Results 3,221-3,240 of 6,055 for speaker:Frank Feighan

Order of Business (3 Nov 2015)

Frank Feighan: There is a need to provide for mandatory calorie labelling for menus in restaurants, takeaways and other food outlets. When will the health and wellbeing (calorie posting and workplace wellbeing) Bill be before the House?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: On behalf of the committee I welcome Dr. Anne Smith and Professor Monica McWilliams to discuss the findings of the report Political Capacity Building: Advancing a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. The witnesses are very welcome and we look forward to an interesting discussion and questions. I invite the witnesses to make their opening statements.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: I thank Dr. Smith. I invite Professor McWilliams to make her opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: I thank Professor McWilliams for that contribution and for her submission. There remains no consensus on the bill of rights, which is recognised in paragraph 69 of the Stormont House Agreement. Why is there no consensus?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: What is it about the bill of rights that some of the Northern Ireland parties are so against? What are their concerns?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: I thank Professor McWilliams. I invite questions from members.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: To clarify, the Irish Government completely supports all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement, including the bill of rights. There is no consensus in Northern Ireland. I want to put that on the record. The commitment of the Irish Government has been demonstrated by the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, and their officials who were involved in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: I am not being defensive. I am just putting that on the record because the Irish Government has been involved, as I know first hand. As the Chair of the committee, it would be wrong to allow people to state here that the Irish Government is not doing anything. It is doing everything possible within the confines of the Good Friday Agreement. That needs to be said.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: I understand.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: There is no consensus in Northern Ireland on the bill of rights. That should go on the record.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: Would Professor McWilliams like to respond?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: The delegates stated they are seeking more funding to produce a policy framework to progress a bill of rights. From whom do they intend to seek that funding and what exactly do they envisage in terms of how such funding would be used? On the issue of technical expertise, I absolutely agree with the points made. There is a view that politicians should come from the Law Library or from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: I thank the witnesses for coming in today. I am delighted to have Professor McWilliams here. It has been an informative discussion which has helped us in terms of our views on how best to introduce a bill of rights. The technical expertise could be valuable in terms of getting politicians from different parties into the room to deal with an issue that sometimes can be technical and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: As for 2008 and the politicians and people who made those decisions, it might be helpful to note that, as Professor McWilliams is aware, politicians come and go. Perhaps it is time now to have another go with some technical expertise to the various parties and politicians. That could also be of assistance because politicians are not here for ever. Professor McWilliams understands that we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland: Discussion (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: Once again, I thank the witnesses. We will suspend for five minutes to facilitate the next set of witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Peace Building in Northern Ireland: Community Relations Council and Partner Organisations (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: On behalf of the committee, I am pleased to welcome Mr. Peter Osborne, chairman of the Community Relations Council, Mr. Joe O'Donnell, director of Belfast Interface Project, Ms Mary Montague of Tides Training, Mr. Derek Poole of LINC, Ms Charmain Jones of the Rural Community Network, and Mr. Rab McCallum of the North Belfast Interface Network. The delegates are very welcome and it is good to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Peace Building in Northern Ireland: Community Relations Council and Partner Organisations (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: I thank Ms Montague and hope Mr. O'Donnell will have more say than I sometimes have in this committee. I now invite questions and Mr. O'Donnell can decide who in the group will answer them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Peace Building in Northern Ireland: Community Relations Council and Partner Organisations (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: Integrated education is sometimes a middle-class concept, and the working class often do not have the capacity to-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Peace Building in Northern Ireland: Community Relations Council and Partner Organisations (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: I refer to the Buddy Up programme between Edenderry school and Holy Cross school in the Ardoyne and the interaction there, with parents bringing their children and getting to know somebody from across the interface. I visited Randalstown as well and it is incredible to witness that interaction. It is not about building a new school; it is about interaction between students from one...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Peace Building in Northern Ireland: Community Relations Council and Partner Organisations (22 Oct 2015)

Frank Feighan: I would like to bring in Deputies Ferris, Crowe and Smith. I am conscious of the need for members to contribute, although the witnesses are much more interesting.