Results 1,481-1,500 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: I will respond later with an answer on that point. What I will say is that the list is really a list of companies, entities and individuals that are sanctioned. It is an extremely long list of those covered by all the various sanctions packages, and it will have changed week by week as those sanctions have been put in place. The International Financial Services Centre is not exempt from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: Absolutely. The truth is the majority of businesses, whether banks, law firms or whatever, cannot do business with sanctioned companies because there could be consequences for them professionally. They have been trying to extricate themselves over the last while from doing business with any Russian entity that might be sanctioned. They will not risk that. People are not seeking to get...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: We saw in Belarus where Lukashenko was moving people as well. That was effectively a new one. In our discussion on neutrality and common defence, addressing the cyber threat will have to play a big role. We will have to get real about that. We could probably achieve a lot more by co-operating with other countries. We could learn form them and work together but that will all have to be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: On the strategic compass, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, was mianly dealing with that and it was agreed by the leaders last week. Work on the strategic compass has been ongoing for a number of years and, to be fair, Ireland has had a big impact on drafting it and getting involved in the discussion. To be clear, it is not a common European defence policy. It is just to enable the EU to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: Aontaím go hiomlán leis an Teachta Calleary gurbh iad luachanna an Aontais Eorpaigh atá tábhachtach anseo agus gur féidir leis an duine vótáil sa mhodh is mian leis nó léi vótáil, gur féidir linn labhairt sa mhodh is mian linn, go bhfuil meas againn ar chearta daonna, agus go bhfuilimid anseo ag obair le chéile agus ag iarraidh...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: I am not sure what the basis for dissent is. If people believe the diplomats should not be expelled, that is fine. They are being expelled because the evidence available to the Taoiseach, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Government was that they were not doing diplomatic work but were doing other work that was not compatible with the law. We had no option in those circumstances but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: The thing about the list is that there is a list of sanctions imposed on companies and entities, business cannot be done with them and they cannot do business here. Therefore, that is a strong list. Other companies, which are not sanctioned, have also decided to pull out of Russia. Many famous brand name companies, including Irish firms, have pulled out, even though they were not on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy asked me a security question at the start. That would be better addressed by the Minister for Justice or the Minister for Defence. I do not think they would answer him either, though.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: We have to let them do their job. On Hungary and Poland, we will continue our discussions with them. There is an election in Hungary on Sunday. We will let that happen. We do not want to interfere in that. As I understand it, the Hungary rule of law report is up for discussion at the next General Affairs Council in Luxembourg next month. We will be having that discussion very soon. On...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy would have to ask the Hungarians that question. To be fair to them, they have fully lined up with decisions that have been taken by the European Union which have required unanimity. They have done that. They have their own history with Russia and the USSR as well. I do not think we should underestimate that either, despite different commentaries. Hungary has an election this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: It is, yes. Bosnia is always under active discussion, particularly at the Foreign Affairs Council and European Council. I am meeting my Croatian counterpart in a couple of hours. This will be on the agenda as well. On gas, there is no proposal like the one the Deputy mentioned. There is possible joint purchasing, storage mechanisms and increased storage and other routes for supply such...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Response to the War in Ukraine: Discussion (30 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: I am not going to add to that speculation because there is genuinely nothing on the table in that regard at the moment. We do not want to cause any fears or runs. I can speak to what I see happening, and I have spoken to people involved in it, which is that countries are buying up gas from other places and trying to ship it in. There are pipelines as well that may be under-utilised from...

Support for the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine: Motion (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas le gach Ball a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht. Táim buíoch go bhfuilimid d'aon ghuth ag tabhairt tacaíochta don Úcráin sa Dáil. Mar a dúramar an tseachtain seo caite agus inniu, tá sé ríthábhachtach go dtabhairfaimis ár dtacaíocht iomlán don Úcráin. President Zelenskiy has...

Support for the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine: Motion (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: We have discussed that multiple times at the Security Council, multiple times.

Support for the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine: Motion (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Byrne: Multiple times.

Security Situation in Europe: Statements (23 Feb 2022)

Thomas Byrne: It falls to me to conclude this debate and to welcome the ambassador from Ukraine. H.E. Larysa Gerasko and her colleagues are very welcome. The ambassador represents the second largest country in Europe, which is often forgotten in the debates that we have. It is a country of more than 40 million people and is second in size to Russia. It has been heartening to hear the widespread support...

Security Situation in Europe: Statements (23 Feb 2022)

Thomas Byrne: Thanks.

Security Situation in Europe: Statements (23 Feb 2022)

Thomas Byrne: He was in touch with me as well. He mentioned the Deputy and we are following this matter up. He said he had been in touch with the Deputy.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Consumer Rights (16 Feb 2022)

Thomas Byrne: Before I respond, I echo what the Senator said about the advice to people not to keep cash at home, notwithstanding the issue with the legal status of cash he has raised, because it is not safe and there are rules and provisions for bank accounts to be opened if people do not have them. I thank him for raising this issue. It is 20 years this year since we as Europeans held a brand new...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Consumer Rights (16 Feb 2022)

Thomas Byrne: I again thank the Senator for raising this issue. Certainly, it is an important matter for consumers, businesses and the State, as alluded to by him. The Commission recommendation is in place but, as he agrees, it is a recommendation and not a legally binding law. Retail businesses under current law can refuse to accept payment in cash, once people are told beforehand. I am not the...