Results 8,381-8,400 of 13,254 for speaker:Seán Sherlock

Topical Issue Debate: Traffic Management (26 Jan 2016)

Seán Sherlock: I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe. I understand that Deputy Dowds has been very proactive on this issue for quite some time and I thank him for raising the matter. I understand that the background to this issue arises from the concerns of local residents living in the immediate area in relation to the use of...

Topical Issue Debate: Airport Development Projects (26 Jan 2016)

Seán Sherlock: I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who apologises for being unable to attend this afternoon. The Exchequer provides funding supports to the four regional airports in Donegal, Kerry, Waterford and Knock under the regional airports programme operated by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Over the...

Topical Issue Debate: Airport Development Projects (26 Jan 2016)

Seán Sherlock: I note the points the Deputy has made. I do not have an answer to that question, but I am sure departmental officials and the Minister's staff are watching proceedings and I am sure the Deputy will approach the Minister directly on this issue. For the purpose of replying, I will reiterate that I do not think it is a case of ruling out the possibility of 90% funding. I do not think that was...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Framework Agreement: Motion (26 Jan 2016)

Seán Sherlock: I thank the Vice Chairman.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Framework Agreement: Motion (26 Jan 2016)

Seán Sherlock: I would not disagree with anything Deputy Smith has said. I share some of his concerns, as do certain European member states, on the dispute mechanism. However, we must remember that this agreement is far from being concluded. We are currently engaged in the 12th round of talks and a mechanism has been proposed by the European Union on the investment courts but we are a long way off an...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Framework Agreement: Motion (26 Jan 2016)

Seán Sherlock: As a nation, we are now very discerning when it comes to ensuring a proper dividend is paid to the worker who operates in the field. We are satisfied that the agreement contains protections in that regard. I will restate the following for the benefit of the committee. In 2014 there was a trade surplus of €1.7 billion in favour of Central America. That shows that the trade terms...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Framework Agreement: Motion (26 Jan 2016)

Seán Sherlock: I wish to thank Deputies in general terms for their comments. I will endeavour to reply to some of the issues that have been raised. As regards labour rights and the universal standards that apply to them, the eight core principles of the ILO are part of that agreement. As regards the main provisions of the agreement concerning human rights, if one examines the various articles inherent in...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Framework Agreement: Motion (26 Jan 2016)

Seán Sherlock: I thank the Vice Chairman and the members of the select committee for the opportunity to discuss the motion proposed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, which has been referred to it for consideration. I am joined today by Caoimhe Ní Chonchuir, Paul O'Hara, Elisa Cavacece and Karl Finnegan from the Department. The motion seeks Dáil approval...

Confidence in Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Jan 2016)

Seán Sherlock: Tripe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Current Developments in Northern Ireland: Discussion on Fresh Start Agreement (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: I thank the Chairman and members of the committee. I welcome the opportunity to address the committee on the current situation in Northern Ireland and the agreement reached following ten weeks of intensive talks. As members of the committee will know, these talks were brought to a successful conclusion on 17 November 2015 with negotiations resulting in “A Fresh Start – the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Current Developments in Northern Ireland: Discussion on Fresh Start Agreement (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: I will come back to the Chairman on the petitions of concern, but as I have said, it was not the Irish Government which pressed for an agreement that completely left aside the legacy of the past. The Government was faced with a choice between having an agreement which uncoupled the past or having no agreement at all. With regard to dealing with the legacy, there is a very firm commitment by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Current Developments in Northern Ireland: Discussion on Fresh Start Agreement (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: I will endeavour to be as comprehensive as possible. If I miss out on something, I hope members will come back in. Deputy Kitt made a point on legacy. We took the view that we were close to agreement on the operation of the historical investigations unit, including on the provision of guaranteeing its independence and the point that it would be compliant with the Patten principles on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Current Developments in Northern Ireland: Discussion on Fresh Start Agreement (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: Has the Senator ever driven through the Dunkettle roundabout?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Current Developments in Northern Ireland: Discussion on Fresh Start Agreement (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: It is in my parish.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Current Developments in Northern Ireland: Discussion on Fresh Start Agreement (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: I would like, first, to thank Dr. Alasdair McDonnell for his good wishes in that sense. We should note the contribution he made as a negotiator on behalf of his party; he was at the table as well. A great deal of work was done by all parties in respect of the contributions to this agreement. I am just one person. Along with the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, I represented the Irish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Current Developments in Northern Ireland: Discussion on Fresh Start Agreement (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: We will continue the engagement with the Secretary of State. We have a soon to be appointed First Minister, if that person has not been ratified already and there is a Deputy First Minister. With respect to the negotiations, we felt strongly that we had made progress on the legacy issues. If the parties within the Executive feel that there is an urgency about dealing with these matters in...

Other Questions: Humanitarian Aid (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: Ireland’s bilateral relationship with Ethiopia is very strong. Official Ethiopian Government figures for January 2016 indicate that 10.2 million people will require food assistance, in addition to the 7.9 million receiving food and cash transfers as part of the productive safety nets programme. Ireland is one of the core funders of the programme through Irish Aid and the embassy. We...

Other Questions: Humanitarian Aid (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: There is due to be a meeting of Development Ministers in January. I am not entirely sure if it was raised in December, but I will check for the Deputy. It is fair to say that in our response to the crisis in Ethiopia we are punching above our weight. Through the bilateral aid programme we have provided €3.8 million to help meet the immediate humanitarian need. I met the...

Other Questions: Humanitarian Aid (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: I thank the Deputy for the question. The current El Niño weather event is one of the strongest ever measured. More unpredictable weather conditions are already having a detrimental effect on people’s lives and livelihoods across Africa, particularly in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region. In the next six months humanitarian needs will increase, with severe droughts...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (17 Dec 2015)

Seán Sherlock: I am deeply concerned about the ongoing violence and human rights violations in Burundi. The decision of the President to seek a third term in office prompted widespread public protest and an attempted coup in May 2015. The Burundian Government responded with extremely repressive measures, including extra-judicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and restrictions on freedom of expression....