Results 7,241-7,260 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: While Senator Ryan has a long-established interest in this area, I think he will accept that so do I.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: The paper calls for the development of existing provisions on openness and public access, the inclusion of the Ombudsman in the new treaty – an important role left out of the treaty – and a specific treaty base allowing for the development of detailed rules of good practice in the administration of the Union's institutions. These are concrete suggestions which, if implemented, would help...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: I am not aware of any more comprehensive arrangements in any other member or accession state. If the Senator is interested or if he has any ideas on ways to improve it, I would be delighted to hear from him. We have been very open in this area, have put in place an institutional structure which is unusually comprehensive and are more advanced in this regard than any other member state. The...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: We all have our views on that. The Convention has already played a positive role in bringing the previously closed process of treaty change into the open. This is not properly appreciated. All the other treaties were hammered out in rooms beyond of public access. The Convention is working in the public view. All the Convention documents and Government submissions are available on the...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: The Government welcomes this positive role. The energy and commitment we are bringing to bear on the Convention is absolute. When the Minister for Foreign Affairs addressed the Institute for European Affairs last January, he stated, "We have nothing to fear and everything to gain from a renewed Europe." I agree with this sentiment and I look forward to the closing phase of the Convention and...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: Yes.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: I was going to suggest that I deal with this group of questions because I think my answers might give rise to some further questions.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: I am grateful for the expressions of support from Members. Senator Bradford asked interesting questions regarding Ireland's relationship with Europe. So too did Senator Browne and I will tell him exactly how he can inspire every young person to think about Europe. These matters were also touched on by Senators Maurice Hayes and Quinn.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: Yes, a sinking feeling. Senator Henry also made a point about divisions in the European Union on the question of Iraq, which is an important and interesting one. Most of us appreciate the fact that the Union has always responded best in circumstances of crisis. For example, the defeat of the European political and defence proposals, the Pleven plan, in the French Parliament in 1954 gave rise...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: Does Senator Ryan want me to be sacked? I will go into it to this extent. When I introduced the Bill in this House, I said there would be difficulties relating to Cabinet papers. I said this, having studied the Norwegian Act, as Senator Ryan did, and having worked for the OECD in Norway. I forecast the difficulties. My concern about good administration is sincere. There should be principles...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: It took a long time for another Roche to be elected to Dáil Éireann. Senator Quinn said we need to be careful about big brother and he is correct in that regard. Like us, he is concerned about Articles 9, 11 and 12. Most of the contributions were made on the amendments to these articles and I will ask that they be sent to the Senator because they reflect some of his views.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: I apologise for interrupting the Senator. In the Jewish tradition, one puts stones on the grave and I visited at the grave of Wladyslaw Szpilman.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: In response to Senator Bannon's point about "us" and "them", he is right. We are not conscious of how people elsewhere in Europe view us. We are viewed as a positive, progressive and high achieving small state. Somehow or other we do not accept this. We always tend to defer to someone foreign. If one is looking for a consultant, one thinks that if he or she is from abroad, he or she must be...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: No. I was far more modest as I had only one week. One of the interesting statistics is that 436 of the amendments are to the first three articles alone. This suggests there is a huge amount of work to be done. The Senator also asked an interesting question about how they will be dealt with. Oddly enough, that is one of the issues I have raised. I chaired a meeting of national representatives...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: There is grandstanding going on. While many of the amendments are not relevant to the treaty, there will be a problem weeding them out. I recently compared them to a black box – a lot of stuff going in but a lesser amount coming out. One wonders what will happen to the rest. I agree with Senator Mansergh in regard to a union of states and peoples. In fact, he picked up a very interesting...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (20 Nov 2002)

Dick Roche: I am pleased to be able to introduce this short Bill in the Seanad and to commend it to the House. It is not complicated legislation but it is important because it is a further step towards enabling Ireland to ratify the Treaty of Nice and allowing the historic process of enlargement of the European Union to proceed as planned. I will explain the contents of the Bill and why they are...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (20 Nov 2002)

Dick Roche: The contributions have been most interesting and it is extraordinary how they overlap with the ongoing discussions on the convention. I am pleased to conclude the Second Stage debate and I am grateful for the support of Members. I am gratified that the approach adopted in the Bill has universal approval, particularly the decisions made on those issues which were kept outside the regulation...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (20 Nov 2002)

Dick Roche: I would be willing to co-operate with the Senators. Senator Ormonde will know this from yet another forum earlier today, but if any Senator is interested in the future of Europe debate and where the convention is going, I will do my best to provide as objective a briefing as possible. It is important that we learn from the past and engage everybody in the community in debate. The debate does...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (20 Nov 2002)

Dick Roche: We will be undercut, as the Senator knows. In Estonia there is a zero rate of corporation tax. Notwithstanding this, we need to be very careful. I put a marker down at the convention the week before last and made it absolutely clear that we were not prepared to surrender an inch. It is not just the Irish who are concerned. The Swedes take a similar view and are strongly opposed to...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (20 Nov 2002)

Dick Roche: I could only guess at this time.