Results 621-640 of 2,534 for speaker:Colm Brophy

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukrainian War (10 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I am extremely concerned by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked attack is causing immense suffering for the people of Ukraine. Russia’s war is illegal and immoral, and Ireland’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering. Ireland will do all it can to support the humanitarian response both in...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Chairman. I welcome this opportunity to present the 2022 Estimate for Vote 27 - international co-operation. Through Vote 27, the Department of Foreign Affairs manages just under 60% of Ireland’s official development assistance, ODA, programme, which is known to the public as Irish Aid. The Vote provides the funding necessary to deliver on the Department’s...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I will endeavour to try to cover all of the questions and if I forget anything, please come back to me. I will comment on Moldova since the Chairman has talked about it. I have been in Moldova and have seen at first hand the reality prior to what happened in Ukraine and to this situation. The Chairman is quite right that Moldova faced enormous difficulties and problems in its own right....

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: We are working towards that. The Ukraine situation will see refugees coming in. We have to recognise it will be additional and it will be very different from anything that has happened before, given the numbers of people arriving in a short period. I believe we should be very pleased with the manner in which we have responded and the openness and willingness shown not just by Irish people...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: That is very important. There should be an opportunity for committee members to visit Africa and see some of the work that is taking place on the ground. Due to Covid, I spent the first year and three quarters in office without that opportunity. There is nothing as transformative and that is why I think it would be wonderful for this committee to have a chance to see on the ground the real...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: My understanding is that if people arrive into an Irish airport as and from now, they will be met, engaged with and given the necessary ability to start the process straightaway. If people arrived before that system went live a couple of days ago, there will be an opportunity and people should be directed to an Intreo office to basically get all of the information. There will be a process...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukrainian War (9 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: The Department of Foreign Affairs provides funding to a range of non-governmental organisations through a series of grant schemes dedicated to delivering on the Government's priorities at home and abroad. These include support for international development overseas, development education in Ireland, reconciliation on the island of Ireland, emigrant support and information on the European...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I am taking this Topical Issue matter on behalf of the Minister for Education. I thank Deputy Connolly for raising the matter. It provides an opportunity to clarify the current position in relation to Scoil Náisiúnta Bhríde. As the Deputy is aware, Scoil Náisiúnta Bhríde is an all-Irish co-educational primary school with a Catholic ethos. The current...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Deputy. Obviously, as I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education, I will ensure that the Minister is made aware of the questions the Deputy has raised. To reiterate the key point, as indicated, the decision-making authority for school closures or amalgamations is the school patron. No request for the approval of the closure of Scoil Náisiúnta...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As she will be aware, under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, which encompasses all operational policing matters, including the allocation of resources. The Minister for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Deputy again for raising the issue. I will convey her comments to the Minister. It is important to restate the key point I made, that is, that local and senior Garda management are consulted during the allocation of personnel. They are responsible for the specific deployment or assignment of duties undertaken at divisional level. With regard to Text Alert, I have heard what...

International Women's Day: Statements (Resumed) (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I am very pleased to have been in the Chamber today to listen to and reflect on the concerns regarding gender inequality that have been expressed. While we have made significant advances in recent years, as the Taoiseach noted, we still have much work to do. The Taoiseach has outlined a number of initiatives the Government is undertaking to promote gender equality, particularly in the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Arts Council (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I will take this Commencement matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.I thank Senator Hoey for the opportunity to discuss this matter. The Arts Council is the statutory body charged with supporting developing arts in Ireland. When it comes to funding the arts in any democratic state, the arms length principle is a fundamental...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Arts Council (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I thank Senator Hoey for her remarks and reiterate, as I said earlier, that the council does provide detailed feedback on unsuccessful applications and that there is an appeals process. Obviously, there is a channel available to try to get information. I thank the Senator for raising the issue and I will convey her concerns to the Minister.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: An Garda Síochána (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I am responding to this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Finance with responsibility for the OPW, Deputy O'Donovan. I thank Senator Ward for raising the issue, which is rather ironic, allowing for the fact that I also grew up at the opposite end of Rochestown Avenue. I must make that declaration of interest. I well know the two buildings to which...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: An Garda Síochána (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I thank the Senator. I hear the points he makes and I fully understand that question of frustration for people living in an area wondering what is happening. As I indicated in my reply, it is the process that when it comes to the former Garda station in Dalkey, the OPW will now prepare the property for sale by public auction for disposal of it in the third quarter of 2022. As I already...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: I am extremely concerned by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked attack is causing immense suffering for the people of Ukraine. Russia’s war is illegal and immoral, and Ireland’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering. Ireland will do all it can to support the humanitarian response both in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: The generosity of people in Ireland towards the Ukrainian people, the impulse to help those in need, and the strong solidarity with Ukraine, is very welcome and is to be commended.  Building on the €10 million in Irish Aid funding already provided in humanitarian aid to partners already working on the ground, including Ukrainian civil society, the Taoiseach last weekend announced...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: The generosity of the people of Ireland in responding to this crisis, the impulse to help those in need, and the strong solidarity with Ukraine, is very welcome and is to be commended.   From a practical perspective, with airports closed and other transportation infrastructure under great pressure, the sending and transporting of large numbers of individual consignments of physical...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (8 Mar 2022)

Colm Brophy: The generosity of the people of Ireland in responding to this crisis, the impulse to help those in need, and the strong solidarity with Ukraine, is very welcome and is to be commended.   From a practical perspective, with airports closed and other transportation infrastructure under great pressure, the sending and transporting of large numbers of individual consignments of physical...