Results 8,481-8,500 of 18,450 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Waterways Ireland Expenditure (11 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 340. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the level of expenditure incurred to date in relation to the feasibility study and any other studies undertaken in respect of the proposed extension of the Erne Navigation from Belturbet to Killykeen and Killeshandra; if his Department proposes to review the decision not to proceed with this project any further; and if he will make...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Genomics Scheme (11 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 520. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the precise costs involved for individual farmers in terms of genotype testing for suckler farmers who wish to partake in the beef genomics scheme for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6852/14]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (11 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 521. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals, if any, he has to reverse his decision to incorporate the sheep grassland scheme payments into the single farm payment of sheep farmers where the benefits of the grassland scheme will be eroded under the single farm payment convergence and approximation mechanism to be implemented; if he will reverse his decision to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Single Payment Scheme Eligibility (11 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 522. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the strong opposition among sheep farmers to his decision effectively to abolish the sheep grassland scheme in his recent announcement on the Common Agricultural Policy; if he will provide details of the analysis his decision was based on; if he will outline the mechanisms now in place to prevent...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Roads Maintenance (11 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 673. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if funding will be allocated to the National Roads Authority this year in respect of necessary upgrading of the east-west route from Cootehill, County Cavan through Shercock and Carrickmacross to Dundalk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6622/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Discussion with Commissioner for Victims and Survivors (6 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: I am grateful to Ms Stone for briefing me shortly after her appointment and her subsequent engagement. Her presentation was excellent and dealt comprehensively with the different aspects of victims' needs and other legacies of the past. In the aftermath of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Kenneth Bloomfield was appointed as victims commissioner in the North and the former...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: North-South Co-operation on Health and EU Directive on Patients' Rights: Department of Health (6 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the delegation from the Department and I thank Ms Nic Aongusa and Mr. Barron for their presentations. I agree with Deputy Conlan in regard to the need to improve practical co-operation on a daily basis. Over the years there has been the provision of services by Omagh hospital for Monaghan and a dialysis service from Daisy Hill Hospital for patients in County Louth in particular....

Other Questions: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (6 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 6. To ask the Minister for Defence his views on the use of unmanned drones in military operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1482/14]

Other Questions: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (6 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: As a country we should clearly outline our total opposition to the use in combat of unmanned drones, also known as unmanned combat aerial vehicles or UCAVs. The EU must take steps, through the UN, to bring a halt to unlawful UCAV attacks. It should promote the agreement of an international treaty on UCAVs and the extension of the scope of the arms trade treaty to include UCAVs. The UN...

Other Questions: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (6 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Minister for his reply. When I said we should be opposed to the use of drones, I was of course referring to their use in combat rather than their use in surveillance work. Does the Minister recall whether the comments of the UN special rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism were discussed at EU level? The rapporteur, Mr. Emmerson, is engaged in an ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Pensions Issues (6 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 80. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when it is proposed to carry out actuarial estimates for the cost of public sector pensions; if it is proposed to carry out such estimates on a regular basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6116/14]

Written Answers — Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Ulster Canal Restoration Project (6 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 111. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the up to date position in regard to the proposed restoration of the Ulster Canal; when the project is likely to proceed to the next stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6079/14]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse Slaughtering Data (6 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 173. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals he has to assist farmers who wish to dispose of horses in view of the poor market returns for such animals at present; if he proposes to introduce a scheme for the depopulation of horses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6120/14]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Roads Maintenance (6 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 260. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his proposals to provide additional grant aid to Cavan County Council for its non-national roadworks programme for 2014 in view of the recent deterioration in road conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6080/14]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Roads Maintenance (6 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 261. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his proposals to provide additional grant aid to Monaghan County Council for its non-national roadworks programme for 2014 in view of the recent deterioration in road conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6081/14]

Northern Ireland: Statements (Resumed) (5 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: That is not correct. Absolutely incorrect.

Northern Ireland: Statements (Resumed) (5 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: The Good Friday Agreement is a powerful and lasting achievement, marking an historic breakthrough in relations on this island, as well as in relations between Ireland and Britain. All of us must be conscious of the significant benefits that have derived from the Agreement but we must be diligent in our work to ensure the peace process is not just about the absence of violence. That is not...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (5 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: 9. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the number of persons who have travelled from Ireland to fight in the Syrian civil war; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1506/14]

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (5 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: This question refers to the greatest humanitarian crisis of modern times. Up to 2.3 million Syrian people are refugees in neighbouring countries, half of whom are children. Up to 6.5 million people have been displaced internally with upwards of 130,000 murdered. Foreign fighters began arriving in earnest in Syria in early 2012, a year after peaceful protests against the al-Assad regime...

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (5 Feb 2014)

Brendan Smith: Has the issue of Europeans taking part in this conflict been discussed at the Justice and Home Affairs Council?