Results 2,661-2,680 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Impact of Conflict in Syria: Concern (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: I wish to follow up on a question about the work Concern does in health education provision. We are all aware of the refugee camps in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan and the pressure they put on the governments of these countries, particularly Jordan and Lebanon which have very limited resources. The number of refugees at the Zaatari camp increased from 15,000 to 150,000. The refugee camps in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Impact of Conflict in Syria: Concern (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: That is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Impact of Conflict in Syria: Concern (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: Is the issue that many of the people in question will never return to Syria? When we were in Jordan we were told that this was a civil war, that there was no interim solution and that it would go on for ten years. Many of the people in question will settle and not return to their homeland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Impact of Conflict in Syria: Concern (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: That is something we will deal with after we hear the presentations and the questions today. I see no problem with the recommendations and it is something on which we can make representations to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In addition, the Minister will be appearing before the committee in the coming weeks and those issues can be raised directly with him before the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Impact of Conflict in Syria: Concern (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: Thank you, Ms O'Mahony and Ms Kennedy. I will now take questions from members, beginning with Deputy Brendan Smith and Senator David Norris.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Impact of Conflict in Syria: Concern (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: I invite the delegates to respond before I invite other members to speak.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Impact of Conflict in Syria: Concern (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: Will Ms O'Mahony update the committee on Concern's activities in Syria and the work it does there?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: The draft minutes of the meeting of 1 October have been circulated to members. Are they agreed to? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Impact of Conflict in Syria: Concern (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: I welcome the delegates. The purpose of the meeting is to meet representatives of Concern to discuss the ongoing crisis in Syria. Obviously, the position is changing day by day and it will be useful to have a discussion with Concern which I understand has been working inside Syria since May 2013. I note that it is almost a year to the day since members started to discuss the situation in...

Topical Issue Debate: Accident and Emergency Departments Waiting Times (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank the Minister for his reply and am glad to hear the hospital and HSE are in discussions about increased bed capacity. The primary issue is the care of patients, and while money is an issue, it should not be an issue in the care of patients. I spoke to staff in the emergency department last Tuesday, and this is about an interim solution. The Minister said a winter planning group is...

Topical Issue Debate: Accident and Emergency Departments Waiting Times (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: I welcome this opportunity to raise the issue of overcrowding in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick, especially the incident that happened last week. The concern is not only about what happened last week but the cart before the horse approach that has been taken to the reconfiguration of health services in the mid-west. I thank the Minister for being present to reply...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (8 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: 219. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the establishment of Irish Water, the implications for members of group water schemes that are currently paying water charges to their local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38395/14]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (7 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: 204. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when a decision will issue in relation to funding for a flood prevention scheme (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37813/14]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Applications (7 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: 231. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for a reduction in a disadvantaged area scheme payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37713/14]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child and Family Agency Expenditure (7 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: 301. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of the important role that an organisation (details supplied) in County Clare is providing for persons and the communities in this area, if he will provide additional funding to maintain these services. [37682/14]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Motor Tax Collection (7 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: 593. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 8 of 26 June 2014, if he will provide an update on the progress of the working group considering the establishment of a HGV road-charging regime here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37814/14]

Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Bill. I note the presence of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy James Reilly. The purpose of the Bill is to control the design and appearance of tobacco products and packaging, meaning that all forms of branding, trademarks, logos, colours and graphics will be removed from tobacco products and that all tobacco...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Register: Crosscare Migrant Project (1 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: As a committee, we follow our diaspora very closely. Year after year, the diaspora are very much part of our programme. In our visits abroad, we always ensure we visit some of the diaspora centres. We have been to the Aisling centre in New York and to the emigrant support centres in San Francisco. All of these centres are doing good work and we are proud to be associated with them. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Register: Crosscare Migrant Project (1 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: I will bring in our three guests to get their reaction to those comments before I call the three speakers who have indicated they wish to comment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Register: Crosscare Migrant Project (1 Oct 2014)

Pat Breen: Does Mr. King wish to comment on any point?