Results 1,581-1,600 of 9,894 for speaker:Thomas Byrne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus le baill an choiste uilig as an gcuireadh seo theacht os a gcomhair. Ar dtús, rachaidh mé i ngleic le prótacal Thuaisceart Éireann. First, I will update the committee on the Northern Ireland protocol. Last week, the European Commission delivered on its promise to people and businesses in Northern Ireland to address their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Members have raised interesting questions that cut across a number of issues. Senator Chambers asked specifically about the next steps with respect to the protocol. As we speak, the UK team is in Brussels discussing with its counterparts at a technical level. I understand the discussion is focusing on the EU papers - the documents published last week. David Frost and Maros Šefovi...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Present themselves - I think the Irish media would be fascinated to hear from them as opposed to just politicians all the time so I think that would also help. I would certainly encourage that. I ask anybody who would be interested - and I do not know their identities - to please speak out and say whether he or she thinks it is a good or bad process and what he or she thinks of the issues...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: On the rule of law conditionality, this is the sequence. The recovery and resilience fund was agreed last year as part of the budget negotiations, an unprecedented financial boost from the European Union to try to boost the economies of the entire European Union. We need to get away from - and I do not accuse this committee of this - sometimes speaking in terms of "how much is Ireland...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: I will answer the question on the Conference on the Future of Europe first because it was a follow-up question from Deputy Ó Murchú that I did not really address in my previous answer. The Government has organised a number of events. Obviously, Covid has restricted things. With EMI and through the Department of Foreign Affairs, I have met a wide range of groups in my capacity as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Union Issues: Discussion (20 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: It would be highly significant. It would force a change of pace. At the moment the European Commission has not approved the recovery and resilience plans for Hungary or Poland. Some other countries have not put them in, but in those cases they just have not done it yet. I am happy to let the European Commission do its job there and I support what it is doing. I do not want to make its...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (14 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: B’fhéidir nach n-úsáidfidh mé an t-am iomlán but I am very grateful for the opportunity to speak on budget 2022 both as the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs and as a Deputy proudly representing the people of Meath East. It is a great privilege to represent the people in this Chamber, and I think about that every day. Many of us may...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: The French are not happy either.

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: The French people are not happy. The Deputy should not come in saying the French are happy. They are not.

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: The figure for animal welfare is €1.5 million out of €1.8 billion. It is 0.1%.

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Does the Deputy know why?

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: He announced that he has symptoms of Covid - he had a negative test.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Union and the Republic of Singapore: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus le baill an choiste atá sa seomra coiste agus ar líne freisin. I have the pleasure to introduce this motion, which has been referred by the Dáil to this committee, on the approval of the EU-Singapore Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Deepening our engagement and our presence in the Asia Pacific region is a key strategic...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Union and the Republic of Singapore: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: I am not in a position to speak to the ICS but I will get Deputy Brady an answer on the trade agreement. That trade agreement is in force and I have not heard of any difficulties with it or of any corporations being able to change Irish laws because of that. It has unquestionably been good that we have had increased free trade with Singapore. Maybe when we are discussing the possibilities...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Union and the Republic of Singapore: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: Let me give the example of the partnership co-operation agreement with the Philippines with which we have some human rights concerns. There is a sub-committee on human rights there that we can deal with. There is also a joint committee, although it is not identical to the UK-EU joint committee, but there is a similar arrangement there between both sides where all of these issues can be...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Union and the Republic of Singapore: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: That is a matter for the Dáil.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Union and the Republic of Singapore: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: In general, referring items to committee, and the clerk to the committee can correct me, is just for the convenience of the Dáil that will, ultimately, decide this. Technically, the Dáil could have a debate on this matter but there would not be enough time. The Dáil refers these matters to a committee and I am happy to talk at any committee. Issues such as Singapore and...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Union and the Republic of Singapore: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: There was a partnership and co-operation agreement with Brunei but that was suspended due to the imposition of Sharia law. I give that as one example of where we said "No". In addition, one could not discuss those issues and it was time to go. We hope to have agreements with Malaysia and Thailand as well. The agreement with the Philippines is a good example. The agreement was signed in...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Union and the Republic of Singapore: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: I thank Deputies for their engagement. As I understand it, there is no particular issue about member states ratifying it and this has not arisen as a huge political issue around European capitals. For example, CETA has arisen as a big political issue, I would say, in a minority of EU states and, although there were obviously strong voices in the European Parliament, it has not always been...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Partnership and Cooperation Agreement Between the European Union and the Republic of Singapore: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Thomas Byrne: We share many of the concerns raised today and they will continue to be raised by our diplomats and the European Union in the context of this agreement but more generally as well.