Results 8,001-8,020 of 19,697 for speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Given the report yesterday on the terms and conditions of the men and women in the Defence Forces, will the Minister of State again consider the industrial relations legislation to allow RACO and PDFORRA to engage more fully in collective bargaining in discussions around pay and conditions, which it is to be hoped would address some of the issues that emerged yesterday?

Other Questions: Common Security and Defence Policy (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 41. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on efforts by France and Germany to get EU member states to sign up to a new pan-EU defence scheme; if he will attend the ministerial conference in Paris on 13 July 2017 when this matter will be discussed; and if Ireland will reject the plans for a pan-EU defence scheme and refuse to participate or contribute to the scheme. [32265/17]

Other Questions: Common Security and Defence Policy (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: This question concerns the conference that the Minister of State is scheduled to attend later this week. What are his views on the efforts by France and Germany to get other EU member states to sign up to an EU defence scheme? Will he comment on that and will he reiterate Ireland's rejection of such plans and our refusal to co-operate, contribute or participate in such a scheme?

Other Questions: Common Security and Defence Policy (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I thank the Minister of State for his answer. This is an ongoing battle, involving myself and others who believe in Ireland's neutrality. Virtually every single meeting of EU Defence Ministers or EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers continues to erode our stand-alone policy on neutrality and our vision of the primacy of the UN. Each meeting contributes to the concept of fortress Europe....

Other Questions: Common Security and Defence Policy (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: While I accept that the Minister of State has a stated policy in this House of respecting our neutrality and supposedly fighting for it, this goes beyond our neutrality. It is the fact that we are a part of the European Union, and every time the European Union speaks as a single voice our neutrality is ignored, forgotten about or put to one side. When the EU decides to use Turkey as a...

Other Questions: Air Corps Operations (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 36. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his Department contacted the companies or persons that carried out the 1990s safety reports into aspects of the Air Corps' safety procedures at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, on behalf of the State agency Forbairt in order to ascertain if they might still have copies of the reports that his Department claims to have lost. [32262/17]

Other Questions: Air Corps Operations (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: This is a simple question and, to some degree, a follow-up to an earlier question. It seeks to nail down what actions the Minister, the military authorities or his Department have taken to track down at least four health and safety reports on Air Corps installations which were carried out in the 1990s and have vanished. Are we to depend on the Irish Examiner's Joe Leogue's investigative...

Other Questions: Air Corps Operations (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I may be of some assistance to the Minister. He has answered some of the questions I was going to ask. He has asked the military authorities about the reports. I do not know how in-depth that query was. Did they ask the key personnel involved in commissioning these reports whether they recalled commissioning them, whether they had sight of them, whether they ever had possession of them or...

Other Questions: Air Corps Operations (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Personally, I would have no problem acceding to the Minister's request but, like him, if someone gives me something as a whistleblower, I am not at liberty just to hand it over. I will contact the whistleblowers and ask if they wish me to pass the reports on to the Minister. However, the Minister had sight of them, I am told by the same whistleblowers, when they met him. I do not know...

Other Questions: Military Medals (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 33. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when he plans to award medals to the surviving veterans and next of kin of the deceased veterans who served with distinction during the siege of Jadotville in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1961; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32263/17]

Other Questions: Military Medals (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: This question arises from a welcome announcement that was made by the Minister of State in June. When I asked the Minister of State about this matter on 21 June last, he said he was not sure whether legislation was required to issue medals to the survivors of the siege of Jadotville and the families of those who fought there but have since died.

Other Questions: Military Medals (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: As I said at the outset, I welcome this decision. It is a pity it was not made 56 years ago. More than two thirds of the members of A Company, 35th Battalion have passed away. Their next of kin will receive their medals on their behalf. My colleague, Senator Mac Lochlainn, along with Senator Craughwell, has proposed a motion on this issue in the Seanad. I think the Minister of State's...

Other Questions: Military Medals (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: This is a welcome move towards vindication, once and for all, that the stance taken by the Irish troops was heroic. Their heroism stands despite commentary by some people, including some Ministers in this House, over the years that suggested otherwise. It is right and proper at this stage, in the interests of undoing the damage that has been done over 56 years, that this recognition is...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel Data (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: The Minister of State did not wash his hands.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Health and Safety Inspections (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 29. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on whether it is credible that all copies of the reports of inspections into health and safety at Casement Aerodrome in the 1990s sent by Forbairt to the Department of Defence in 1995, 1997 and 1998 have disappeared; his further views on the position of military authorities whose lack of concern at their disappearance is matched by...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Health and Safety Inspections (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Does the Minister of State seriously want us to believe that at least four health and safety reports into conditions in workshops etc. at the Air Corps' Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, County Dublin, have just vanished in an organisation that is scrupulous in retaining files? It is inexcusable that no investigation into the disappearance has been initiated even though we know that at least...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Health and Safety Inspections (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Many former Air Corps members, especially those involved in the maintenance of planes in the 1980s, 1990s and since, are suffering severe chronic illnesses that they believe were caused by their exposure to toxic chemicals while working as technicians at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel. A toxicologist has given his medical opinion that these conditions exist in the case of six men who are...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Health and Safety Inspections (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Does the Minister of State believe personal protection equipment was issued to the men and women in the Air Corps in the 1980s? Does he believe they were seriously exposed to chemicals such as these? I know he has seen the photograph I am holding up. It was shown to him by the whistleblowers. When he met the whistleblowers, did he ask them for copies of the report? I have in my hand...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Health and Safety Inspections (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: In the Minister of State's view, are the whistleblowers distinguished or disgusting?

Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: On a procedural matter, we are deciding to take a motion tomorrow regarding a matter which is before a committee tomorrow.