Results 6,981-7,000 of 51,305 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Reports (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The report of the IRG established to examine dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces was published following Government approval on 28 March 2023. The Government agreed to progress the recommendations contained in the report. One of the first actions taken was the establishment of an external oversight body, initially on a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Reports (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: A significant number of the recommendations have been followed through on and have been worked on. I did not list them all there. The whole consultation around the establishment of a tribunal has taken an especially lengthy time, and rightly so, because people wanted to consult and get it right and have suggestions made that we have taken on board. We moved very quickly on identifying that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am surprised with what the Deputy said and I do not think it is fair. There has been full respect on my side and there has been ongoing engagement. We actually met in January but the Deputy seems to suggest the last meeting was in December. We met again, we reflected, we changed and we made further inclusions, particularly in respect of the hazardous chemicals issue in Baldonnel. We...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Women of Honour made very significant submissions in respect of this and during the various meetings we had. I believe we have had eight or nine meetings. In December we agreed to include "psychological harm" in the definition of abuse and that the tribunal may permit evidence of abuse and the consequences of abuse to be heard. We reflected that in the terms of reference and these have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 65 together. I thank the Deputy for raising the question. As I outlined earlier to Deputies, the military authorities have advised that as of 31 December 2023, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,550 personnel. A total of 750 personnel were discharged in 2023 and 415 personnel were inducted. The Commission on the Defence Forces...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: Everybody has spoken generally about the need for an international force to guarantee security in Gaza, for example. We want the war to stop in Gaza and we have asked for a ceasefire. If it did stop, there would be a need-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: We would argue that it would be far better to have an international security presence there to keep the peace than it would be to have Israeli security in Gaza suppressing people.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: The military authorities have advised that as of 31 December 2023, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,550 personnel. A total of 750 personnel discharged in 2023 and 415 personnel were inducted. A table containing the requested breakdown by branch of these figures will be provided to the Deputy. Every effort is being made to increase the strength of our Defence...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: We have established the Defence Forces joint induction training centre in Gormanston, which will ultimately enable induction training to be provided to 900 recruits per annum. That is a significant investment. We have also appointed a specialist internal expertise group to go in, validate and advise on recruitment processes in the Permanent Defence Force, with a particular focus on the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: It is net.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I do not agree with that at all.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: This is a net increase. I have been in office for one year. I am determined to deal with this. There are a number of interlocking issues. This Government has dealt substantially with pay. On completion of training, recruits start at €38,000 in year one. That increases to €39,400 in year two and €40,700 in year three. School-leaver cadets, on commissioning, are paid...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: The report of the independent review group, which was established to examine dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces, was published on 28 March 2023. The Government agreed to progress the recommendations contained in the report, which included the establishment of a statutory inquiry to identify systemic failures, if any, in the complaints system, in order to ensure accountability...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising the question. Any modification to the triple lock will continue to require Government and Dáil approval for the dispatch of Defence Forces personnel to take part in peacekeeping and similar missions. Second, it will do nothing to change Ireland’s traditional position of military neutrality, which is characterised by Ireland's non-participation in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: That is not true.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: We were recently a member of the Security Council for two years. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which the Deputy mentioned, is a catalyst for change because Russia, at the moment, has a veto on whether we would ever participate in a peacekeeping mission sanctioned by the UN Security Council. Surely the Deputy is not suggesting our hands should be tied, in terms of participation in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: On military advice, I was asked to withdraw troops from the Golan Heights in the interests of consolidation, an issue we will deal with on a later question. We are participating in the EU battlegroup, as we have been doing for 20 years. To give another example, a subsequent EU peacekeeping operation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia did not have a Security Council mandate and...

Conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Motion (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: No, you are not.

Conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Motion (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: Very dishonest.

Conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Motion (23 Jan 2024)

Micheál Martin: We do.