Results 1,321-1,340 of 8,167 for speaker:Peter Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: I thank the Cathaoirleach and members. I am very pleased to be before the committee again this morning to discuss the General Affairs Council. I have attended its two most recent meetings. The regular General Affairs Council took place on 19 September, and the main item for discussion was preparation for the European Council, which will take place on 26 and 27 October. The intention at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Howlin. As he correctly pointed out, the news over the past number of days has been distressing. We saw a terrorist attack in the first instance. The Deputy spoke about an Irish citizen and I can confirm we are providing consular assistance directly to the family in question. We are liaising with the Israeli authorities but I have no further update on that. It is common...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: The European Union position is-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: As the Deputy rightly pointed out, the Commissioner had no legal basis to say what he did in a particular tweet. The Government contacted the European Union very quickly to ask it to clarify the tweet issued by the Commissioner and later that evening a statement issued pointing out that this was not a suspension of aid in any shape or form. We know the EU has stated a review will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: I think I was very clear in my response to Deputy Howlin that once the tweet was issued, the Irish Government immediately responded to the Commission to clarify the remarks. We are very clear that this was a unilateral response. It is not how the Commission operates. It is not how the Foreign Affairs Council takes decisions by qualified majority voting in allocating funding such as this....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: Ireland has been very clear and consistent in its support, in the first instance, in the UN General Assembly. We have Government approval for a statement on the prolonged occupation and looking at how we can hold Israel to account in the International Court of Justice for how it has increased its settlements in the occupied territories in addition to many issues concerning the treatment of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: With respect, I cannot speak directly on her behalf. We are the political arm.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: I did reply. I said that in the European Council we will be consistent in our view, as we have been. We have a very strong track record in supporting de-escalation. I spoke about what we are doing through the UN General Assembly. I also spoke about holding Israel to account. I am pointing out what the Irish State is continuing to do. That is our political arm and the forum for it is at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: First, I think the High Representative did call for de-escalation. It is very important-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: -----that we de-escalate and be a voice of reason in that regard. I cannot speak for my European partners or other EU member states. Each country has its own view on the region and those are very well articulated. What was the Deputy's last question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: Deputy Carthy can see our track record. Over the past year, we have issued a number of statements through the Tánaiste on the occupation of the West Bank. We have been very clear in our condemnation of that. On 7 April and 9 May last, the Tánaiste issued statements. Our views have been raised at the highest level of forum, which in our case is at the Foreign Affairs Council,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: I am just articulating international law. Every state has the right to defend itself, but I was very clear that that right comes with responsibilities for the unique position that the region is in, the position in which Palestine finds itself and the way Gaza is constructed. Two million citizens are living there and there are being subjected to risks. Actions must be in compliance with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Haughey. I concur with his sentiments. We are operating in a difficult space, and there are some aspects which are more uncertain. Ireland, however, will continue to be that voice that the Deputy referred to. This is the approach the Tánaiste took when he went to the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council yesterday. I refer to ensuring that funding was going to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: As I committed to and have pointed out, Ireland will continue to be a strong advocate to try to deliver a two-state solution. Even to say this now is a major challenge. We were the first EU state to lead in advocating a two-state solution when we produced a joint declaration with Bahrain in 1980. We have continued to work with like-minded partners. We have continued to be a leader in this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: Absolutely. The Senator rightly articulated the horrendous attack that unfolded at that concert, where there were so many innocent civilians. That is who there will be there. There will be families enjoying their day in an area which had no cover and no buildings. It is very flat land, as I said earlier. We have seen the horrific circumstances that unfolded and the very distressing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: Absolutely. As I said earlier, we are providing consular assistance to her family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time because it will be a very difficult time. As Senator Chambers rightly said, Ireland has been to the forefront in trying to build consensus, working with our European partners, and trying to be that voice of humanitarian assistance to ensure there are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: I assure Senator Martin that that will be the case. As I said before, we are leaders on this in the European Union as a country that first advocated the two-state solution that is now EU policy. We have shown our track record in bringing others together. That is what Ireland will focus on over the days and weeks ahead, trying to respect human life, trying to ensure that aid gets to those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: To provide a bit of context on the Franco-German group, it is, in theory, a group of independent experts. As very clearly stated on the front of its paper, it does not reflect the positions of the German or French Governments. In addition, on our General Affairs Council, we have a number of different-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (11 Oct 2023)

Peter Burke: That is what I am coming to. There are a number of formulations from different groups of countries that bring proposals together about institutional reform and what the merit-based approach should look like, considering current geopolitical uncertainties, especially with Ukraine. The Lithuanian minister and a number of experts came to an informal meeting a number of months ago, sharing what...