Results 8,241-8,260 of 18,325 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I want to reiterate my commendation of the work of the SDLP, the Alliance Party and the Sinn Féin Party prior to the end of the year in making a genuine effort to reach agreement. It is most regrettable that the UUP has now withdrawn from those five-party talks. I believe that more urgency needs to be attached to this. If we have it in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 1. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update regarding the actions he has taken to progress the completion of the Haass talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15505/14]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: It is most disappointing that there has not been a successful conclusion to the Haass talks, which concern issues of the utmost importance to the people of Northern Ireland and of all of this island. We need a satisfactory means of dealing with the contentious issues of parades, flags and contending with the past. Time is not on our side to reach a successful conclusion. The lack of a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Northern Ireland Issues (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his reply. I welcome the particular phraseology he used towards the end of his contribution when he said there is an expectation of delivery. We hope that can be achieved. My one concern, which I have reiterated in this House on numerous occasions, is that there does not seem to be the urgency attached to these talks that there needs to be. We missed the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 13. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions he has taken alongside his EU counterparts regarding the deteriorating situation in Egypt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15383/14]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 16. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is concerned at the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus in Guinea; if Irish Aid has any plans to support a response to this outbreak; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15250/14]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: US Immigration Reform (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 20. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made on the possibility of immigration reform legislation being passed by the United States Congress following the St. Patrick's week discussions between the Irish Government and the US Administration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15251/14]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 25. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has conducted an audit of Irish exporting companies that could be affected as a result of possible sanctions being placed by Russia on EU goods and services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15249/14]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Scottish Referendum (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 30. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has examined the policy implications for Ireland of a "Yes" vote in the Scottish independence referendum; if he will support Scotland's application for membership of the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15253/14]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 55. To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding a person now in their 60s who was informally adopted during the early months of their life, cared for and raised by an aunt and her husband who have now died and left the family home-estate to them; the way problems which are now arising in relation to probate and taxation can be rectified (details supplied); and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (3 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 156. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the provision being made to continue the necessary subvention payments to group water schemes to meet ongoing costs following the establishment of Irish Water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15878/14]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (2 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 60. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the Irish position regarding the independence campaign of the Lunda Tchokwe nation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15468/14]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (2 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 61. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is concerned by the human rights abuses taking place in Lunda Tchokwe; if he has raised these concerns at an EU level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15469/14]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Issues (2 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 62. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised at the Foreign Affairs Council of Ministers the need for the European Union to give maximum support to the settlement negotiations that are under way with the aim of the reunification of Cyprus following the 11 February joint declaration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15605/14]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions (2 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 112. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a public servant who has reached the age of 50 years is eligible to retire on a full pension even though they are a few months short of a full 30 years service; if it is possible for the public servant to purchase the outstanding service incentivised retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15455/14]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Inland Waterways Development (2 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 157. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update in relation to the proposal to restore the Ulster Canal; when specific funding will be put in place for this major and important development; when the project is likely to proceed to the next stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15663/14]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: On-farm Investment Schemes (2 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 196. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the schemes that will be funded under the on-farm capital investment proposed for the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15509/14]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Cycle Network (2 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 274. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding an application by Cavan, Leitrim and Sligo county councils for funding towards the development of a greenway on an old railway line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15665/14]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Private Bus Operators (2 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: 278. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be provided by the National Transport Authority towards the provision of a new bus service where Bus Éireann ceased operations and was in receipt of a subsidy (details supplied); if consideration will be given to this request of the coach operator, as an important service for a vast rural area is being provided by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (1 Apr 2014)

Brendan Smith: I apologise for coming late, but I had made commitments prior to the scheduling of this meeting. I thank Ms O'Neill and Ms Ní Chasaide for the clarity of their very targeted and comprehensive statement. The issue of international tax justice was raised. During the June 2013 G8 summit held in County Fermanagh, one of the issues discussed by the groups involved in international...