Results 5,121-5,140 of 18,449 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Data (16 Jan 2018)

Brendan Smith: 1244. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of applicants under GLAS schemes due for payment in 2017 paid to date in County Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1808/18]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Exports (16 Jan 2018)

Brendan Smith: 1251. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when it is expected to have final approval secured for the export of beef to China; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2013/18]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Service Obligation Services (16 Jan 2018)

Brendan Smith: 1313. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to introduce a universal public service obligation on telecommunications providers in respect of the need to provide adequate and up-to-date broadband telecommunications coverage throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1779/18]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Service Obligation Services (16 Jan 2018)

Brendan Smith: 1314. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to introduce a universal public service obligation on mobile telephony providers with regard to the need to provide adequate and up-to-date mobile telephone coverage throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1780/18]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Post-Brexit Trade Opportunities: Asia Matters (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: In the first session of today's meeting we will speak to Mr. Martin Murray of Asia Matters to discuss opportunities for trade with Asia post Brexit. This committee has had ongoing discussions with both the public and private sector on plans for trade following Britain's exit from the European Union. Today's meeting gives us the opportunity to hear about potential for trade with Asia, an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Post-Brexit Trade Opportunities: Asia Matters (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Mr. Murray for his excellent and detailed presentation. We will have a discussion now but I think the extent of this issue and its subject matter will warrant a further meeting between us. We can raise the issues and recommendations suggested by Mr. Murray with the relevant Departments and State agencies. Perhaps we could review the different issues early in 2018 because Mr. Murray...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Post-Brexit Trade Opportunities: Asia Matters (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I think that often, Irish people think Ireland is known everywhere. As Mr. Murray outlined clearly, Ireland often is perceived as being part of a neighbouring member state of the European Union. Mr. Murray compared the two direct flights from Ireland to Asia from 2018, with the number originating in Helsinki, which has a metropolitan population of less than 2 million from a total of 5.5...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Post-Brexit Trade Opportunities: Asia Matters (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: Mr. Murray mentioned the Asia strategy the Department is developing. In their briefing note to the committee, officials said they hope to have that finalised in the coming period. Hopefully, it will be in place in the first quarter of the coming year. I presume Asia Matters has made a submission or has been involved in the preparation of that report.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Post-Brexit Trade Opportunities: Asia Matters (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: The potential of education has been mentioned by all my colleagues. Some years ago, I was involved in launching a course in food safety run by UCD specifically aimed at Chinese students on the basis of bringing them into the Irish system and building connections. It is invaluable what can be achieved later when students return to their home countries and get involved in the food industry,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Post-Brexit Trade Opportunities: Asia Matters (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I agree with that. As I said following Mr. Murray's initial contribution, we will revisit this issue. The clerk to the committee, the committee's legal adviser and I were discussing the work programme for 2018 recently and one of the issues we discussed was doing a short report on the potential in Asia post Brexit from a trade point of view in the early part of 2018. We are currently doing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: In today's meeting, we will meet Mr. Jamie Drummond, executive director of ONE. I welcome Mr. Drummond to our meeting. We have, over the past weeks, heard from a wide variety of members of society regarding the role of Irish Aid and its potential in assisting to alleviate poverty, particularly following the historic agreement of the sustainable development goals. The format of the meeting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Mr. Drummond for his important address and for covering issues such as the potential for us to expand the activities of Irish Aid and improve considerably the lives of the most disadvantaged people in so many parts of the world. Senator Bacik has another commitment at 11.15 a.m. Would she like to make a short contribution?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: Does Mr. Drummond want to say anything in particular on Senator Bacik's contribution before she has to leave for the Seanad?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: Deputy Seán Barrett is next.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: In the past few weeks we have had several meetings to review the level of Irish aid. Some of the stakeholders we have met have expressed concern about the rising allocations of ODA to the multilateral organisations and, similarly, the climbing amounts being spent bilaterally and the resourcing of NGOs. Does Mr. Drummond have a view on this issue? Does he have concerns about the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: As our colleague, Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan, said, we were in northern Mozambique and Malawi recently where the work of Irish Aid and Irish missionaries was very impressive. Unfortunately, there is now only a small number of Irish missionaries there, but the work of Irish Aid in funding particular programmes and the work of individual members of Irish NGOs was very impressive. We met people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Mr. Drummond. I do not think it does anything similar now, but some years ago RTÉ produced a programme with Rodney Rice which was very informative. It covered different countries in Africa where Irish Aid worked. I thank Mr. Drummond most sincerely for his presentation and his exchange with members which will be very valuable when the committee is drafting its work...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: I wish everyone a happy Christmas and a healthy, fruitful and successful 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: 39. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the issues discussed at the recent EU Foreign Affairs Council; the outcome of such discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53909/17]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Council Meetings (14 Dec 2017)

Brendan Smith: 40. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Prime Minister Netanyahu met the EU Foreign Affairs Council; if so, the outcome of such discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53910/17]