Tag Archives: Deputy Pat Breen

The chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Pat Breen has expressed solidarity with the French people following yesterday’s terrorist attack at the Charlie Hebdo offices. Deputy Breen has written to the French Ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Jean-Pierre Thébault, to offer the condolences of the Oireachtas committee with the victims and their families and friends and to express solidarity with the French people on behalf of committee members. “Yesterday’s appalling attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo, which claimed 12 lives, is to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. This barbaric act against editors, journalists and cartoonists was also an attack on the universal values of free speech and freedom of expression. On behalf of committee members, I have written to the French Ambassador in Dublin to express our sympathies with the families of the victims and to offer our solidarity with the French people at this difficult time,” the Clare TD said.

Clare is poised to benefit from the upsurge in tourism activity, with 2015 set to become a bumper year for the industry. That’s according to chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs Pat Breen. The Clare deputy pointed out that the tourism sector in Clare has experienced growth thanks to the revival of Shannon Airport, the abolition of the Air Travel Tax and the retention of the reduced VAT on tourism services. “Our tourism industry is experiencing rapid growth and according to Bord Fáilte, the number of visitors will grow again next year with 2015  set to become a bumper year for tourism with record levels of revenue expected and the creation of a further 8,000 jobs in the industry,” he outlined. Deputy Breen said the promotion of The Wild Atlantic Way has been a major success with the opening of the lighthouse in Loop Head helping to drive tourists back into West Clare. “The Loop Head Peninsula received …

A CENTURY on, the Christmas Truce on the Western Front in 1914 was remembered at a special event in Iveagh House in Dublin, where the keynote address was delivered by former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charles Flanagan hosted the remembrance, while the British Secretary of State, Philip Hammond, was also in attendance. Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Pat Breen was also present. Jerry Lynch, from Kilfenora, sang a moving rendition of the Cormac Mac Connell-penned song, A Silent Night Christmas 1914, accompanied by the Island of Ireland Peace Choir. The Christmas Truce describes the extraordinary event on the Western Front 100 years ago, when the guns fell silent and when soldiers from all sides stepped out from their trenches, shook hands and took a break from hostilities. Deputy Breen said, “It is very important that we remember and reflect on the events that took place in the trenches on …

Budget 2015 will aid Clare’s continuing economic recovery, according to local TD Pat Breen, who said it is very much focused on supporting job creation and growth and encouraging consumer confidence. “The retention of the 9% VAT rate for the tourism sector is particularly welcome. The introduction of this rate in 2011 has been credited with the creation of 547 jobs in Clare’s tourism industry since then and keeping the rate at this level is important to build on the growth, which tourism providers in the county have experienced this year,” he said. Deputy Breen  acknowledged Shannon Airport’s return to growth is also contributing to the Clare’s positive tourism figures. “Raising the threshold for the top rate of tax to almost €34,000 will help thousands of people to have a secure income, while cutting the top rate to 40% will help ease the burden on hard working families and boost consumer confidence and will help to maintain local businesses in …

Tales of growing up in a Killaloe household filled with music were told when Deputy Pat Breen met a local master Irish traditional musician at the National Fellowship Award Ceremony in the United States of America. During his recent visit to Washington, chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Breen was invited to attend the National Fellowship Award Ceremony at the Irish Embassy, where he met up with Killaloe-born Séamus Connolly, the 2013 recipient of the award. The NEA National Heritage Fellowships in the United States are awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which were established by Congress in 1965 and recognise artistic excellence and support their continuing contributions to America’s traditional arts heritage. Since the NEA was founded, they have awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities in the US. Deputy Breen was pleased to meet Seamus Connolly and the …

Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Pat Breen is this Tuesday beginning a three-day humanitarian visit with Trocaire to Haiti. Deputy Breen’s itinerary includes a visit to the Institute of Technology and Development in Gressier, a Trocaire partner involved in post-earthquake housing projects. While there he will officially hand over the keys of the new housing units to the beneficiary families of this Trocaire supported inaugural housing project. Deputy Breen will also visit the Canaan Camp for Internally Displaced persons to see the plight of people still living in tent cities, travel to the Cluny Sister school to see the situation of education in Haiti and support from Irish Cluny sisters for reconstruction work of schools in Haiti and meet with NGOs, EU and UN Representatives and Members of the Haitian Bishops Conference for an overview of the current post earth quake recovery and development efforts. Before departure, Deputy Breen said, “The 2010 earthquake had a …