Results 281-300 of 1,687 for speaker:Eric Byrne

Income and Living Conditions: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (25 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: Thanks be to God for that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (25 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: I apologise for missing the beginning of the meeting. I was called out to try to start another meeting. I believe the minutes have been agreed in my absence. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (25 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: Could I ask for an amendment to the minutes? I submitted a detailed document about the role of the Islamic community in organising in Irish villages, among other things, as part of its exercise in addressing the Syrian humanitarian crisis and other work it does as a charitable organisation. The minutes state that it is noted. This was an important project. It was comparable to the work...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Interaction of GAA with the Diaspora: GAA (25 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: I thank both contributors. I come from a rather different background in terms of sporting activity. As a young student in Synge Street, I think I had a reaction against the GAA because if the Christian Brothers saw us playing soccer, which was the game we used to play on the streets around Portobello, we suffered badly. For a long time, I had a negative reaction to the Christian Brothers...

Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: He would prefer to speak in Irish.

Leaders' Questions (24 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: A haon, a dó, a trí.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Possible Exit of UK from European Union: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: I welcome Mr. Durkan. He is one of a number of contributors to the debate and the problem is that it is like playing devil's advocate. We are considering the ifs and buts that permeate the debate. The committee started by trying to speculate about the effects on Ireland if Britain pulled out but we have not yet come to terms with the Tories and their suggestion that they will have a "Yes"...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Postal Voting (24 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: 590. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when the date for the upcoming referendums will be announced; and his plans for an extension of a postal vote in respect of a person (details supplied). [8150/15]

Order of Business (19 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: The Minister is aware that the Latvian Government is very critical of the Irish State because it seems to think we facilitate sham marriages with Latvian girls here in the Republic. I understand that the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014 has been published, however, I am told that in order to prevent these sham marriages which are of concern to the Latvians and to us we need to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: GOAL Programmes in South Sudan: CEO of GOAL (18 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: I thank Mr. Andrews and Mr. Elliott for their contributions. I read their submission before coming to the meeting and in light of it and what they said earlier, I would like to try to get a politics or tribal-ethnic complexities involved. The word "government" is applied in order to apply pressure on the NGO sector. Will our guests explain the political context of what is involved? South...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: GOAL Programmes in South Sudan: CEO of GOAL (18 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: I was referring to the briefing note which states that by 2005, decades of fighting had claimed 2.5 million lives.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: GOAL Programmes in South Sudan: CEO of GOAL (18 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: By any standards, the numbers involved are huge. The figure of 500,000 for the number of refugees involved is a testament to that. The briefing note refers to the conclusion of a comprehensive peace agreement in 2005 following decades of fighting which claimed over 2.5 million lives.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: GOAL Programmes in South Sudan: CEO of GOAL (18 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: Our guests stated that this matter is not attracting much publicity and they thanked us for putting it on our agenda. That is great but an article in The Irish Timesearlier in the week suggests that both sides in the conflict are recruiting child soldiers. Will Mr. Andrews indicate whether this is a tribal war or a civil war? Will he also outline how ethnicity is defined? The EU has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: GOAL Programmes in South Sudan: CEO of GOAL (18 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: Is there a government? Is it just based in Juba or does it have any control elsewhere? Is there a civil war? I cannot get my head around the degree of conflict as the death toll is so vast. Does the government have any influence outside the capital?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Possible Exit of UK from European Union: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: Following our previous experience with witnesses, I came in here of the view that we were dealing with a complex question with many ifs and buts. However, I am sorry to say I have been made deeply depressed by the contributions, particularly when our little dream that the referendum may not be held is, according to Mr. Aiken's position, unrealistic, notwithstanding that the election has not...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Standards Authority of Ireland (17 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: 244. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding certification by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6960/15]

Order of Business (12 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: Is the Tánaiste in a position to convey to the Dáil today the current status of the sale of alcohol Bill, the purpose of which is to codify in law measures related to the consumption and sale of alcohol?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Priorities of Latvian Presidency of European Council: Latvian Ambassador to Ireland (11 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: The ambassador and his colleague are very welcome. The ambassador is doing a great job on behalf of his country. I have met him at many events. He has been very active and I congratulate him on that. I hope the Ministry for foreign affairs in Latvia recognise his hard work. To follow on from what Deputy Smith said, Latvia plays a very important role in a very sensitive political...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Priorities of Latvian Presidency of European Council: Latvian Ambassador to Ireland (11 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: I have one supplementary question. Is it a Latvian-Irish issue or a Latvian-European issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Priorities of Latvian Presidency of European Council: Latvian Ambassador to Ireland (11 Feb 2015)

Eric Byrne: The Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2014 has been introduced in the House. The statistics I am reading are in the briefing on that Bill. It has not concluded but it has been introduced. Our end would also say that Latvia has a responsibility because the trafficking of women is organised there rather than in Ireland. We have attempted to stop some of these sham marriages and we fell...