Results 3,341-3,360 of 9,147 for speaker:Pat Breen

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

Pat Breen: Where does that leave the Vatican embassy?

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

Pat Breen: We will include that in our report.

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 not reporting on what The Irish Timesshould be writing about.

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

Pat Breen: I know, but that is not the reason we are here.

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

Pat Breen: I was not referring to what the newspaper covers, but to the content of what the Senator was talking about.

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. I call Deputy Durkan.

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, Mr. Staunton. I will ask you one question briefly before I hand over to Deputy Brendan Smith. You remarked in your introduction on the small number of diplomatic staff we have in the United States. I have been to most of the consular offices and the Washington office as well. Given the big geographical area in the United States, from east to west and from north to...

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

Pat Breen: I apologise to our witnesses for the short interruption which was due to Dáil business.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (16 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: We have a quorum so will commence the meeting in public session. We will adjourn the meeting for a vote between 2.30 p.m. and 2.35 p.m. for ten minutes or less and shall resume the meeting afterwards. Therefore, I am anxious to get the meeting started. Draft minutes of the meetings of 17 and 19 December have been circulated. Are the minutes of 17 and 19 December agreed? Agreed. Unless...

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

Pat Breen: I remind Members, witnesses and those in the Visitors Gallery to ensure their mobile telephones are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as even on silent mode they interfere with the recording equipment in the committee room. Today is the second day of our hearings on a review of Ireland’s foreign policy and external engagement. The main purpose of the meetings...

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

Pat Breen: Please excuse me, Mr. Staunton, I must suspend the meeting for ten minutes or until after the vote. You can resume your presentation after the vote.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I apologise for interrupting, but could the witness elaborate on the US embassy network and the geographic area covered? We have only consular general offices in Boston, New York, Atlanta, San Francisco and Chicago. It is quite difficult to cover an area like the US with the small network we have there. Should we expand and open up more consular general offices in places like Texas, which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: We visited Brussels last year and met David O'Sullivan, who believed we could use the offices of the EEAS. However, there are logistical difficulties with that, according to the Secretary General of the Department. On a very basic level, a lot of the buildings would simply be too small. We would need purpose-built accommodation so the EEAS is a non-runner as I understand it. I do not want...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: With all due respect, it was not the Secretary General who told me the buildings were too small. I heard that from someone else.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I would agree with Professor Tonra on that. Countries like Thailand and Indonesia are very important. I hope the Department will take that into account when it conducts its review. I thank Professor Tonra for coming here this afternoon. Both Professor Tonra and Mr. Dorr gave very different but important perspectives that have been very useful to us in putting together our report for this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I will expand on Deputy Byrne's question. Professor Tonra emphasised the importance of the diaspora. The diaspora is very important, given that there are 70 million people of Irish origin worldwide. How important does he believe the role of the Global Economic Forum is? As Deputy Byrne asked, are we making best use of our diaspora abroad? One should look at Israel, a small country...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: That was a very enlightening and forward-thinking contribution.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I could have spoken but I invited Deputy Eric Byrne to speak.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I thank Mr. Dorr for his interesting and wide-ranging ideas. His attendance today is very important to us and will benefit the committee when we prepare and make a submission and compile a report. I thank him for his comprehensive written report and oral discussion today and wish him well in the future.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Pat Breen: I ask Professor Tonra to approach the podium or desk. We went a little over time and I apologise to him for the delay. We are delighted to have him here. He has an excellent curriculum vitae from the school of politics and international relations in UCD. Most members will be aware of his work as it includes research, writing and teaching. I know that he has spent some time in Wales,...