Results 8,441-8,460 of 18,450 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pork Exports (4 Mar 2014)

Brendan Smith: 369. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of the most recent meeting of chief veterinary officers of the European Union in relation to the ban by Russia on all imports of pigmeat from the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10986/14]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pork Exports (4 Mar 2014)

Brendan Smith: 370. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the discussions he has had with the European Union Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development and with the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy in relation to the decision by Russia to ban all imports of pigmeat from the EU; if his attention has been drawn to the serious financial pressures on pig producers at...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pork Exports (4 Mar 2014)

Brendan Smith: 371. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has had any discussions with the Russian authorities in relation to the need to re-open their market for the import of pigmeat from Ireland as this country is free of the disease that gave rise to the implementation of the ban; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10988/14]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Industry Issues (4 Mar 2014)

Brendan Smith: 372. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he will implement to deal with the serious problems facing beef producers due to the reduction in prices and changes to carcass specification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10990/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: I concur with the remarks of the Chairman and Deputy Durkan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Review of Foreign Policy and External Relations: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: Unfortunately, there were more incomplete issues than I believed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Review of Foreign Policy and External Relations: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (26 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the Minister of State's statement. I will be very brief because I already had the opportunity to contribute at the meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade which the Tánaiste attended and through parliamentary questions, as the Minister of State knows. I refer to the need to include in our policy the development of an all-Ireland framework. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the submission by school management and professional bodies to his Department on the need for an external assessment model to support the process of school-based assessment in the Junior Cycle Framework, if he will be proposing a model of external assessment; if he will provide information regarding same; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 139. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the submission by school management and professional bodies to his Department on the resources needed for the successful implementation of the new Junior Cycle Framework, if he will consider lifting the moratorium on posts of responsibility in order that schools can appoint appropriate personnel to educational leadership posts,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (25 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 169. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the outcome of discussions at the recent EU Foreign Affairs Council in relation to the serious unrest in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9662/14]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (25 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 168. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the UN Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea; if he will raise these very serious findings at the next EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9661/14]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Northern Ireland Issues (20 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 45. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had any recent discussion with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State and with members of the Northern Ireland Executive in relation to the proposed Bill of rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8804/14]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Credit Unions (20 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 62. To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding a credit union (details supplied) which is not being allowed to hold an annual general meeting for the second year in a row as a result of the Central Bank of Ireland refusing to accept the credit union’s auditor’s value in use of the credit union’s building; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (20 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 170. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding a proposal by Monaghan County Council (details supplied); if urgent consideration will be given to the finalisation of this application and the approval of funding for this particular project which is long awaited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8803/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (20 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 177. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding a proposal by Monaghan County Council (details supplied); if urgent consideration will be given to the finalisation of this application and the approval of funding for this particular project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8878/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Support Services Provision (20 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 244. To ask the Minister for Health if services for young adults with special needs in the Kingscourt area, County Cavan will be provided in County Cavan as was the case up to late 2013 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8865/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Housing in Developing Countries: Habitat for Humanity (19 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the contributions and I compliment Habitat for Humanity on its work in many deprived communities. The figure of 1.6 billion people living in inadequate accommodation - to put it mildly - is a frightening statistic. The other statistic often quoted is that 1 billion people go to bed hungry every night. These two statistics are really a terrible indictment of the international...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Development Aid Provision (19 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: Like Deputy Seán Crowe, I welcome the recent announcement of the further allocation of funding for Syria and the adjoining region. I take the opportunity to emphasise again the need for assistance for the region, although I fully understand there are many competing demands. Am I correct in thinking the Minister of State said the percentage of GNP spent this year on overseas development...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Development Aid Provision (19 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: The measurement of our overseas development aid is dependent on national income. There are always competing demands, even in good times, for increased expenditure and we must manage expectations in other areas in which there is public expenditure. I appeal to the Minister of State in this regard. Is the percentage based on national income? I would prefer if the Minister of State were more...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Overseas Development Aid Provision (19 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 4. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his Department’s strategy in achieving the 0.7% GNP target for overseas development aid by 2015 as outlined in the Programme for Government 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8252/14]