Results 2,921-2,940 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (2 Jul 2014)

Pat Breen: I have received apologies from a number of members, including Senator David Norris, who we hope is making a speedy recovery, and Senator Jim Walsh, who is attending the OSCE parliamentary assembly meeting in Baku. The first item on the agenda is the minutes of the meeting on 25 June 2014, which have been circulated to members. Are the minutes agreed? Agreed. Unless there are matters...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Relations Between Ireland and Great Britain: Ambassador of Ireland to Great Britain (2 Jul 2014)

Pat Breen: We will now commence the meeting with the ambassador, Mr. Dan Mulhall. We have had a busy morning, including a meeting with the Israeli ambassador and deputy ambassador. We also had one of the executives of the World Bank in, so we have had a busy day. I wish to remind members, witnesses and those in the public gallery to ensure that their mobile phones are switched off completely for the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Departments Waiting Times (2 Jul 2014)

Pat Breen: 183. To ask the Minister for Health the action being being taken to explore the provision of a model 3 hospital within the UL Hospitals Group; if consideration will be given to Ennis General Hospital fulfilling this role in view of the fact that this would alleviate the pressure at the accident and emergency department at the UL hospital in Limerick by reducing the number of Clare patients...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Eligibility (1 Jul 2014)

Pat Breen: 260. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to make changes to the eligibility criteria for interns participation on the JobBridge scheme to facilitate persons who are on a qualifying payment such as jobseeker's allowance, and who do not have a 78 day qualifying period in the three months previous, in view of the fact that they may be working part-time at weekends and only...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Tax Collection (26 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: 8. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the progress of the working group considering the establishment of a road-charging regime for heavy goods vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27225/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Tax Collection (26 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: As the Minister knows, I have been working with the Irish Road Haulage Association, IRHA, and making representations on its behalf to both him and the Minister for Finance. The haulage industry is an important sector to Ireland worth €1 billion a year and employing 50,000 people. We are an island nation and 95% of inward goods are transported by truck. The IRHA would like to see the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Tax Collection (26 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank the Minister for his fair reply. Obviously, a comprehensive report is being compiled with the various bodies which will identify options and possible changes to the motor tax regime. Up to 25% of hauliers have already gone to Northern Ireland, with 4,000 registered vehicles in Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, Belgium and the UK. We have to stop this because it is causing real problems,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Motor Tax Collection (26 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: That was a favourable reply, given the fact that the report will be published at the end of next month. We look forward to a favourable response to the issues in question.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (26 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: 44. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the report of expert panel on the Irish airlines superannuation scheme which has been published; his views that the recommendations form the basis for a resolution of the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27226/14]

Beef Industry: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I agree with the Minister of State that beef prices are down and a number of issues are at play. This is not only a problem for Irish farmers; farmers are also experiencing reduced prices in the UK. I have met representatives of farming organisations in my constituency and they are rightly concerned, as we all are, about this. I was a...

State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. It is a parochial issue for me. I was disappointed that Deputy Pringle criticised US military traffic through Shannon Airport. This business has passed through the airport since the Second World War and has generated significant revenue for the people of the region and I am supportive of this. The United States and the airport have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: Briefly, there was a question from Senator Mullins on Bosnia.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: The Tánaiste has covered that at the beginning of his statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: Senator Daly asked a question on the intern work and travel programme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank the Tánaiste for engaging with the joint committee in an open and constructive way. While I am sorry that so many questions were fired at him, a lot of them overlapped. This is probably the joint committee's last meeting with the Tánaiste in that role and in his role as leader of the Labour Party. We wish him well and hope that he continues in his role as Minister for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank Senator Walsh. I apologise to the Tánaiste for putting all the questions to him together. I expected many of the questions to focus on the Middle East peace process, Ukraine and Iraq. I wished him to have time to digest all the questions. I know he will do the best in the limited time – approximately 20 minutes – that he has.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: As I stated earlier, members should confine themselves to asking questions rather than making statements.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: The final member offering is Senator Walsh. I would appreciate it if he would limit himself to asking questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: The Deputy should ask questions, if possible, because time is limited.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Council: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (25 Jun 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank the Tánaiste for his very comprehensive overview and presentation of what transpired at the meeting last Monday. Could the Tánaiste please give us a synopsis of his visit to the United States last week, particularly on the window of opportunity for immigration reform for the undocumented Irish?