Results 5,781-5,800 of 18,449 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: United Nations Office for Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs: Mr. John Ging (18 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: Today we are meeting in public session Mr. John Ging, director of the operational division at the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA. On behalf of the committee, I welcome you here today and look forward to hearing about your work with the OCHA in co-ordinating a global humanitarian response, humanitarian financing, policy development and humanitarian advocacy....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: United Nations Office for Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs: Mr. John Ging (18 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Mr. Ging and appreciate him putting on the record Ireland's ongoing substantial contribution to overseas development aid, and also the work of Mr. David Donoghue in advancing the sustainable development goals. During this committee and over the course of the previous Dáil, we had a very good exchange with Mr. Donoghue here in advance of the September meeting, when development...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: United Nations Office for Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs: Mr. John Ging (18 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: I want to thank Mr. Ging and his colleague, Emer O'Connell, for their attendance here today and for the very comprehensive manner in which they dealt with the queries raised by the members. The picture outlined for us of the huge number of crises throughout the world is very stark. We wish Mr. Ging and his colleagues well in the very important work they are undertaking in so many difficult...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: North-South Interconnector (18 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: 276. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will ensure that EirGrid does not advance further procurement or pre-construction activities for the North-South interconnector until the study recently announced is completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23679/17]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (18 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: 314. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if consideration is being given to the requests of an association (details supplied); the proposals there are to enable Defence Forces personnel to have access to the State's industrial relations agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23767/17]

Other Questions: Air Corps (17 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: 37. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to provide additional resources in 2017 for the Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23267/17]

Other Questions: Air Corps (17 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: As the Minister of State is well aware, there has been much negative commentary on the inadequacy of the Air Corps at present. Can he outline for us what additional investment he will be able to make in both personnel and equipment for the Air Corps in 2017 and how he will try to halt the decline in the activities of the Air Corps and the increasing problems the Air Corps is facing?

Other Questions: Air Corps (17 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. He stated the Air Corps was able to respond to all requests for assistance. I did not see any official denial that the Air Corps was not able to respond when the terrible accident occurred off the coast of Erris. The Minister of State might just clarify the position. With regard to the recruitment and retention of personnel, does the...

Other Questions: Air Corps (17 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister of State. I understand that in the past in our country, in much poorer days, we had very sophisticated aircraft for ensuring airspace security. There are very busy air corridors through our sovereign airspace nowadays. In the plans the Minister of State has to purchase new aircraft and perhaps upgrade aircraft, is he proposing additional capacity to ensure we are able...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reserve Strength (17 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: 46. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to recruit new members to the Reserve Defence Forces in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23268/17]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Schemes (16 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: 77. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to introduce grant aid for the development of enterprise centres by local statutory agencies or community organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23038/17]

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Brexit Issues (16 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: 86. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her plans to assist companies that are very heavily dependent on Northern Ireland and Britain as their export market in view of the particular difficulties arising due to Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23037/17]

Other Questions: Child Care Services (11 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: 9. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress to date in advancing the new affordable child care scheme; the timescale for its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22318/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Discussion (11 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: With us today are Professor Gary Murphy of the school of law and government at Dublin City University and Professor Gavin Barrett of the Sutherland school of law at University College Dublin. This meeting is one in a series on the potential impact of Brexit on areas identified as falling within the remit of the committee. At the end of a series of hearings over the coming weeks, the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Discussion (11 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Professors Barrett and Murphy for their excellent and comprehensive contributions. Professor Barrett referred to his participation at a recent IFA conference.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Discussion (11 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: Clearly the agri-sector is concerned about the fallout from Brexit, but another dimension that is often ignored is that many of our major food companies are all-Ireland companies. For example, Lakeland Dairies used to be a Cavan-Monaghan enterprise, but it now has major processing plants north of the Border. Similarly, LacPatrick – formerly the Town of Monaghan Co-op – has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Discussion (11 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: I will ask Professor Murphy and Professor Barrett for short responses to the questions raised before calling our other three colleagues on the committee should they wish to make contributions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Discussion (11 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: I thank Professor Murphy. I call Professor Barrett.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Discussion (11 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: Professor Murphy and Professor Barrett are participating in a broadcast from the Houses due to Mr. Michel Barnier's speech in the Houses today. Brief replies would be appreciated, and if the witnesses wish to communicate with us after the meeting on the issues that have been raised, we would be very glad to hear from them subsequently.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Discussion (11 May 2017)

Brendan Smith: We might engage again with Professor Murphy and Professor Barrett. It has been exceptionally good, and if we could meet again before the committee concludes its report that, would be great.