Results 5,441-5,460 of 18,449 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (10 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: 222. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to increase Garda numbers in the Cavan and Monaghan division in view of the reduction in garda personnel since 2010; if the particular policing needs of this division due to a long land border with a neighbouring jurisdiction will be taken into account in the allocation of garda resources; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (10 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: 357. To ask the Minister for Health if the necessary resources will be provided to a hospital (details supplied) to launch a new service before the end of 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42796/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Documents (10 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: 471. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on an EU Commission memo in relation to the trading of agri food products on an all Ireland basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42809/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Business of Joint Committee (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: Apologies have been received from Deputy Noel Grealish. I welcome the members to this meeting. On my own behalf and on behalf of the committee, I extend our sincere sympathy to the Cosgrave family on the passing of Liam Cosgrave, former Taoiseach, former Minister for External Affairs and former Government Chief Whip, and long-time leader of the Fine Gael Party. Liam Cosgrave gave exceptional...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: In part one of today's meeting, we will meet Mr. Niall Burgess, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Mr. Ruairí de Búrca, director of Irish Aid. I extend a welcome to them and to their officials, Ms Nicola Brennan, Ms Emer O'Connell and Ms Nicole McHugh, to today's meeting. The joint committee agreed as part of its work programme for 2017 to review...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Mr. de Búrca for his presentation. I remind members that the meeting is totally focused on the work of Irish Aid and that no other matters relevant to the Department are to be raised. With regard to Mr. de Búrca's comments on the work of Teagasc and the knowledge transfer, have efforts been made to engage many of the major Irish agrifood companies that today, thankfully,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: I used to stay up at night watching the cow. We grew up with that hardship.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Mr. de Búrca. I will go back to some of the members. There are, unfortunately, time constraints. I will take three members - Senator Daly, Deputy Crowe and then Senator Bacik. I will then come back to the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: We will return to the issue of the consulates on another day.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: The Senator is veering off the agenda and we have time constraints.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: Northern Ireland most definitely does not come under any heading of "overseas" in our constituency.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: I ask for responses to be as succinct as possible and only to the relevant topics for today's meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: Senator Higgins is next, but it must be brief because we are in additional time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: Before I invite Mr. Burgess and Mr. de Búrca to make their concluding remarks, I strongly endorse Deputy Barrett's comments on the need for all of us to create a better awareness. This was also referred to by Deputy Crowe. Does Irish Aid run a programme with schools involving, for example, the like of ourselves or officials speaking about Irish Aid? The green flag programme has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: I endorse what the Deputy has said. I call Mr. Burgess.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Irish Aid Programme Review (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Mr. de Búrca and the Secretary General and all of his colleagues for their attendance, interaction with members and responses to the questions asked. When they review their notes, if there are issues on which they did not have a chance to respond, I would appreciate it if they would write to us and we will circulate the responses. We have a number of hearings planned on this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2017 to 2020: Department of Defence (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: In this part of the meeting we will have a discussion on the Defence Forces strategy statement for the period 2017 to 2020 with Mr. Maurice Quinn, Secretary General of the Department of Defence, who is accompanied by Mr. Des Dowling and Mr. Cathal Duffy. They are all very welcome. Committee members welcome the opportunity to discuss the development of the Department's strategy and other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2017 to 2020: Department of Defence (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Mr. Quinn. Mr. Quinn mentioned significant, prioritised military and civil work is under way across the full spectrum of human resources matters. I know from engaging with a lot of people, many of whom are former Permanent Defence Force members in my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, that it is an issue of considerable concern. In 2016 and 2017, the Defence Forces representative...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2017 to 2020: Department of Defence (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: We have Deputy Ó Snodaigh, Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan and Senator Higgins.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2017 to 2020: Department of Defence (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Smith: I wish to follow up on some issues, which were also mentioned by Deputy Ó Snodaigh. The Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, has repeatedly stated that the loss of highly skilled personnel is as a result of their skills being much sought after in the private sector. I believe the Taoiseach also referred to that recently. I know from my interaction with members of the Permanent Defence...