Results 3,061-3,080 of 4,168 for speaker:Susan O'Keeffe
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: That is probably what I meant when I said they are attached because the bilateral agreement between the US and Ireland is what gives effect to the commercial flights. Is that not so?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: In fairness, I am not asking Mr. Burgess to speculate because that is an unreasonable request. Am I correct in saying that is the point at which there could be a conversation, that, were it to be thought reasonable by the Minister for Justice and Equality or the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, there could be a discussion around that aspect?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: They could be done, provided, as Mr. Burgess stated, they fell under the regulations for civilian flights and were compliant with the Chicago Convention.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Two at least.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: That is fine. The order provides that no foreign military aircraft shall fly over or land in the State without the express invitation or permission of the Minister. Is that something that is done on a roll-over basis? Does any country state in advance it will have seven flights next year, there will be one in January, March, April and May, etc., and do they receive a blanket agreement, or...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Has that agreement ever been changed since 1959?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Mr. Burgess can ask the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Can we be clear that on chartered flights, and we are not talking about military flights, the Government is happy that certain guns and personal weapons are okay to be carried but it is not okay to carry other things? Have I understood correctly?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: My personal weapon as a member of the US army or marines is okay if it is secured in the hold as a weapon but other weapons on a list somewhere, including explosives or random killing things, are not allowed.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: But it is okay to have guns.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: What is a personal weapon?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Otherwise known as a gun.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: I have said that and made it clear. It is all right if they are secured and held in the hold. It is okay to have a hold full of guns but not a hold full of other miscellaneous things, like explosives, that we are not sure about.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: In the mix, one of the dilemmas about human rights is that things that are used for random killing, such as explosives, are more dangerous than allowing the passage of armed forces or military personnel through Shannon Airport compete with their weapons. The latter is okay while the former is not. That is what it boils down to and that is what we allow. The chartered flights that the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: When they arrive at the other end, having passed through Shannon Airport, they will get out of the plane and be reunited with their weapons and carry on.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: That is okay and that is what the Government allows. The Government then takes further advice if other matters arise, such as explosives or gas canisters. Are these the ones that are considered more dangerous? The final authorisation rests with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Mr. Burgess is asked for his recommendation on these but the final decision rests with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: Last year, Mr. Burgess received 700 of those requests. Is that in line with previous years? Perhaps there are spikes or peaks over the years. Sometimes, that tells us something. I would be grateful for that information. I will not go back and argue the case about the military coming under Article 29 through the international law and the immunity that applies automatically. I understand...
- Seanad: Homelessness: Statements (3 Dec 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: I will make only a brief contribution as much has been already said. In terms of the summit to be held tomorrow, two things need to emerge. In calling a summit any Minister or body raises an enormous expectation of some solution. It is clear there are no easy solutions. People like Senator Hayden and others in the Visitors Gallery have been working for decades trying to solve the problem...
- Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (26 Nov 2014)
Susan O'Keeffe: I welcome the Minister. He is particularly welcome when good news comes with him. The figures he spoke of, and others, reflect a very healthy situation for tourism in Ireland, which is a good thing. It is worth giving credit to Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, both of which have worked incredibly hard over the past three years to rally behind the call that we needed to up our game...