Results 13,381-13,400 of 15,429 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Topical Issue Debate: Shannon Airport Facilities (27 Mar 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank Deputy Wallace for raising this issue. Like my colleagues, I apologise on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Coveney, who had hoped to take this question but unfortunately is still at the Cabinet meeting. Therefore, I will take it on his behalf. I welcome the opportunity to reaffirm the Government’s policy on landings by foreign military aircraft at Irish airports....

Topical Issue Debate: Shannon Airport Facilities (27 Mar 2018)

Helen McEntee: We have the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) order 1952 which clearly states that:No foreign military aircraft shall fly over or land in the State save on the express invitation or with the express permission of the Minister [for Foreign Affairs and Trade]. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has primary responsibility for the regulation of this activity. Clear stipulations...

European Council: Statements (21 Mar 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputies for all their contributions. As the Taoiseach indicated, I will focus my remarks on the external relations items scheduled for discussion tomorrow in Brussels. I might touch on the fact that a number of Deputies have raised matters not on the agenda. The spring meetings always tend to discuss jobs growth and competitiveness and it is important for that tradition to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council, Brexit, Future of Europe and Western Balkans: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (7 Mar 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Chairman for the invitation to appear before the committee and I thank members for attending. I acknowledge the work the committee is doing, not just on Brexit and the future of Europe, but in engaging with so many different agencies, individuals and members of communities. It has been said to me in the work that I am doing, and I see how much it is appreciated. I have a lengthy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council, Brexit, Future of Europe and Western Balkans: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (7 Mar 2018)

Helen McEntee: Absolutely, and to avoid any crossover I will just acknowledge the Deputy or Senator who may have asked the question a second time. I thank everybody for their comments and questions. Senator Craughwell spoke about migration. Our prerogative in that regard is being committed to addressing the root causes and in all of the work we are doing that has been our sole focus. We have committed to...

Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (Resumed) (18 Jan 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the chairperson of the Citizens' Assembly, Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, and its members who took the time and effort to engage with witnesses and evidence. I thank them for deliberating on this important issue and the recommendations they made following this. Some feel the Citizens' Assembly was a mechanism or a ploy to delay this issue being brought forward and that it would never come...

Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (Resumed) (18 Jan 2018)

Helen McEntee: I thank the members of the Oireachtas all-party committee, chaired by Senator Catherine Noone. She did an exemplary job. I thank all Members from across all the political parties for the work they did and for the hundreds of hours-----

Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (Resumed) (18 Jan 2018)

Helen McEntee: I have to stop because Members opposite are talking.

Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (Resumed) (18 Jan 2018)

Helen McEntee: They listened to the evidence from those who brought forward medical expertise, as well as lived experience. I know this was particularly difficult for many people. I thank the committee for its work and its recommendations. I also thank the many women who for years have campaigned on this issue and have been a strong voice on it which has finally been heard. This is one of the most...

Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (17 Jan 2018)

Helen McEntee: We are not doing that.

European Council: Statements (16 Jan 2018)

Helen McEntee: I can repeat and absolutely confirm that Ireland's neutrality will not be impacted by our membership of PESCO. In fact, we were one of the last countries to sign up to it and that was because officials in the Department were making absolutely sure that there was no possible way that our neutrality could be compromised or that the work we do could be impacted in any way by PESCO. I can give...

European Council: Statements (16 Jan 2018)

Helen McEntee: Regarding Deputy Haughey's question on climate action, it will not be a problem to provide the information to which the Deputy referred and I will engage with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment on that. As the Deputy said, the Minister, Deputy Naughten, represented Ireland at the One Planet summit in Paris on 12 December, the second anniversary of the conclusion...

European Council: Statements (16 Jan 2018)

Helen McEntee: As there are so few of us and we have 20 minutes remaining, perhaps we might go back and forth.

European Council: Statements (16 Jan 2018)

Helen McEntee: I wish everyone a happy new year and success throughout the year. I will answer Deputy Haughey's two questions. The House agreed that Ireland would join PESCO at the initial stage so that we would have an input into what happened in future and not join later as a third party country. That was the right course to take. Since the co-operation involved is in line with the Lisbon treaty,...

European Council: Statements (16 Jan 2018)

Helen McEntee: I cannot speak on the Minister's behalf, but I can send that request to him. If I outline some of what the Tánaiste did on his visit, perhaps the Deputy can ask him for more detail and about what happened at the next Question Time. He met the Palestinian President and the foreign Minister, Dr. Malki. He also announced an increase of €200,000 in funding for Palestinian...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Home Care Packages (14 Dec 2017)

Helen McEntee: As these are service matters I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

European Council Meeting: Statements (13 Dec 2017)

Helen McEntee: I know Deputies have raised other issues but, as the Taoiseach has already indicated, I will focus my remarks primarily on the social, education, cultural and migration issues scheduled to be discussed tomorrow within the European Council in Brussels. Although Brexit is extremely significant for Ireland, it is of course not the only item on the European agenda. We have been very clear...

Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2017: First Stage (28 Nov 2017)

Helen McEntee: No.

Rural Crime: Motion (21 Nov 2017)

Helen McEntee: There has been an extremely valuable discussion tonight on what is a very important issue. l grew up and continue to live in a rural community in County Meath and I represent for the most part a rural community, so I know well the many issues and challenges people face. It is important that when we are having this debate, we do not add to people's fears, and I am not suggesting this is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Key Developments on European Agenda: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Helen McEntee (9 Nov 2017)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Vice Chairman and Senator. I have not quite made it to all the member states yet but I hope to achieve that sooner rather than later. I thank the committee for the invitation to be before it again. I welcome Ms Gomez-Bassac and her team from France as well. We look forward to engaging with them while they are in Ireland. With the Vice Chairman's permission, I will probably...