Results 3,861-3,880 of 24,555 for speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: Senator McDowell could chair the committee again.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I ask the Deputy Leader whether we could, as part of our programme of work, have a series of meetings and debates on the forthcoming budget. This morning, Senators Kyne and Pauline O'Reilly have made reference to community funding and men's sheds. This morning, we received a very informative briefing from the Irish Men's Sheds Association, which has produced a document on the support it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the witnesses for attending, for their volunteerism and for the spirit in which they have presented to the committee. In my 15 years in the Oireachtas, I have never been as depressed as I have been while listening to that presentation. CUAG is not working and there is an issue with low morale. I know some of the witnesses. Mr. Farr is a fine person and I hold him in high esteem....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: Has the association met her advisers or the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan’s advisers? Has the Minister for Defence any remit over the Coast Guard?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: From my involvement in the GAA and political organisations and from my experience as a Chair of a committee as well as a member of committees, the minutes of a meeting should record decisions taken and actions arising. Therefore, there should be no tampering with or reimagining of a minute of a meeting. Is that a fair comment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: That should not have been the case in any shape or form.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: The Chairman spoke about our use of language. Are we essentially talking about volunteers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: The people in question are predominantly volunteers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: The stipend that members receive will not rock the boat – no pun intended – or make them rich.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: May I refer to – I will use the phrase carefully and advisedly – the spirit of fear now enveloping the Coast Guard?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: My next question relates to a comment from Senator Craughwell. The witnesses should not take what I am saying as being my view, but in light of the presentations we have received today and the questions and answers session we have had, how would they address the claim that they were a group of cranks, disillusioned and disenfranchised, wanting to cause trouble?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: Then I am going to rephrase it again.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: For us to be at this point today, there is a gargantuan grievance and morale is low. For the witnesses to come here today took a huge reason and it is a significant statement by them. It is clear to me and, I am sure, other members that something is fundamentally not right here.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I apologise for interrupting but when Mr. Lucas says "fall out of favour", what does he mean? He is a volunteer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: Mediation could be the next step. What would the witnesses' view be if the next step was, for example, binding arbitration between the witnesses, the Coast Guard management and the Department or different parts of the stakeholder engagement? What is the witnesses' view of arbitration, binding or otherwise?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: We are at a point where we, as a committee, need to take a step back. How many members does Mr. Farr's group have in the overall context of 100% per cent of the pie chart, versus CUAG?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the witnesses for their service and the risks they take every day on our behalf. I know Mr. Farr and have the highest respect and admiration for him. I have known him and the work he does in Crosshaven and other parts of Cork for a long time. I thank him for that and thank the other witnesses for attending. It was not an easy decision for them to come in and make this presentation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I will not delay because much of what I wanted to ask has already been said. I want first to thank all of the members of CUAG for being here. I thank Mr. Murray for his chairmanship and presentation and Mr. Cahill for his work in Cork. We have two divergent roads here, Chairman. I ask Mr. Murray, in the context of the minutes of meetings and morale, where I am sure he heard the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: Chairman, my comments are not in any way meant to be judgemental about anybody but in the context of the previous presentation we had, which Mr. Murray saw, how would Mr. Murray describe the nature of that presentation from his world view?