Results 6,261-6,280 of 8,654 for speaker:Seán Crowe

Youth Employment: Motion [Private Members] (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: All of us in this House are frustrated at the slow pace of change. That attitude is reflected not only in Ireland, but across Europe. Every opportunity I have had to speak on this issue, whether in addressing the Taoiseach regarding meetings of the European Council or speaking at the Joint Committee on European Affairs, I have noted that there is little recognition of the crisis that faces...

Topical Issue Debate: Job Protection (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: The Minister of State said it was regrettable that 107 jobs would be lost at PWAI and 408 at Lufthansa and that both he and the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, appreciated that these closures would have a devastating impact on employees and their families. That is an understatement. Many of the employees and their families are probably listening to this discussion and were under the...

Topical Issue Debate: Job Protection (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: I agree with the other speakers. We are talking about viable, high quality jobs in profitable companies. According to its website, Lufthansa Technik had a turnover of €205 million in 2011. Its workers were called to a meeting last Friday when the manager read a report and talked about possible job losses. He said it was not because of the workers and that he was happy with their...

Other Questions: Nuclear Proliferation (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: I accept what the Minister of State said about a parliamentary visit. However, foreign affairs Ministers and parliamentary delegations from other countries have visited Iran. There is a need to create an atmosphere of openness and to promote the idea that the West wants to work with Iran in order to solve issues relating to it and other countries in the wider region. Governments and...

Other Questions: Nuclear Proliferation (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: I am not overly fixated on the idea of the visit itself. However, our small country should do whatever it can to assist in respect of this matter. As already stated, other countries have sent delegations. The most important step we can take is to encourage everyone involved in the discussions at present. The most important thing is that people continue to talk. A solution to this...

Other Questions: Military Aircraft Landings (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: With regard to the fixed-weapon aircraft which landed at Shannon Airport, the Tánaiste stated previously that it had been an administrative error. The difficulty is we do not know what is on board many of the aircraft. It is like Donald Rumsfeld's unknown unknowns. As we do not seem to carry out any inspection, it will continue to be unknown. The concern of workers and civilians...

Other Questions: Nuclear Proliferation (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: 88. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether the current multi-country talks on Iran’s nuclear programme will achieve a positive outcome; if he has discussed the issue with his European counterparts taking part in the negotiations; and his views on whether it would be timely to organise a delegation of Irish parliamentarians to that...

Other Questions: Nuclear Proliferation (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: This question relates to the situation in Iran. There is huge potential for an agreement and we are closer now than ever to one. The mood music seems to be good. There have been recent difficulties as the French Government expressed negative reports in the media. Has the Government had discussions with its European counterparts on this issue? Is it possible that a delegation from Ireland...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: Yesterday, the Palestinian delegation to the UN cast a ballot for the first time in a routine General Assembly. That is the one positive message. We hope that symbolic and important action will lead the Palestinians closer to UN membership. Unfortunately, last night there were reports that Israel had bombed Gaza, which led to Palestinian deaths. Palestinians know that the way to peace and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: 82. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the Swiss forensic test which suggests that Yasser Arafat was poisoned with radioactive polonium and that this led to his death; his views on whether this will have an impact on the current negotiations between Palestine and Israel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49071/13]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: I suppose this is moving from one talks process to another in a different region. Since we last had Question Time, compelling evidence has been released from Swiss forensic scientists suggesting that the former leader of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat, was killed by radioactive polonium. There is a question of what effect the results of these forensic tests will have on the talks...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: It is nine years since Yasser Arafat died and the event still brings more questions than answers. The recently released forensic report indicates results from Yasser Arafat's body moderately support the proposition that he was poisoned with polonium 210, which will surprise few. Polonium 210 killed Alexander Litvinenko and it is a rare and highly radioactive isotope that is extremely hard...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft Landings (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: 91. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of the landing of a US military plane in Shannon Airport with a fixed weapon, his plans to curtail and stop the movement of military aircraft through Irish airports and airspace. [48955/13]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: 92. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a cross-party delegation of MEPs, which included two Irish MEPs, were recently refused access to visit Gaza during an official visit to the region, and if he has discussed it with representatives of the Israeli Government or its embassy in Dublin. [48957/13]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: 101. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the recent negative developments in Colombia, with increased attacks on civil society organisers; and if he shares the widespread concern that they will impact negatively on the peace talks being held in Havana, Cuba. [48959/13]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (19 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: 104. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to recent reports which provide further evidence of war crimes and human rights abuses carried out by the Sri Lankan Government during the recent war with the Tamil Tigers; if he supports demands that these crimes are fully investigated; and if he will raise the issue with his European...

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: My biggest difficulty with the Finance Bill and the budget is the lack of vision. The budget was supposed to be about rebuilding our reputation and saving us from economic ruin and so forth, but the question remains, at what cost? The Government claims that it wants to rebuild a successful economy, but for whom and at what price? The budget represents a missed opportunity. I noted some...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Arms Trade Treaty: Motion (6 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: I support the decision of the Government to sign the ATT and support its ratification. One hundred and fourteen countries have signed the treaty and eight countries have ratified it. Is it intended that we will we work with our EU partners to ensure that other nations not only sign it but also ratify it? What benefit is there in signing up to the treaty but not ratifying it? What are we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations Human Rights Council: Discussion with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (6 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: Go raibh maith agat. I apologise for being late but I was speaking in the European Council debate, which went on. I therefore missed the start of Mr. Wrafter's paper, for which I apologise. I wish to raise a couple of points, some of which have been touched upon. Other speakers mentioned the great excitement both at this committee and across development organisations when Ireland gained...

European Council: Statements (6 Nov 2013)

Seán Crowe: The Taoiseach is supposed to be telling us what happened at a European Council meeting, but one does not get a sense of what actually happened at it. He tells us the Irish position but we do not have a clue what was agreed on it.