Results 241-260 of 6,255 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: We touched on this briefly. It is a grave situation. The Israeli Prime Minister is threatening to end the ceasefire and reopen a conflict that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people. Hamas is threatening not to release hostages. Both threats are to be condemned. It is a very worrying situation. My question relates to the West Bank. I invite the Minister’s...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The sanctions that have been there are necessary but it is vitally important the EU as a whole politically raises its concerns. I urge the Minister in his role to encourage the EU to make strong statements against what has been happening in the West Bank since 30 January. UNRWA no longer has any contact with the Israeli authorities because of their ban. It has made it impossible for UNRWA...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Middle East (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I agree with that. I welcome that meeting in relation to the association agreement which is something we have been raising here for the past two years or more. I will return to the debate we had earlier to make the point that for a long time the issue has been the challenge in trying to hold Israel to the norms of international law. It has acted with impunity and because of that has...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I echo that. The sooner people check, the less likely there are to be difficulties. In most instances, the passport service works quite well. It can be very efficient at times, with a significant improvement in recent years, especially for renewals. People are often impressed at the speed at which the passport arrives. This is a huge credit to the staff and the development that has gone...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the Tánaiste. Most of the instances we deal with - I am sure it is the same throughout the House - relate to people who submit an application but receive notification from the Passport Office that something is not right or, very often, that the person who provided a signature on a consent form is not contactable. Typically, that is a garda. This can be an issue. We have Garda...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I share the Tánaiste's concern about the ceasefire. I might say some more on that, as I have another question later about Palestine and the Middle East. I urge people on all sides of the conflict to step back from the brink. With the limited time I have, I will return to the legislation. It seems that there is an attempt to obscure issues of substance with technical issues. There...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I understand Senator Black has been in contact with the Minister and has not been able to get an appointment as of yet. I hope that will happen very shortly. I will keep asking the question. This has not been addressed; I have not been given an answer. I raised it numerous times in the course of the last debate. I have raised it twice here already. Technical issues can be overcome....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That does not clarify my question.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Is the Minister saying precisely goods alone?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That is not a clear answer.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: No, it is not.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Confirming an affirmative is not the same as denying a negative.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That is a change in the policy.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Uncontested.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 3. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade how the Government intends to ensure adequate capacity within the passport service this summer. [4847/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I commend the staff in the Passport Office. They are often extremely busy and do an important job. Sometimes they have to produce passports under difficult circumstances and at very short notice. We have all here probably added to their burden at times, dealing with urgent cases. It is early in the year yet but I am sure the office will get busy. Will the Tánaiste ensure there is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 1. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the progress of the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018. [4844/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: As this is our first question time in our new roles, I wish the Tánaiste well in his new role. While I will hold him to account, I also look forward to co-operation where appropriate. We had a lengthy debate on the occupied territories Bill last week. There was a fair bit of discussion about the vehicle but, to my mind, a change of substance is afoot in what the Government is...

Response to Storm Éowyn: Motion [Private Members] (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: It is during storms like these that we really see the value of public services, especially our front-line public servants, those from the ESB, local authorities, emergency services and An Garda Síochána. They were out in all weathers, in very difficult circumstances, to ensure that people were safe, looked after and were reconnected. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude. The...

Programme for Government: Statements (Resumed) (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The programme for Government is pretty thin gruel when you sit down and look at it. There are commitments to "examine", "consider", "evaluate" and "assess". Where the people of Ireland would have hoped for a significant radical shift in some areas of policy to resolve the challenges we face, particularly in housing and health, they were met with a programme for Government that resembled...