Results 6,501-6,520 of 18,496 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Defence: National Lottery Funding Applications (8 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: 535. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if national lottery funding is available at present through his Department to support the work of community groups; if so, if there are specific programmes eligible for grant assistance; the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33269/16]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Promotions (8 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: 536. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to amend the Defence Forces Regulation C S 4 with respect to the Naval Service to make an additional appointment to the rank of captain; if this plan will impact on Naval Service officers currently serving; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33284/16]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (8 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: 537. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his Department recognises the Defence Forces conciliation and arbitration scheme and Promotion Agreement CR295 & CR447; and his Department's stance on the necessary negotiation with Defence Forces' representative associations prior to changing any elements of either policy instrument. [33285/16]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Maghaberry Prison: Discussion (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the contributions. The three contributors have painted a very depressing and worrying picture of the conditions and treatment meted out to prisoners in Maghaberry Prison. My recollection is that in 2015, the chief inspector of prisons presented a very damning report on the conditions in the prison about management, inefficiencies and a lack of resources that have been referred...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Media Freedom in Turkey: National Union of Journalists (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: Apologies have been received from Deputies Barrett and Grealish. At today's meeting, we will discuss with members of the National Union of Journalists, NUJ, the union's campaign to highlight the threat to media freedom in Turkey and the work of the International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, in tackling global abuse of media freedom. I welcome the following: Mr. Gerry Carson, who is the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Media Freedom in Turkey: National Union of Journalists (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: I understand the witnesses must complete their contributions by 12.30 p.m. at the latest. I ask members to bear that in mind in order that we can have some interaction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Media Freedom in Turkey: National Union of Journalists (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: Will Mr. Carson and his colleagues now respond to the various points that have been made?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Media Freedom in Turkey: National Union of Journalists (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: I thank Mr Carson. Could I ask him whether he knows if any of his colleagues in other states had an opportunity to make a presentation to the foreign affairs committee of their national parliaments?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Media Freedom in Turkey: National Union of Journalists (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: It might be a suggestion that the more opportunities there are to present to foreign affairs committees of various parliaments the better.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Media Freedom in Turkey: National Union of Journalists (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: I propose that we write to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline the concerns of the members who contributed today and also those of the delegation regarding the very serious issues in Turkey. We could also ask the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, if he would raise at the EU Foreign Affairs Council the particular concerns about human rights issues for journalists and others in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Media Freedom in Turkey: National Union of Journalists (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: No. We can discuss that after the meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Media Freedom in Turkey: National Union of Journalists (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: I presume the proposal is agreeable. It can be an addendum to my proposal.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Media Freedom in Turkey: National Union of Journalists (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: We have referred to follow-up action. There is a time constraint on the delegation as it has another commitment. It is slightly after 12.30 p.m. now. I thank the witnesses for their presentation. Deputy O'Brien asked me to facilitate a meeting when he got the request, and we did that within a very short timeframe. It is important, as the witnesses said, to create an awareness. We will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Statement of Strategy: Motion (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: The second item is a motion submitted by Senator Mark Daly that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's statement of strategy 2015 to 2017 would include Ireland's position of neutrality as a strong core value of the State and of the Irish people. Does the Senator wish to make a statement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Statement of Strategy: Motion (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: Thank you, Senator Bacik. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: European Defence Agency: Motion (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: All mobile phones should be switched off as they cause interference, even if left in silent mode, with the recording equipment in the committee rooms. The purpose of the meeting is to consider the following motion which was referred to the select committee by Dáil Éireann on 18 October 2016:That Dáil Éireann approves the participation by Ireland in two European Defence...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: European Defence Agency: Motion (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: We should always remind ourselves that the Nice treaty included provisions affirming that Ireland could not take part in a common defence without further amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann. I sincerely hope that possibility will never arise. We also have the Seville Declaration of 2002 in which we obtained agreement among our EU partners on Ireland's position on military neutrality....

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: European Defence Agency: Motion (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: There is an onus on us all to amplify the provisions in the Seville Declaration which is very clear about what we can and cannot participate in. We should all give that more currency when debates on this arise. Maintenance of our neutrality is a strong issue for us going back many decades. That cannot be diluted in any way whatsoever. That is the overwhelming view of the people of this...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: European Defence Agency: Motion (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: At the recent parliamentary meeting on the Common Foreign and Security Policy held in Bratislava in conjunction with the Presidency, I took the opportunity in any discussions to reaffirm very strongly the Irish position. Officials have told me that predecessors of mine and other people who participated in those parliamentary meetings took the opportunity to outline exactly the Irish...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: European Defence Agency: Motion (3 Nov 2016)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister of State and his officials for attending and Deputies Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Maureen O’Sullivan and Lisa Chambers for their participation in the debate.