Results 8,541-8,560 of 18,459 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: Of the 631,000 passports issued last year, what proportion were issued abroad, for example, in Britain or the United States? The honorary consul service which is under review is extremely important and a service we all underestimate. Does the Tánaiste envisage that the review will advocate a substantial extension of the consulate service, in particular, throughout the United States?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised) (22 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Tánaiste for his introductory remarks. I welcome the Government announcement yesterday on the expansion of the Irish diplomatic network, which is very important in terms of the locations that got either a new embassy or a new consulate. With regard to trade promotion, is it only Enterprise Ireland trade missions that work in association with the Department? Is there a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: I welcome Mr. Butler's presentation and the detailed paper. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to go through his paper in detail but I look forward to reading it later today. I have several comments. How does Mr. Butler see the European External Action Service developing? Does he see it impacting on our foreign policy in the future? It has not been a great success to date but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: Is it from Mr. O'Halpin?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: My apologies. Strength of our parliamentary system and our political system is that, by and large, the political system supports the Minister and the Government of the day while they are on international business, whether it is at EU level or otherwise, although that is not to say we do not have our nuances and some differences of emphasis. By and large, however, the Minister doing business...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: On a point of information, our party in opposition has not criticised trade missions or Ministers going on St. Patrick's Day business. We actually welcome and encourage it. That may have been the situation in the past but not now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Chairman. My apologies for missing the earlier part of the meeting. I was at another committee meeting. I welcome Mr. Staunton. In his closing remarks he referred to Irish officials being seconded to international organisations and so on. From my limited experience in government, officials were invaluable to Departments, especially those who had experience in the European...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Effects of Violence: Justice for the Forgotten (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: I welcome Ms Margaret Urwin and Ms Anne Cadwallader and compliment them on their presentations. Ms Cadwallader has done the public a service in the publication of the book Lethal Allies. As the Chairman said it is chilling to read the stories. Some months ago, I heard the former Deputy First Minister, Mr. Seamus Mallon, recall in graphic detail some of the atrocities that were carried out...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Civic Forum for Northern Ireland: SDLP (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: I welcome the delegation and I thank John Dallat, MLA, and Dolores Kelly, MLA, for their contributions. I fully support the establishment of the civic forum and hopefully we can have the North-South consultative forum established as well. I have tabled numerous parliamentary questions in the House in order to keep it on the agenda. Before the delegation came into the meeting, Conor Murphy,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Book Rental Scheme (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: 98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the eligibility requirements for the book rental scheme with particular reference to the exclusion of schools which had already established their own schemes; if he will take into account the circumstances pertaining to a school as outlined in direct correspondence to him (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme Funding (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: 214. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details of all capital assistance grants allocated for housing to Cavan County Council for 2010 to 2014, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2074/14]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme Funding (16 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: 215. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details of all capital assistance grants allocated for housing to Monaghan County Council for 2010 to 2014, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2075/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: How does Professor Tonra see EU enlargement panning out? If there is substantial further enlargement, does he envisage an easterly shift in the sphere of influence?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: I welcome Professor Tonra. Mr. Dorr mentioned that most books on international relations are written from the viewpoint of larger states. I hope the courses in our universities and third level colleges are not framed from that point of view. I hope there is the independence needed in providing courses and curricula. With regard to the architecture of the United Nations, I do not know...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: I welcome Mr. Dorr's presentation. He stated that most books on international relations were written from the viewpoint of larger states. Many of our higher education colleges and universities provide courses in international relations. Professor Tonra will address the committee later. Is Mr. Dorr familiar with the courses provided in our universities? Are they framed from a similar...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (15 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: I would like to give way to Senator Jim Walsh as he must return to the Seanad.

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (15 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: 12. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the ongoing efforts of the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, in the Middle East peace process will be discussed at the next EU Foreign Affairs Council; if he has had any direct contact with either the Israeli or Palestinian authorities or with the Secretary of State; and if he will make a statement on...

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (15 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: At the beginning of this year the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, held talks with Israeli and Palestinian representatives in an effort to secure a framework for a final Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. Six months since the talks overseen by Mr. Kerry began, it is hoped that he will be able, within weeks, to present a framework agreement, after which the finer details...

Other Questions: Middle East Peace Process (15 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. It is very disappointing that Israel last week announced plans to build 1,400 new homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Indeed, if I recall correctly, it was a dispute over settlement construction that put an end to the last peace talks. I welcome Commissioner Catherine Ashton's statement calling on Israel to halt all...

Other Questions: Undocumented Irish in the USA (15 Jan 2014)

Brendan Smith: I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. We have been kept updated on the efforts being made at embassy level and on the constant lobbying of Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives. We have discussed in this House the very difficult position facing many families and individuals, people whose position is not regularised in the United States and who have been unable to come...