Results 901-920 of 1,687 for speaker:Eric Byrne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: I have, both as a private individual and as a representative of the joint committee on occasions, dealt directly with the embassies, which are wonderful. The quality of Ireland's embassy staff is second to none. They are liked, they interact wonderfully and do a great job for Ireland. The problem is that there are too few of them. As the Tánaiste is aware, the joint committee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: Perhaps consideration should be given-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: Perhaps consideration should be given to the diaspora having a role in the Seanad election process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Review of Foreign Affairs Policy and External Relations: Discussion (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: I can only respond through the Chair.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Councils: Discussion with Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: To correct the record, I did not mean to speak about the Russian influence on Iran I was speaking about the Russian influence on the decommissioning of chemical weapons in Syria where Lavrov played a progressive leadership role.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Councils: Discussion with Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: I welcome the Minister and his staff. I want to speak about the Ukraine because that country is of key importance to the region and to Europe. Should we be surprised by what has happened? The western media built up the association agreement as being on the verge of being signed, but we suddenly discovered there are other forces at play which have prevented the Ukraine from signing it at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Affairs Councils: Discussion with Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: The point I want to make is that this simplification of the Ukrainian issue as being a kind of Tymoshenko-Yanukovych, party of the regions conflict is wrong. What efforts is the European Union making to convey to the Eastern wing, the Russian speaking half, that we do not seek to dominate it and that we recognise a unitary state and that we will have to work overtime to woo it towards the...

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: There was also a legitimate parliament in both states.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: Given that there were parliaments in the North and the South, it had no mandate.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: You might bet your life I am.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: One was legal and the other was illegal.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: One had a mandate and the other did not.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: There is a difference between legality and illegality and having a mandate.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Social Dimension of Economic and Monetary Union: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2013)

Eric Byrne: I concur with a number of the points made by Mr. Doorley. As I understand it, we are trying to tackle the fact that 20 million are unemployed across the European Union. A wonderful aspect of the Union is that attention is paid to the social dimension of the development of European societies. I welcome the fact that a debate is taking place in Europe and that the 28 national parliaments are...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Property Taxation Application (27 Nov 2013)

Eric Byrne: 38. To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding property tax in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6W. [50947/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Social Dimension of Economic and Monetary Union: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2013)

Eric Byrne: I apologise, as I was not present last week when much of this was explained. I would have been in a better position to enter the dialogue on this complex field. Obviously, Professor Callan prepared his papers in advance of today's great news that unemployment rates had dropped from his figure of 13.5% to 12.8%. My understanding is that the European Commission is anxious to monitor and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Social Dimension of Economic and Monetary Union: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2013)

Eric Byrne: It is not mine. The rather tragic production of rankings of access to third level education is now in the public arena, but it is fascinating to note that, notwithstanding the "successes" of the private secondary school system-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Social Dimension of Economic and Monetary Union: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Nov 2013)

Eric Byrne: It puts one off. The rankings were published this morning. It is fascinating to note that, notwithstanding the number of private second level school students accessing top colleges on higher point professions, for example, medicine, dentistry and so on, there has been an increase in the number of students from working class schools throughout my constituency. I have in mind schools such as...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Enterprise Support Schemes (26 Nov 2013)

Eric Byrne: 304. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the various different types of funding available for start-up business and specifically targeted funding for new enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50173/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU General Affairs and External Relations Council: Discussion with Minister of State (14 Nov 2013)

Eric Byrne: I thank the Minister for attending. I am proud we are sitting here as a collective dealing with European affairs against the backdrop of the announcement by the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste that Ireland will see the troika leave on 15 December and that we will no longer be seeking extra financial supports. As this is the Irish European affairs committee, it is important to convey not...