Results 121-140 of 432 for speaker:Niall Blaney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Niall Blaney: I welcome Mr. Adams. In recognition of what some of the other speakers have said, we cannot but think of Martin McGuinness today as well. We certainly would love to have had him alongside Mr. Adams today to hear his view on how things have evolved over the past almost 25 years. We could argue the ins and outs of elements of his statement. Some of it I will agree with and some I will not....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Niall Blaney: In the same context, would Mr. Adams agree that seven years for decommissioning was quite a long period of time? On reflection, does he feel that it had any impact on the setting up of the institutions, or the failure to do so?

Seanad: Appointment of Ordinary Members of An Coimisiún Toghcháin: Motion (14 Dec 2022)

Niall Blaney: I move: That Seanad Éireann, noting that the Government on 13th December, 2022, nominated Mr. John Curran, Ms. Maura Quinn, Mr. Alex Attwood and Professor Caroline Fennell for designation by the President to be ordinary members of An Coimisiún Toghcháin, recommends that, pursuant to section 9(9) of the Electoral Reform Act 2022, Mr. John Curran, Ms. Maura Quinn, Mr. Alex...

Seanad: Appointment of Ordinary Members of An Coimisiún Toghcháin: Motion (14 Dec 2022)

Niall Blaney: Fianna Fáil supports this motion recommending the appointment of four candidates nominated by the Public Appointments Service to the board of An Coimisiún Toghcháin. An coimisiún is scheduled for establishment in early January 2023, which is welcome. It must be established as a matter of priority to facilitate the review of Dáil constituencies in line with our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Niall Blaney: I wish to convey apologies on behalf of Deputy Brendan Smith who is not around today. There is a vote in the Seanad Chamber bit I think there is enough cover and this debate is too important for me to leave. I thank Mr. Bruton for his contribution and for the work that he has done as Taoiseach of this country. I thank him for the preparatory work he did during his tenure as premier of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Niall Blaney: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Niall Blaney: Mr. Bruton made a reference to the legislation going through Westminster and referenced the protocol Bill. This committee had a deputation over there a number of weeks ago and I was part of a deputation in Brussels last week. I certainly share Mr. Bruton's concerns. Moreover, I also share the concerns about the legacy Bill. It was very evident during our trip to London that the Tories are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Niall Blaney: I thank our former Taoiseach, Mr. Bruton, for coming today. People like him give fantastic insight and remind us what happened over many years in Northern Ireland, as well as an insight into the Troubles and the difficulties and complexities of Northern Ireland. Getting cross-party agreement is not easily achieved and will not be easily achieved in the future. Mr. Bruton's contribution...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2022)

Niall Blaney: I raise an undesired situation in Donegal. The chief executive of Donegal County Council yesterday had to write to some of the protesters who attended the chambers in Lifford last week in respect of the mica scheme to raise the intimidation of his staff by certain individuals both online and at the protest that day. What is going on is completely undesirable. It is not on and a stop must...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill and the UK Government's Plans around the Human Rights Act: Amnesty International UK (10 Nov 2022)

Niall Blaney: I thank Ms Teggart for her presentation. I assure her, from a Fianna Fáil perspective, that everyone is very much behind what she said earlier and what she is trying to achieve. As the Chairman said, we are actively working to put an end to this Bill. It is reckless and it must come to an end. Mr. O'Hare and Mr. Reavey outlined how victims across Northern Ireland are being...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill and the UK Government's Plans around the Human Rights Act: Amnesty International UK (10 Nov 2022)

Niall Blaney: If there is active engagement, and it looks like the Minister will be coming in, it would be a better situation to have him here and-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill and the UK Government's Plans around the Human Rights Act: Amnesty International UK (10 Nov 2022)

Niall Blaney: In a week or two we should have established a date. It might be worthwhile for Deputy Tóibín to hold his proposal until then.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill and the UK Government's Plans around the Human Rights Act: Amnesty International UK (10 Nov 2022)

Niall Blaney: Maybe copy the response to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Nov 2022)

Niall Blaney: I wish to call for a debate on safety in our sporting stadia, particularly in light of events in Markets Field in Limerick last Friday night. Galway was taking on Waterford in a League of Ireland decider match. The match was held up during the first half because of structural issues. Thankfully gardaí intervened quickly and got all the Waterford supporters out. In this day and age we...

Seanad: Housing for All: Statements (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

Niall Blaney: I welcome the Minister of State. I thank him, the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke and the Minister for the work they have done since coming to office. We can talk until the cows come home about this matter. Those in opposition can criticise us and we have a go at them, but there is a reality to the discussion of Housing for All. Facts speak louder than anything else. It is very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)

Niall Blaney: Mr. Ahern is most welcome. We are delighted to have him before us as part of the work the committee is doing. Senator Currie and I were adamant that we get stuck into this piece of work during our programme year. From my perspective, I have a strong sense that if we do not learn the lessons of the past, particularly around the Good Friday Agreement and the working up towards that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)

Niall Blaney: This nation owes Mr. Ahern a debt of gratitude for his dedication and the work he put into the Good Friday Agreement and all the years working up to it. It has served this nation very well and has laid the foundations for us all to move on from here. His dedication - even the final week leaving his mother's graveside and heading back to Northern Ireland - was a sign of his commitment to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Bertie Ahern (20 Oct 2022)

Niall Blaney: What is Mr. Ahern's view on criminality and border criminality? There is a view that much of the criminality that has taken place since the Good Friday Agreement has been given a kind of blind eye. It was part of the agreement back then, although it was not in writing, that there was an arrangement between the Governments whereby a blind eye was turned to some of the criminality that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee
Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Lord Alderdice (6 Oct 2022)

Niall Blaney: As I young boy growing up, I saw Lord Alderdice many times on media, television, etc. Of the political leaders down through the years, he remains very fresh. He must have some secret he might share with us, maybe offline.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee
Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Lord Alderdice (6 Oct 2022)

Niall Blaney: On a more serious note, I thank Lord Alderdice for his contribution. This is fascinating work because we need to realise what was achieved in the Good Friday Agreement. Moreover, we need to get a greater understanding of how we came to that point of getting agreement across the religious divide in the final moments and, in so doing, learn the lessons from the past that might help us to move...