Results 1-20 of 1,062,350 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Mick Barry OR speaker:James Browne OR speaker:Mairead Farrell OR speaker:Matt Carthy OR speaker:Stephen Donnelly OR speaker:Paul McAuliffe OR speaker:Brendan Smith OR speaker:Denis Naughten OR speaker:Réada Cronin OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Brian Leddin)

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Réada Cronin: I thank everyone for being here. I met a few of the witnesses previously. I thank them for the work they do. We all get up everyday and try to make the world a better place but I really want to thank them for the work they do. We live in critical times. We have the war in Gaza, Palestine, and now Lebanon, as well as Russia's invasion of Ukraine. We also have Sudan, which was dropping...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Réada Cronin: As we heard, women and children are usually the first to suffer in any conflict. Would it be possible for the committee to receive testimonies from women affected, without them being placed at risk? Mr. Regan related a story of a mother of five whose husband was a soldier. If money, wealth and hard work made one rich, African women would be billionaires. There are particular risks for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Réada Cronin: I am interested in receiving the opening statements because Ms McKenna mentioned specific requests.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the witnesses for the presentation. I have been following this for some time and I have raised it in the Dáil on a few occasions. It has gone under the radar somewhat, as Ms McKenna said, because of what is happening in Ukraine and Palestine. It is horrific what is going on there and maybe even more horrific because it has not got the attention until recently that other areas...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: The country is three times the size of France. I also understand that disease is a concern at the moment. Can we have an update on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: I recall a number of years ago when I was Chair of the justice committee and also sat on the foreign affairs committee that members of the Defence Forces appeared before us. Some of the personnel told us that when they were in Darfur, their role was to protect women who went out for water because that was one of the most dangerous things for them to do. They could be attacked, raped and so...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: I will ask two final questions, the first of which is on the role of outside actors. The UAE and others have been mentioned as playing a major part in the situation. Do the witnesses have any comment to make on this? Second, what is the possibility of legal proceedings further down the road? They would be a long way away, but would the threat of such proceedings have an impact now if it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: I add my voice to that of Deputy Cronin with respect to the people working on the ground - the humanitarian workers and others - and recognise their bravery and courage in the work they are doing. It is amazing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Réada Cronin: We are talking about the amount of conflict going on in the world. We have seen what we would call respectable states targeting aid workers. Is any of that going on with any of the aid workers the organisations represented here have? I also seek the witnesses' opinion on another subject. In Ireland we pride ourselves on our neutrality. The African Union and the Arab League were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Réada Cronin: It is very important that our aid workers are safe in Sudan and are being respected there. Can Ireland do more with the African Union and the Arab League?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Réada Cronin: Can I come in, because I was not finished talking there?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Réada Cronin: The Chair is fine and I do not want to make this meeting about anything else. This is a meeting on Sudan. However, looking at the big picture, the witnesses mentioned that arms are being sold by the same people to both sides. There is a lot of money to be made in war and that is why I would like to know if there anything we could do as a neutral country. I would like the witnesses'...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: I just want to thank our guests for their presentations and the work their people are doing. The situation looks intractable. It really looks very bad. It is one of the worst cases I have seen. I do not know. I like to have hope. We will have to explore the matter further and do anything further we can. Some of the suggestions we got here were to write to the Tánaiste and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Réada Cronin: It is also worth mentioning that, while we talk a great deal about the number of refugees we have here in Ireland and how to manage them, the number of refugees in Africa is-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Réada Cronin: It is staggering. These countries are certainly doing their bit for their neighbours.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of Media in Climate Action: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Brian Leddin: I have received apologies from Deputy Paul Murphy. This morning's meeting will be held over two sessions. The purpose of the first session is to have a discussion on the role of media in climate action, particularly with respect to the impact and regulation of advertising that promotes fossil fuels. We will have a second session at 12.30 p.m., which will be a discussion on progress on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of Media in Climate Action: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Brian Leddin: That has been clarified. The Senator can come in shortly. I thank Dr. Nordrum for his opening statement. I call Ms McCarthy from RTÉ to deliver her opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of Media in Climate Action: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Brian Leddin: I thank Ms McCarthy. I am somewhat uncomfortable with the lack of attention to advertising in her statement. There was one mention of it. I understand Mr. O'Callaghan will answer in respect of advertising, but I would have thought that her statement would really focus on the challenge relating to advertising and climate. As politicians, we regularly go on national media, including...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of Media in Climate Action: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Brian Leddin: I should acknowledge the great work done in RTÉ with respect to programming and treating climate generally. Fantastic work has been done but if we are not looking at the advertising piece and how consumer behaviour is affected, we are really missing a trick. I would like to get into it and it is supposed to be the primary focus of this meeting. I invite Mr. Deans to speak now, please.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: The Role of Media in Climate Action: Discussion (8 Oct 2024)

Brian Leddin: I will hone in on the responsibility of RTÉ as a commercial semi-State body. Is Mr. Deans saying that to some degree RTÉ's hands are tied and that it has to maximise the revenue it would get? RTÉ needs to be funded and that is a live debate at the moment. What discretion does Mr. Deans have and what protocols are in place to give him, as commercial director, the discretion...