Results 7,441-7,460 of 18,325 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Topical Issue Debate: Mobile Telephony (12 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the decision to allow me to raise this issue. I am glad the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, is here as he should have great empathy for consumers in the Border areas, which are once again the victim of bad decision making in Europe. It is extremely regrettable that EU Ministers have agreed to delay the abolition of mobile phone roaming charges...

Protection of the Environment (Criminal Activity) (Amendment) Bill 2015: First Stage (12 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: I move:That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for the amendment of the Protection of the Environment Act 2003 in order to establish a cross-Border statutory agency to investigate and report on fuel smuggling and other criminal activity in counties adjacent to the Border between Northern Ireland and this jurisdiction.In this Bill, I propose the establishment of a...

Protection of the Environment (Criminal Activity) (Amendment) Bill 2015: First Stage (12 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Issues (12 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: 222. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the preparation of guidelines for the labelling of products from Israeli settlements, taking into account that the former Minister for Foreign Affairs in January 2014 stated that if progress was not made at European Union level in respect of the preparation of guidelines then the development of such guidelines would...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (12 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: 223. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans, through Ireland's participation on the United Nations Human Rights Council, to seek accountability for potential war crimes committed by all participants in the conflict between Israeli, and Palestinian factions, in summer 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11000/15]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (12 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: 224. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the criteria used to decide on the recent reductions in Irish Aid funding, for Irish non-governmental organisations; the criteria used in respect of the Irish Aid budget for the European Development Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11016/15]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (12 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: 225. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the greater demands on the Irish Aid budget, for emergencies such as the Ebola crisis, the ongoing Syrian crisis and the growing number of natural disasters, is impacting on the level of funding made to Irish non-governmental organisations; if there is a specific arrangement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: 237. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if grant aid is available for small-sized primary schools to provide assembly areas, general practitioner rooms and physical education facilities, where there are very limited or no sporting and recreational facilities available at present; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11002/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staffing (12 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: 238. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure there will be no reduction of the staffing complement of a school (details supplied) in County Cavan; if she will further ensure that all the relevant issues outlined in recent correspondence from the school to her Department pertaining to the distance of this school to the next nearest primary school and the remote location...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Update on EU Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (11 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his detailed outline of the issues discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council. With regard to the Ebola outbreak, I want to put on the record our recognition of the important role played by officials in the Minister's Department and by Irish NGOs. Both Ireland and the EU have been substantial donors in regard to dealing with this outbreak. Does the Minister know what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Update on EU Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (11 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: May I raise a point with the Minister?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Update on EU Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (11 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: I presume the Minister is travelling to the Unites States next week and I hope he can again raise the proposed immigration reform legislation. Pessimism is setting in again among families who have family members in the United States who are hoping to be beneficiaries of the proposed legislation. We need to send out a message to our communities and families throughout the country that every...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (11 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: 70. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of staff at Waterways Ireland, and also the staff of other All Ireland Bodies, in relation to the proposal to impose an extra pension contribution on them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10700/15]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects Expenditure (11 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: 158. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide consideration to a motion adopted by the Carrickmacross-Castleblayney municipal district, County Monaghan in respect of funding for road improvement works (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10679/15]

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Triocha ar an mBunreacht (Neodracht) 2013: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment to the Constitution (Neutrality) Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (6 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: The people had their say.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Triocha ar an mBunreacht (Neodracht) 2013: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment to the Constitution (Neutrality) Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (6 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: The Deputy did not mention that the people had decided in the referendum put before them.

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Triocha ar an mBunreacht (Neodracht) 2013: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment to the Constitution (Neutrality) Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (6 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: The people are sovereign through our electoral system and that is where sovereignty must reside. Another myth that Sinn Féin and other supporters of this Bill peddle is that of increasing militarisation. The truth is that all over Europe, military expenditure has declined rapidly in the 20 years after 1989. Now events in Ukraine may reverse that in some countries where the...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Triocha ar an mBunreacht (Neodracht) 2013: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment to the Constitution (Neutrality) Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (6 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: Fianna Fáil is dedicated to Ireland's policy of military neutrality. It is a policy we have pursued both in and out of government and its key defining characteristic is non-membership of military alliances. This policy of military neutrality has gone hand in hand with strong support for international co-operation to ensure peace and stability, as manifested in Ireland's participation...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TAMS Eligibility (5 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: 132. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if milk recording systems and milk parlour feeding systems will be eligible for grant aid under the targeted agricultural management scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9814/15]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming (5 Mar 2015)

Brendan Smith: 133. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if grant aid will be provided for a fodder growing system in respect of farmers involved in organic farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9815/15]