Results 8,101-8,120 of 19,697 for speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Topical Issue Debate: Surveillance Operations (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: You did not allow me the time to speak and interrupted me by making a scurrilous comment.

Topical Issue Debate: Surveillance Operations (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I refuse to do so.

Topical Issue Debate: Surveillance Operations (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I do not know which of the recent Garda Commissioners - Pat Byrne, Noel Conroy, Fachtna Murphy or Martin Callinan - the Tánaiste has just tried to hang by saying she understands these actions "relate to the early 2000s". The information I have is that these actions did not only happen in the early 2000s but that they have continued up to this day, and that implicates the current Garda...

Topical Issue Debate: Surveillance Operations (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I thank the Minister for coming to the House to address this issue. I raised this matter yesterday and what we have seen in the media so far is highly disturbing. I do not always believe everything or, indeed, anything that is published in the Irish Independentso I acquainted myself through other means with some of the background to the story. Apparently a highly decorated detective was...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Medicinal Products (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I will be very brief. There are other drugs available. Most other armies operating in sub-Saharan Africa use doxycycline or Malarone, in particular. Has the Minister of State ever asked the Health Products Regulatory Authority to peer review the use of Lariam by military services around the world, given that it is a number of years since it was first introduced? In recent times the vast...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Equipment (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Can the Minister of State give a commitment that the Defence Forces and the Department will engage in ethical purchasing when purchasing equipment in the future? Some €1.9 million has been spent on purchasing military drones from Israel and, over the last five years, €5.8 million has been spent on military equipment purchased by the Defence Forces from Israeli companies. These...

Other Questions: Civil Defence (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I support what the Deputy is calling for. Civil Defence should be properly resourced and housed in appropriate and modern facilities. They should be appropriate in the first instance and modernised as funding comes available. Such funding should always have been available. My question relates to other uses for Columb Barracks. Has consideration been given to using part of the site for...

Other Questions: Air Corps (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: A letter to the committee from the Department of Defence states the Cessna fleet will be replaced by three larger aircraft, suitably equipped for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance tasks. It states the procurement process has commenced. Since we are dealing with the questions of funding and upgrading the fleet of the Air Corps, can the Minister of State...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: This question is to ask the Minister of State what he is doing to address the severe pay issues among low and middle ranking members of the Defence Forces who are crying out for help.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Does the Minister of State accept that there is a problem with retention as a result of low pay and low morale? In answering another question earlier the Minister of State tried to equate the enthusiasm of applicants and raw recruits to being the morale of the entire Defence Forces. That is something he cannot do. Is he aware that from 2013, over 2,200 members of the Defence Forces have...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: He gave it out yesterday.

Other Questions: Defence Forces Remuneration (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: Last week, 9 May, the Minister of State's colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Leo Varadkar, responding to a question from my colleague, Deputy Pat Buckley, stated that 124 people who stated they were members of the Defence Forces were in receipt of FIS. The figure for the previous year was 127, and it was 49 in 2013. I hope that is helpful to the Minister of State and that...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Ministerial Transport (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: In the memo from Major General Kevin Cotter, dated 30 June 2016, he specifically states:Accordingly, the Air Corps has identified the following as priority missions that can and must be maintained as these missions are governed by SLAs and are high profile outputs: 1. Emergency medical services 2. Garda air support 3. Maritime patrols 4. Ministerial air transport service In concentrating...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Ministerial Transport (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: I did not say they could fly all aircraft. In fact, anybody who can fly a Learjet has already come through some of the training which would deal with CASA aircraft and is qualified to fly such aircraft. Once a person is qualified to fly a Learjet, he or she is taken off the roster for CASA aircraft. One of the problems is that fully qualified pilots manage to come off rosters. There are...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Ministerial Transport (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 32. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if a decision was taken in 2016 to prioritise the ministerial air transport service over the provision of top cover for search and rescue missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23355/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Ministerial Transport (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: The Minister of State is fresh from his top billing on 'Prime Time' last night. Will he account for and elaborate on the decision to prioritise ministerial air transport over and above search and rescue or air ambulance services, including air transport for children needing organ transplants?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Programme for Government Implementation (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: It is even worse when judged like that.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps Equipment (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 50. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the support the Air Corps has been able to provide when assisting emergency services dealing with serious gorse and forest fires; the type of equipment available to the Air Corps when attempting to extinguish such fires; and his plans to upgrade or modify its existing air fleet in order that it is better equipped to assist in tackling...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Contracts (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 62. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount spent on drones and other equipment procured from Israel since 2013; his future plans on procuring equipment from Israel; and his views on whether in view of Israel’s appalling human rights record it is unethical and against the wishes of the vast majority of persons that Ireland continues trading with Israel. [23197/17]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Army Barracks (17 May 2017)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh: 58. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his Department has been contacted by a group (details supplied) seeking to use Mullingar barracks as temporary accommodation to house homeless veterans; his views on these requests; his further views on using Mullingar barracks for such purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23193/17]