visit the Gaza Strip; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47059/09]
- Middle East Peace Process. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: I regret that the Minister's request to visit Gaza was turned down, particularly in light of the fact that a delegation from the Joint Committees on European Affairs and Foreign Affairs was able to get in, as was the Fine Gael Party leader. It is intolerable and unacceptable that the Minister's request was refused. Will he say whether he will follow this up and continue to attempt to visit...
- Middle East Peace Process. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: An Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Yigal Palmour, has claimed that a request was never made by the Department of Foreign Affairs for the Minister to visit Gaza. On the other hand he is reported as saying that such a request was made. I wonder whether the Minister has a view in that regard. When one is not in an area at the time something happens, it can be difficult to pass...
- Middle East Peace Process. (15 Dec 2009)
Billy Timmins: It is also important for the Minister to raise with the Egyptian authorities reports of the construction of a wall on their 10-km or 12-km side of the border.