Results 4,521-4,540 of 18,449 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Business of Joint Committee (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: Apologies have been received from Deputies Seán Barrett, Seán Crowe, and Tony McLoughlin, and Senators Ivana Bacik and Billy Lawless. Is it agreed that we go into private session? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Business of Joint Committee (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: We will resume in public session.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Business of Joint Committee (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan, and I thank her, all the members and, very important, our support staff for their contribution.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: Under schedule A, it is proposed that these proposals do not warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed. Under schedule B, it is proposed that COM (2018) 204, COM (2018) 205, COM (2018) 207, COM (2018) 249, COM (2018) 258, COM (2018) 333 and COM (2018) 362 do not warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Search and Rescue Missions in Mediterranean and Migration Crisis: Médecins Sans Frontières (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: We welcome Mr. Sam Taylor, director of Doctors Without Borders-Médecins Sans Frontières in Ireland and Ms Hassiba Hadj-Sahraoui, humanitarian affairs adviser on migration, who joins us from Geneva, to discuss search and rescue in the Mediterranean and the migration crisis in general. As the number of migrants continues to increase and with the recent proposals made at the European...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Search and Rescue Missions in Mediterranean and Migration Crisis: Médecins Sans Frontières (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: I thank Ms Hadj-Sahraoui. Her contribution and that of Mr. Taylor depict a very frightening and depressing picture of what is happening to people. We have heard outlines from the colleagues of the witnesses and from other NGOs about the terrible situation in so many crises throughout the world in recent years but I have never previously heard the phrase used by Mr. Taylor. He stated, "We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Search and Rescue Missions in Mediterranean and Migration Crisis: Médecins Sans Frontières (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: Senator Higgins has some questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Search and Rescue Missions in Mediterranean and Migration Crisis: Médecins Sans Frontières (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: Will Mr. Taylor forward a note to the committee on Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan's question on Yemen?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Search and Rescue Missions in Mediterranean and Migration Crisis: Médecins Sans Frontières (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: I accept the cogent points made in regard to the deficiencies of the different programmes in Operation Sofia. We are told that through the work of Operation Sofia, boats were removed from the criminal organisations involved in smuggling and trafficking people. Do the witnesses accept as a positive element of the work of Operation Sofia the removal of vessels from criminals who were in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Search and Rescue Missions in Mediterranean and Migration Crisis: Médecins Sans Frontières (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: The information we were given shows that 545 boats belonging to criminal organisations were destroyed. I assume that doing away with their means for evil activity is positive to some extent. Ms Hadj Sahraoui said that the NGOs are involved in work of a similar type to that of the naval services of different countries.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Search and Rescue Missions in Mediterranean and Migration Crisis: Médecins Sans Frontières (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: Ireland has considerably increased its funding to the trust fund. I thank the witnesses for their attendance. This is the third time we have invited Médecins sans Frontières, MSF, to appear before the committee. In previous discussions with Mr. Taylor we indicated our appreciation for people who are working in very difficult circumstances, in particular the Irish doctors and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: 23. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí assigned to the Cavan and Monaghan Garda division at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29632/18]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: 71. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to increase Garda personnel in 2019 in the Cavan and Monaghan Garda division; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29633/18]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Regulations (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: 96. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to introduce changes to the public procurement process to enable more small and medium enterprises tender for State contracts and the provision of State services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29932/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Long-Term Illness Scheme (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: 281. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to have the list of medication and necessary dietary products updated to enable persons (details supplied) access new medication on the long-term illness book; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30011/18]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: 303. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of ESB public charge points for electric vehicles in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the proposals to provide additional charge points; the locations in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29829/18]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Electric Vehicles (5 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: 304. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to provide fast-charge points for electric vehicles in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29830/18]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (4 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: 99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he plans to implement to eliminate delays in children accessing necessary assessments by psychologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29361/18]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (4 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: 122. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has had discussions with the Minister for Health about delays in assessments of need for children resulting in delayed supports being put in place at primary school level for some pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29360/18]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Autism Support Services (4 Jul 2018)

Brendan Smith: 279. To ask the Minister for Health the services publicly available for children with autism in an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29522/18]