Results 681-700 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I welcome representatives from Trade NI. Joining us to discuss the all-island economy are Mr. Glyn Roberts, Retail NI, Mr. Colin Neill, Hospitality Ulster, who are both online, and Mr. Stephen Kelly, who is present, from Manufacturing NI. I thank them very much for their attendance. I will explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practice of the Houses as regards...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Mr. Kelly. There is food for thought there and I have plenty of questions. I invite Mr. Roberts to make his opening address. He is very welcome.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Mr. Neill. We will do our rotation and I will explain how we do this for our guests. Each group will have ten minutes and will ask questions. We have people online and Mr. Kelly here. Witnesses should answer in the manner they think appropriate. We try to manage our meetings informally. The order of speakers is Fianna Fáil first, followed by Fine Gael, Sinn Féin, the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I do not mean to interrupt, but there is only one minute left. Perhaps we should have 20 minutes per group. I am conscious that Mr. Kelly's colleagues need to contribute. We will add another five minutes on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Mr. Kelly is very good. I could listen to him all day because he talks a lot of sense.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Do Mr. Kelly's colleagues want to come in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Just one second. I have no problem with the Deputy asking a question. I am just trying to get this thing right. I am conscious that everyone should be able to make a contribution. I want to bring in the other witnesses, if they wish to contribute.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I just want to get the times right. I do not want people complaining that they cannot contribute. We started off with ten minutes and we are now at 20. There is no issue with time; I just want to make sure that everybody is fairly included. If Deputy Smith wants to ask a question, that is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: If Mr. Roberts and Mr. Neill want to comment on any of the issues or questions, or to add to the discussion at this stage, they are more than welcome to do so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Would Mr. Neill like to come in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Would Mr. Neill like to come in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: The comments from all our witnesses have been very interesting. They have raised some challenging issues.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: Those were very interesting and important points. I have a small issue which I want to get right. Two of our guests have to go at half past the hour and I have to allow Deputy Wynne in, as she has not spoken yet. There is 1 minute and 40 seconds left in the Deputy's slot but I was going to take Deputy Wynne and then go back to the others and anybody else who has not spoken at the end.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: We will not have time because there is an Independent member waiting. She is next in line.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: There is only a minute left. We have given 23 minutes to every group.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have given 23 minutes to everybody. There is nobody not being included. It is important to take Deputy Wynne because she has not had an opportunity to ask a question. We will then go back to all of the speakers or anyone who wants to comment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: To help everybody, if our two guests have to leave at half past the hour, would it be fair to allow them in-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: While we are recording everything the witnesses have said, if they want to send us in any further ideas or recommendations they think the committee might include in its report, we would be more than happy to try to take them on board if we can.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Dec 2023)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Mr. Neill and Mr. Roberts for their contributions. I now call Mr. Kelly, after which we will hear from people in the following sequence: Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, as we agreed in the beginning. If anyone wants to change that, we can do that after Mr. Kelly has made his contribution.