Results 21-40 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (20 Nov 2002)

Dick Roche: I do not think there will be a common form of election before 2004. The issue will obviously be decided nationally with regard to the national constituencies for the European Parliament elections in 2004.

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (20 Nov 2002)

Dick Roche: Under the treaties as they are established, the basic differentiation between legal instruments is that a regulation is applicable universally and directly from the time of origin while in regard to a directive, it is the effect that the community wishes to have implemented. It is a matter for each member state to decide on the legal instrument. While there is flexibility with regard to the...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (20 Nov 2002)

Dick Roche: I thank Senators for the expeditious manner in which they dealt with this technical legislation. I am immensely proud of the work of the people last month in wiping way the last vestiges of the divisions that separated the peoples and countries of Europe for 50 years. It is hard for us to measure the importance of the work we have done and how highly the Irish are regarded. Many of the...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Convention on the Future of Europe. As it moves into a crucial phase of its work, it is important that the public and public representatives be as informed as possible. Our experience of the two referenda on the Nice treaty has taught us not to take the public for granted and to try to ensure it is aware of developments in the Convention and prepared...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: While Senator Ryan has a long-established interest in this area, I think he will accept that so do I.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: The paper calls for the development of existing provisions on openness and public access, the inclusion of the Ombudsman in the new treaty – an important role left out of the treaty – and a specific treaty base allowing for the development of detailed rules of good practice in the administration of the Union's institutions. These are concrete suggestions which, if implemented, would help...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: I am not aware of any more comprehensive arrangements in any other member or accession state. If the Senator is interested or if he has any ideas on ways to improve it, I would be delighted to hear from him. We have been very open in this area, have put in place an institutional structure which is unusually comprehensive and are more advanced in this regard than any other member state. The...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: We all have our views on that. The Convention has already played a positive role in bringing the previously closed process of treaty change into the open. This is not properly appreciated. All the other treaties were hammered out in rooms beyond of public access. The Convention is working in the public view. All the Convention documents and Government submissions are available on the...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: The Government welcomes this positive role. The energy and commitment we are bringing to bear on the Convention is absolute. When the Minister for Foreign Affairs addressed the Institute for European Affairs last January, he stated, "We have nothing to fear and everything to gain from a renewed Europe." I agree with this sentiment and I look forward to the closing phase of the Convention and...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: Yes.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: I was going to suggest that I deal with this group of questions because I think my answers might give rise to some further questions.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: I am grateful for the expressions of support from Members. Senator Bradford asked interesting questions regarding Ireland's relationship with Europe. So too did Senator Browne and I will tell him exactly how he can inspire every young person to think about Europe. These matters were also touched on by Senators Maurice Hayes and Quinn.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: Yes, a sinking feeling. Senator Henry also made a point about divisions in the European Union on the question of Iraq, which is an important and interesting one. Most of us appreciate the fact that the Union has always responded best in circumstances of crisis. For example, the defeat of the European political and defence proposals, the Pleven plan, in the French Parliament in 1954 gave rise...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: Does Senator Ryan want me to be sacked? I will go into it to this extent. When I introduced the Bill in this House, I said there would be difficulties relating to Cabinet papers. I said this, having studied the Norwegian Act, as Senator Ryan did, and having worked for the OECD in Norway. I forecast the difficulties. My concern about good administration is sincere. There should be principles...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: It took a long time for another Roche to be elected to Dáil Éireann. Senator Quinn said we need to be careful about big brother and he is correct in that regard. Like us, he is concerned about Articles 9, 11 and 12. Most of the contributions were made on the amendments to these articles and I will ask that they be sent to the Senator because they reflect some of his views.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: I apologise for interrupting the Senator. In the Jewish tradition, one puts stones on the grave and I visited at the grave of Wladyslaw Szpilman.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: In response to Senator Bannon's point about "us" and "them", he is right. We are not conscious of how people elsewhere in Europe view us. We are viewed as a positive, progressive and high achieving small state. Somehow or other we do not accept this. We always tend to defer to someone foreign. If one is looking for a consultant, one thinks that if he or she is from abroad, he or she must be...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: No. I was far more modest as I had only one week. One of the interesting statistics is that 436 of the amendments are to the first three articles alone. This suggests there is a huge amount of work to be done. The Senator also asked an interesting question about how they will be dealt with. Oddly enough, that is one of the issues I have raised. I chaired a meeting of national representatives...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (4 Mar 2003)

Dick Roche: There is grandstanding going on. While many of the amendments are not relevant to the treaty, there will be a problem weeding them out. I recently compared them to a black box – a lot of stuff going in but a lesser amount coming out. One wonders what will happen to the rest. I agree with Senator Mansergh in regard to a union of states and peoples. In fact, he picked up a very interesting...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (10 Jun 2003)

Dick Roche: I welcome this opportunity to talk about the Convention and developments in that regard. Our meeting today is particularly opportune in that the Convention is in its final week. We will have a final document within the next seven to ten days for presentation at the meeting of the European Council in Thessalonika.