Results 3,321-3,340 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Grant Payments (21 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: 564. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payment of a grant will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2684/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank Mr. Butler. May I give my opinion to my good colleague Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan on the Taoiseach's visit? She mentioned it was a clumsy response, but I do not agree. The Taoiseach was there at the invitation of Enterprise Ireland. It was not organised by the Department of the Taoiseach or the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The trade mission was organised by Enterprise...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: We are indeed. That is the arena in which we should raise these issues.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: As the Deputy knows, we raised these issues when we went to Iran.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: We were there on our own initiative, and were not guests of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland or anything else. However, the Taoiseach was present as a guest of Enterprise Ireland, and totally focused on trade. The idea of the visit was to focus on trade and not be distracted by other issues. I understand where the Deputy is coming from but the Taoiseach took the right decision in regard to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: No, just a review. The last one was conducted in 1996, some 18 years ago, so a policy review will again be conducted. I thank Mr. Graham Butler for coming before the committee and being so frank and open. I admire the way he had his paper so well researched. Mr. Butler has done Trojan work and has given us great idea for the committee's report. Yesterday an experienced retired diplomat...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I, too, thank Mr. Butler. He was quick off the mark and submitted his presentation to the committee very quickly. I ask him to respond by providing an overview as to answer all the questions asked would take too long.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I am not allowing a rerun of the debate on the Seanad.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I acknowledge the Senator's point. I admit that Senator Norris is one of the hardest working Senators.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I cannot allow a debate on the role of the Seanad.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I must ask the Deputy to confine his comments to foreign policy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: Yes, that is correct.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: Deputy Eric Byrne should allow Senator Norris to continue, without interruption.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: Thank you very much for your powerful and well-researched presentation, which had many good ideas. You obviously put a lot of work and time into it, which we greatly appreciate. As all members wish to speak, I will let them ask their questions and you can then reply to them all. I call Deputy Smith.

Recent Severe Storm Damage: Statements (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I welcome the opportunity to raise the concerns of the people of County Clare who have been so badly affected in the aftermath of Storm Christine. I have never witnessed the scale of the damage that has been done. As I drove across the county on Friday last to survey the damage and meet with the affected communities, some of the images I saw brought to mind Armageddon. Large sections of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank Mr. Staunton for his wide-ranging and interesting discussion. It is very useful for us on the committee to have somebody with his experience here this afternoon. It will be useful when we present our report to the Department. I invite Mr. Graham Butler from the University of Copenhagen to make his presentation. We received his submission before Christmas and it made very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: Before I call on Deputy Crowe, I ask the Vice Chairman to take the Chair as I must deal with a matter in the Dáil. I should be back in a few minutes, but in case of a delay may I put a question to the witnesses? The role of parliamentarians in foreign policy has not been mentioned yet. Will they consider what role Parliament could have and, in particular, a role for this committee?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: Would Mr. Staunton like to answer those questions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: Senator Norris, please.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I call Deputy Eric Byrne.