Results 441-460 of 2,771 for speaker:Colm Brophy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: What I was getting at with the two questions is at what point the ECA switches from highlighting to calling a halt?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: The ECA does not have the audit function of a private company. I know there was an allusion made to that. It is the job of an auditor of a private company, when management comes out with a line like that, to say “Well, do you know what guys?” There are certain recent examples in this State where perhaps the auditors should have stepped in at an earlier stage and said that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: That brings me to the second part of the point I was going to make specifically on Ukraine. Like others, I am pragmatic on these things. Funding mechanisms are put in place to get around problems that exist on the ground, particularly when a union of 27 sovereign states is trying to figure out how to do something. With regard to the role of the Court of Auditors, looking at one aspect, it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Court of Auditors Annual Report 2022: Discussion (22 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: Yes, we are. With that, I thank Mr. Murphy for the information he has provided and his engagement. It has been useful to the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: On behalf of the committee, I welcome Dr. Barry Colfer, director of research at the Institute of International and European Affairs, IIEA. Dr. Colfer is joined by his colleague, Mr. Dylan Marshall. I also welcome Professor Gavin Barrett from the Sutherland School of Law at University College Dublin, UCD. At today's meeting, we will be discussing future treaty changes in the European Union....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: I thank the witnesses. Those were two very interesting opening statements covering a wide range of issues. I call Deputy Howlin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: Who wishes to come back in first?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: No, questions, Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: We definitely have to move on. Just to be fair.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: I thank Deputy Ó Murchú. Dr. Colfer or Professor Barrett, whoever would like to start first. Perhaps Professor Barrett will go first and we will rotate.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: I cannot remember who went first last time, so since Professor Barrett is nearest to me, I invite him to respond. He can start.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: I will go back to Deputy Ó Murchú. He wanted to come in for a quick moment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: The simultaneous joy and problem of being Chair is that by the time you get to make a contribution a lot of ground has been covered. I want to focus or express a view on certain areas and get the witnesses' thoughts on them. We talked a lot about the Franco-German position and axis. I call a spade a spade in that regard because it all hangs off the following. The question of enlargement...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: A representative of the Government of North Macedonia made that point only a few weeks ago while sitting in the chair Dr. Colfer is sitting in now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: Political power.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: One of the tragedies of Brexit that is never talked about is the heft, balance and influence the UK brought to the core EU member states, as they were, in terms of its relationship with the Franco-German axis and the economic strength and heft it brought to the Union. If it had stayed in it, it would have left the bloc in a much stronger position to deal with eastward expansion, compared to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: I spent yesterday listening to the divisiveness of the views of countries excluded from Schengen that want to be in Schengen. We are slightly different. We do not want to be in it because of our other situation with UK. For member states that have fulfilled every single monetary requirement and every single security requirement, to see existing member states blackball their membership of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: That is the balance. I would agree with Professor Barrett on that. I call Senator Chambers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Future Treaty Change in the European Union: Discussion (15 Nov 2023)

Colm Brophy: It is worth noting that the language of the European Parliament that Dr. Colfer just quoted came specifically from Ireland. At the meeting we attended, those exact words comprised the Irish proposal in a discussion that otherwise did not recognise neutrality. Only when we proposed the wording was it included in the draft. It is very interesting that the member states participating at a...