Results 121-140 of 46,414 for speaker:Micheál Martin

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I behaved absolutely in accordance with parliamentary procedure and processes here. There is nothing abnormal about a Government proposing a legislative proposal, publishing a general scheme and bringing it before the House for debate for all Members of the House. The Bill will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny. To address Deputy Howlin's question and the point he made, we envisage...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy can call it a double lock. I have said publicly that the legislation will have to be within the framework of the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law and that the spirit, the esprit de corps, of the United Nations will inform any decision by the Government and the Dáil, which would legislatively reflect that. 10 o’clock The UN has endorsed...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I will have a look at the situation again to satisfy myself as to how the process was conducted and I will revert then.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: It was very challenging all round to demarcate those entitled to payments across all public services. A total of 717 Defence Forces personnel were deemed eligible and have been paid the full €1,000 pandemic recognition payment. It is not an inconsiderable number. Both Permanent Defence Forces representative associations on two separate occasions issued information circulars to their...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy, who has been strongly advocating for Athlone for this role for some time. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the programme for Government and the Government decision in December 2020, which also agreed its terms of reference and membership. The report was published on 9 February 2022. The commission undertook a significant...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I recall meeting the Deputy with councillors Keena and O'Rourke at Custume Barracks. We are investing in Custume Barracks in support of the personnel and operations there. Improvement works are ongoing, including the band hall. The Defence Forces school of music is based there, and that project, which is almost complete, provided an energy retrofit and refurbishment. The emergency...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: It is acknowledged we have to significantly improve recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces. We have taken many decisions to facilitate that, not least the big recent decision to extend the retirement age to 60. That will be followed up with legislation to extend it to 62 and to improve the date at which people can apply, and raise that threshold also. There are various allowances...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tribunals of Inquiry (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: We have indicated that the tribunal will be located in Smithfield. There were issues to discuss regarding legal representation, costs and so on. That is all sorted. I anticipate the commencement order being signed within the next fortnight. My officials will bring the commencement order for me to sign. It is normally the case that, once we appoint a chairperson, that chairperson...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tribunals of Inquiry (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: As I said in my previous reply, I expect to sign that commencement order within a fortnight, if not sooner. A tribunal has to do a lot of preparatory work before hearings are announced. That is normal and allows for people to make submissions and so forth. I do not anticipate any difference from the legal representation parties have had in previous tribunals of inquiry. A lot of progress...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. As he will know, in January 2022, the Government announced a Covid-19 pandemic recognition payment for front-line public sector healthcare workers to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. At Government level, the Department of Health has primary policy responsibility for this initiative, having received the consent of the Department of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Naval Service (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: The Deputy made a number of points. There is no lack of capital investment in our navy either in Haulbowline, which has undergone significant infrastructural investment and will have more, or for the purchase of ships and so on. In respect of enhanced patrolling of the Irish Sea and surveillance, monitoring subsea cables in our exclusive economic zone is very important. We have seen what...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Naval Service (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: We have the funding. The issue is converting applications into recruitment and then retaining people longer in our service. The policy decision I pushed very strongly for, and secured, was the raising of the retirement age to 60, which is quite a dramatic and significant change. We will even increase it to 62 when the legislation goes through the House. That is important for retention. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tribunals of Inquiry (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 21 together. The Government recently approved the terms of reference for a tribunal of inquiry, pursuant to the provisions of the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921. The tribunal will examine the effectiveness of the complaints processes in the Defence Forces concerning workplace issues relating to discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Ireland’s active engagement in EU battle groups demonstrates our commitment to the development of EU capabilities in the area of crisis management and contributes to our overall credibility within the Union. It enhances our capacity to influence the ongoing development and evolution of the rapid response capacity of the EU, in particular, the role battle groups can play in reinforcing...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: This is the first time ever that there has been a change in terms of allowances and supports for participation in an EU battle group. As I said, in the previous ones there were no allowances as such and this represents progress. The nature of the participation in the battle group is somewhat significantly different from that, say, in a UNIFIL mission or other mission abroad. There is a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I was pleased to attend the PDFORRA conference yesterday in Cavan. We had a good exchange and a good discussion. They acknowledged a lot of progress in the past 15 months and I appreciate the Deputy has as well in respect of a range of issues, not only pay and allowances but the progress we have made on the working time directive, the retirement age, etc. We have made further progress...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Naval Service (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: The establishment of the Naval Service is 1,094 personnel and the strength, as at 31 March 2024, was 722 personnel. The military authorities have advised that the strength of the Naval Service stood at 936 personnel in 2019, 902 in 2020, 875 in 2021, 798 in 2022, and 725 in 2023. The report of the Commission on the Defence Forces approved a move, over a six-year period, to a level of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: Under the UN Charter, the UN Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Extremely regrettably however, no new peacekeeping mission has been approved by the council since 2014. The five permanent members of the council can use their veto power to prevent the Security Council from taking decisions, including those related to the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: I am unclear as to what the Deputy means about the Oireachtas committee. Is he saying that members are speaking more outside of the committee as opposed to speaking in it? I thought the debate in the committee during the week was reasonably constructive. There was no outcry, as such, within the committee anyway, but there was a conversation and people had different perspectives. What...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (16 May 2024)

Micheál Martin: We should take the opportunity to congratulate the Chief of Staff, Seán Clancy, on being elected by his peers as chair of the European Union military committee, which involves a role in co-ordination and consultation across EU militaries in respect of peace enforcement, peacekeeping and conflict prevention. That reflects well on the Defence Forces and needs to be said. When the...