Results 61-80 of 6,374 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: The Work of Dóchas: Discussion (17 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I thank the witnesses for their attendance and the important work they do. I was with the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, a week or two ago. It was very sobering. The phrase "triage of human suffering" really sticks with you. The invidious choices facing aid organisations around the world, including potentially those of the witnesses, are...

Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: The Work of Dóchas: Discussion (17 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will direct this to Mr. Clarken because he answered a few questions on it. I will take the opportunity to raise the situation in Gaza. On what is happening on the ground at present, I agree that the approach being taken by this new organisation, backed by the US Administration, is about control. It is a weaponising of it. To have a starving population, this situation on top of it and the...

Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: The Work of Dóchas: Discussion (17 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I appreciate that, but in select ways.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (17 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 180. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on the implications of reduced capacity at Casement Aerodrome (Baldonnel) in relation to the upcoming EU presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32170/25]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (17 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 181. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence who will be on alert to assist with airborne cover if needed during the EU presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32171/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Projects (17 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 997. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there are plans for a fund for community centres for energy efficiency and insulation in 2025 or 2026. [32714/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 3. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to outline, further to recent Dáil debates, his views on past health and safety measures in the Air Corps, and potential engagements with interested groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31321/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: This question relates to issues relating to the safety measures, or lack thereof, that potentially existed in terms of Air Corps aircraft maintenance personnel over the course of recent decades. We spoke about two broad areas during our last discussion. One was the court-related issues. I flag that in response to the points the Minister made last time, several people have told me the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: On that point, while I understand there are restrictions on what the Minister can respond to me on, a former personnel member who was a part of aircraft maintenance said there was no current active engagement between the State Claims Agency and litigants despite what the Minister had claimed in the Dáil the previous week. The former personnel member stated that nobody from the State...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That is in the area we need to be looking at. There are potentially more things than that, but that is one of the crucial areas. It is not only the case here that other sectors or categories of people have had wrongs inflicted on them and sometimes it is difficult to put them all through the courts for a variety of reasons, but it has also been the case internationally. I have raised...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: We will have a fair few engagements on this. I am not all that convinced there was a lack of clarity, but if there was a necessity for clarification on humanitarian evacuation, drug interception or rescue of civilians, the Government should just legislate for that. That is my suggestion. As far as the Irish people are concerned, we do peacekeeping with the UN. The UN is not perfect but we...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: On the safeguards and so on, the difficulty is who the arbiter will be. The arbiter will be the Government of the day, which will be the self-same Government that intends to deploy the troops.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That does create a difficulty, if a Government is so motivated to deploy troops and it is being asked to evaluate. I understand the arguments the Tánaiste has made about the UN Security Council. It seems to me that it is a sovereign act by a sovereign Parliament to decide that this is the threshold. We have decided that this is the test. The Parliament here sets tests for numerous...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: A couple of issues were raised there. We discussed the issue of service commitment levels in our last session. It reflects the fact that this is an issue across a number of areas in the Defence Forces for specialist personnel. There is severe competition with the private sector. It appears to have hit a particular pinch point in Baldonnel. This is the home of the Air Corps. It is the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Local bargaining seems to be the solution to a lot of things and I am not sure how far that 1% is going to stretch to fix all of those issues. It seems to me that this was allowed to get beyond the eleventh hour before it was addressed. This is in the context of people talking about the need to take issues around defence seriously, yet it was allowed to escalate to the position of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 4. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will outline his proposals to remove the triple lock neutrality protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31322/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 1. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on the implications of reduced capacity at Casement Aerodrome at Baldonnel caused by a reduction in staff. [31320/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: There is a great deal of concern at the moment regarding the situation at Baldonnel. The recent departure of some air traffic control personnel is resulting in a significant reduction in the capacity of Baldonnel, with consequent significant implications for Government aircraft and Air Corps aircraft and, more widely, for sea rescue and so on. I am seeking an update on the situation and...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: At the outset, I acknowledge the Cathaoirleach could not be here due to the passing of her mother. The committee extends its sympathies to Deputy Conway-Walsh. Apologies have been received from Senator Diarmuid Wilson, the Leas-Chathaoirleach, and Deputy Eamon Scanlon. The joint committee is meeting today to continue its pre-legislative scrutiny of the defence (amendment) Bill 2025. I...