Results 41-60 of 20,607 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Committee on Defence and National Security: Business of Joint Committee (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: Before we start the meeting, the Minister for Defence spoke in the last week on sending peacekeepers to Ukraine. It is obviously abhorrent what Russia is doing there at the moment, but he was speaking at the national day of commemoration for veterans and he said "Ireland certainly wouldn't recuse itself" from the conversation and would be "eager to assist". Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Business of Joint Committee (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: I am just saying those are the implications of that statement. Could we ask if that is the Government's position, if it is agreed by the committee?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Business of Joint Committee (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: I thank the Chair.

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: My first question relates to the current level of protection. From discussions in this room and elsewhere in the Oireachtas, it is clear we have a low level of defence and protection of our undersea infrastructure at the moment. Given our position globally and the amount of territorial sea that is within the domain of this State, it is key that we be able to protect that infrastructure....

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: With respect, that could mean anything. I am trying to understand. As the principal officer in the unit, surely Dr. Stanley would have a notion of what is deployed at the moment. Is it just two naval ships patrolling the Irish seas?

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: To date, have there been major incidents where undersea infrastructure has been damaged? Obviously, that the likes of Internet cables, energy pipelines and undersea cables for electricity be protected. Have there been incidents where damage has happened?

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: Within Irish territorial waters, has damage been caused to any undersea infrastructure?

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: Is it correct that neither the Naval Service nor the Defence Forces have brought to the attention of the Department any damage to date to undersea cables or undersea infrastructure that Dr. Stanley is aware of?

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: I am just trying to get the picture of where things are at. There is broad agreement that what we have is not adequate at present. I think that is accepted. There will have to be increased spending to improve the Naval Service and other Defence Forces to be able to monitor and have the appropriate technology, etc. I am not in a position to say what technology is acquired - that is for the...

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: Of the €1.7 billion increase between now and 2030-----

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: In broad terms, what percentage of that will be for the navy and naval spending?

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: Surely at this stage they would have their shopping list of what is required.

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: Is it one third or half that figure?

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: In terms of big costs, if there are currently two ships that can be put to sea, the expectation is that we would need a further three or four. Surely at this stage there are conversations happening between the senior officers in the navy and Dr. Stanley's Department, at principal officer and Secretary General level, about the cost and that will be part of the strategy. She is correct that...

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: As regards other military and naval hardware required and the big costs, what are the other main items that will take up a sizable part of that budget?

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: I was hoping we would have some shape on that this morning, although I understand the final plan strategy has to go before the Tánaiste and be agreed. Finally, with regard to interference with Internet cables by other countries, do the Department and the Defence Forces have much evidence of that? There have been reports in the media at times of other countries interfering with...

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: Does one of the issues the Department is dealing with as part of this strategy relate to other countries and other states that are tapping into Internet cables and are able to intercept messages between the Government in this country and governments in other countries, or between business leaders in this country and business leaders in other countries? There has been a lot of evidence of...

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: Would this not be a critical issue for the State? Every state has to protect its own infrastructure and information systems and everything else, both financially and from a security point of view. If this is not part of the strategy, should it not be part of it?

Committee on Defence and National Security: National Maritime Security Strategy: Department of Defence (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: Chair, if we are doing a report on this, it is really important, without anyone getting paranoid about it, that in the context of undersea infrastructure and communication cables, one part of the strategy should be about monitoring interference by other countries with Internet connections between this State and other states, whether it is private business or the business of the State and...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Patient Transport (2 Oct 2025)

Brian Stanley: 115. To ask the Minister for Health the action being taken to resolve the issue of public patients in nursing home care being unable to access ambulance transfer to hospital appointments when necessary, including some who are a long distance away; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51532/25]