Results 81-100 of 2,477 for speaker:Colm Brophy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: To clarify, and it is important that the commission takes this into account, it is not just the fact a polling station is completely inaccessible. There are a number - I suggest it is more than 20-odd - that are very difficult to access. There are levels of human dignity that people are entitled to. People do not deserve to be put in position where voting is an arduous process. We owe it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: That is really important. I heard that postal vote answer being given. I do not really like it. Somebody has the right to access a cinema or theatre to see a film or play. It is not the case that we say to them they can wait until it comes onto a streaming service as an alternate way. Some people's preferred choice is to go and vote with their partner, their children or that their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: As someone who for a period had ministerial responsibility in that area, I am very au fait with the difficulties involved in that extension of the franchise. I just want to come back to the issue because it really is not clear. Regardless of what efforts are made to enable British people to vote in British general elections, British people who are not dual citizens will not have the right...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: Is it a European-wide Directive?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: And that supersedes the reciprocal arrangement? I hear Deputy Howlin but my point is that we specifically have put in place arrangements between Ireland and the United Kingdom to ensure that----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: I agree but I just worry about where that brings us in terms of the arrangements for regional assembly elections in the UK and whether it becomes a disenfranchising point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: Thank you. Senator Regina Doherty is next.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: Thank you. Deputies Howlin, Ó Murchú and Haughey are indicating. We might take the three together if they can be quick and then we will come back to Mr. O'Leary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: I do not know what Deputy Howlin thought about Arnold but an extension of what the Deputy was saying is that there are a lot of young people who are not going to vote twice but they do feel that they have a right to maintain the registration that was down home even if they are living up in Dublin. They may have no intention of voting in Dublin but they might end up on a register there and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: In the absence of a Limerick Deputy, I am sure the people of Limerick would say there is a lot of fun to be had there, all the time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: My sister has lived there for 30 years so if I did not say that in defence of Limerick she would be on to me straight away. Deputy Ó Murchú had indicated that he wants to come back in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: I think that will do. We are coming up to the end of our time, so I ask Mr. O'Leary to give us a quick response.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: I thank Mr. O'Leary. He really was starting to open up a whole new area with his last answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: We will not get into it because we are going to bring our meeting to a conclusion. I thank Mr. O'Leary very much for his contribution. I also thank his colleagues for coming along with him. It was very informative. We covered a lot of ground. I have no doubt there will be subsequent engagement. The focus of the committee is primarily, as Deputy Haughey and I alluded to earlier, on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: You were mentioned all right.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: It is an interesting change. One of the worries I would see on that, and I would see it as a real worry, is if the British interpreted that the same way, Irish citizens might lose the right to vote for the Scottish national Parliament or the Welsh Assembly, because there is no equivalent body in Ireland for a quid pro quo. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that up until now, Irish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: That decision stems out of what?

Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: It is for me a very special occasion to be standing here today and to have this opportunity to pay tribute to John. I would not be here if it were not for John Bruton. I was lucky enough to head up Young Fine Gael at the time. One thing that has not been mentioned much is the real credit John deserves for the enthusiasm he brought to younger people to get involved in politics, to not just...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU General Affairs Council Meeting: Discussion (7 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: On behalf of the committee, I welcome the Minister of State with responsibility for European Union affairs, Deputy Burke, who is accompanied today by his officials. The committee will discuss the recent General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. I believe the Minister of State is also accompanied by Mr. Martin Boyhan who is on a student placement in his office. It is a very important part...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU General Affairs Council Meeting: Discussion (7 Feb 2024)

Colm Brophy: Thank you, Deputy.