Results 13,341-13,360 of 15,429 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Co-operation Agreement between the European Union and Republic of Kazakhstan: Motion (23 Oct 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Vice Chair and members for giving me the opportunity to discuss the motion referred to the select committee for consideration. The motion Dáil Éireann has been asked to approve reads:That Dáil Éireann approves the terms of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Co-operation Agreement between the European Union and Republic of Kazakhstan: Motion (23 Oct 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Chairman and members for their comments and questions. I will respond first to the comments made by Deputy Barrett. I agree with him that we need to look further afield. If anything, Brexit highlights that sometimes we rely on our neighbours more than we thought we did. Certainly, while our closest neighbours within the EU will continue to be our largest market, providing us...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Co-operation Agreement between the European Union and Republic of Kazakhstan: Motion (23 Oct 2018)

Helen McEntee: Absolutely. To answer the question about whether supports have ever been stopped, I am not aware of that happening. There are sanctions on Turkey and Russia, but even with sanctions in place we have always continued to engage with countries. The EU was established and developed on the basis of dialogue. It is underpinned by the key fundamentals of democracy, human rights, freedom of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (26 Sep 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Chairman and committee members for their invitation to this meeting. It is important that we meet every few months because it give us an opportunity to engage on the relevant issues. I join the Chairman in acknowledging the importance of languages. Having spent the past year engaging with students, universities and with our European colleagues, I recognise that the development...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (26 Sep 2018)

Helen McEntee: I will reply to the questions in reverse order and respond to those who are present. In response to what Senator Craughwell said about a hard Brexit, we are doing everything in our power to avoid that. It is the last scenario we want to happen. In terms of contingency planning, we are planning and we have started recruitment. Last week the Cabinet gave approval to begin recruiting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (26 Sep 2018)

Helen McEntee: It is an issue that has been raised continuously. While we cannot deal with some future relationships, we can discuss the challenges, of which the land bridge is particularly notable. The European Commission, the United Kingdom and member states are well aware of it and trying to address it. On the overall budget, with our colleagues in Belgium, we have referred to the need for...

Brexit Negotiations: Statements (25 Sep 2018)

Helen McEntee: I will conclude by reiterating a couple of points and by trying to address the many points raised by many of the Deputies. Time is running short. We have all agreed on that and acknowledged it. The efforts in the negotiations will, however, be redoubled and intensified in the coming weeks. We need to see the successful completion of negotiations by the end of the period. The October...

Brexit Negotiations: Statements (25 Sep 2018)

Helen McEntee: The UK's departure from the EU poses a unique and unprecedented challenge for Ireland. The depth and strength of the ties between our islands, across so many areas, means that our relationship is unique. This relationship has only been enhanced and deepened by both countries' membership of the European Union. The complexity of the UK's departure and the scale of the challenge it presents...

Implications of Brexit for Irish Ports: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (11 Jul 2018)

Helen McEntee: On behalf of the Government I thank the Deputies for their contributions on Ireland's transport network and the importance of maintaining and enhancing our connectivity with the rest of Europe, especially in the context of the UK departure from the European Union and Brexit. While I share the Sinn Féin concern about Brexit implicit in its countermotion, the Government will not on...

European Council: Statements (4 Jul 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for his comments and questions. First, in terms of enlargement, Ireland has been consistently a supporter of the enlargement process, something which would have transcended Governments, given how it has transformed itself significantly through membership of the European Union over the past 45 years. There are three states, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro in...

European Council: Statements (4 Jul 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputies for their questions. I might comment on a couple of issues raised throughout the debate.

European Council: Statements (4 Jul 2018)

Helen McEntee: I have been told I cannot do a wrap up as part of this. There is another Minister doing the wrap up while I am taking the questions. I might have to come back to Deputy O'Sullivan on the Cuba question, if that is okay.

European Council: Statements (4 Jul 2018)

Helen McEntee: I apologise. Syria was not discussed at the most recent European Council but was discussed at the February Council. Ireland is extremely concerned by what is happening and has continued to provide aid to support those affected in Syria. We have provided €110 million since the conflict started albeit we would like to do more. We are working with our European counterparts. We regret...

European Council: Statements (4 Jul 2018)

Helen McEntee: In his statement, the Taoiseach spoke in some detail about the European Council's discussions on Brexit, migration, jobs, growth and competitiveness, and economic and monetary union. As he indicated, I will now speak about some of the other items discussed by Heads of State and Government, including the multi-annual financial framework, MFF, digital and innovation issues, and the enlargement...

Pre-European Council: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Helen McEntee: As the Taoiseach indicated, I will address the other issues on the agenda of the European Council this week, including the multi-annual financial framework, MFF, innovation and digital, and the external relations items. We are making statements today, but next week Deputies will have the opportunity to ask questions on many of these issues. The European Commission has now published detailed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (13 Jun 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the committee for the invite. As always, I am delighted to be here. It has been a particularly busy period since we last met. There have been many developments and so as mentioned by the Chairman I will confine my remarks to the four key areas. If there are other areas on which members have questions I am happy to deal with them in the questions and answers session. As...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (13 Jun 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Chair. I will come back with responses and the members can read them later. I will address Senator Neale Richmond's comments first. The increased commitment to the MFF does not identify what we are talking about in respect of that commitment and where that funding will go. The overall negotiations are only starting to take place. Senator Richmond's suggestions on increased...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (13 Jun 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Senator for his comments. Michel Barnier, the task force and the 26 other member states have already recognised that Northern Ireland is a unique scenario. That is why we have the Irish protocol. It is why the Irish issue was one of the three key issues in phase one and continues to be one of the key issues being discussed. It will be probably the main issue for discussion at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (13 Jun 2018)

Helen McEntee: Ireland's future is very much at the heart of Europe. Europe is very much at the heart of Irish citizens' future and that will not change.

Referendum of 25 May: Statements (Resumed) (31 May 2018)

Helen McEntee: I always have and always will respect that there are different views, beliefs and opinions on this issue, however, the outcome on Saturday and the resounding "Yes" from the people of Ireland to repeal the eighth amendment was one of the proudest moments for me in over five years that I have been in this House. As a citizen of Ireland, it represents a seismic shift and change in our society,...