Results 1-20 of 4,937 for speaker:Diarmuid Wilson

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: Like my colleagues, I welcome the four witnesses. I thank them for their insightful contributions. As Deputy Callaghan has pointed out, we have 150 years of military experience in this room. I thank the witnesses most sincerely. I hope I can be forgiven for welcoming especially former Deputy, Dr. Cathal Berry. He was an excellent Member of the Dáil and I had the honour of serving...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: The UNIFIL mission in Lebanon is due to expire on 31 August of this year. As has been pointed out, if that mandate is not renewed then we will have no option but to leave that mission. I believe that a phased withdrawal would be terribly regrettable. I agree with the witnesses that it is an incentive for the majority of young people who join the Defence Forces an opportunity to serve...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: What is the total number of troops for the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon?

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: No. What is the total combined number of troops who come from dozens of countries?

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: Yes, that was my understanding. So Ireland's contribution to that at present is 345 troops and, as has been said, there would have to be a phased withdrawal of those troops from the mission.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: That would be terribly regrettable. All four witnesses have been commanding officers. Have they ever felt hampered by the absence of any policy on suspension to date? All four can comment on that.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: Suspension as provided for in the Bill. As Dr. Berry said in his opening statement, "Turning to human resource matters, I welcome the Bill’s proposal to provide powers of suspension to the Chief of Staff under certain circumstances." Has there been any direct policy on suspension to date and what were the guidelines?

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: Yes.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: Ms O'Brien felt hampered by the fact that she could not take things further.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 : Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jun 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: I thank the witnesses for their presentations, which were excellent. Summarising Mr. Noonan’s contribution, he said this Bill is for us to make a decision on whether to put our young people in harm’s way. I assure him, I, like all of my colleagues, are taking this seriously. A member of my family is a member of the Defence Forces. I assure Mr. Noonan and his colleagues that...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 : Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jun 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: I thank Mr. Noonan. We are running out of time. Will Mr. Murphy respond?

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 : Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jun 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: On a point of order, the witnesses have been invited here and given their presentations. For people to question whether they have conflicts of interest is irrelevant. If, in the opinion of a member of this committee, there is a conflict of interest, they should have raised that before the witnesses were brought before the committee. I will put on record that every witness who has appeared...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 : Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jun 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: I am a Senator, by the way.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 : Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jun 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: I am sorry. Excuse me but-----

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Safety (24 Jun 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As context for this Commencement matter, on Easter Sunday morning just past, 20 April, I was awakened in my house by what I thought was a car alarm. However, I quickly realised it was the sound of a number of smoke alarms going off. While there was no indication of any smoke in the house at the time, because the alarms were going off, I went...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Safety (24 Jun 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: The education aspect is vital. I am aware of some of the programmes conducted by the local fire services. An excellent programme is conducted in Cavan for third class pupils. I would like to see that extended to secondary schools as a refresher course, if possible. The main message I want to get across, however, is that without smoke alarms, if there is a fire in your house, there is a...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: I join my colleagues in welcoming the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, the GOC of the Air Corps, the Secretary General and the other witnesses. I thank them for their contributions. I congratulate the Chief of Staff on his recent elevation to that role. His appointment has gone down very well with his colleagues, from the Army privates all the way up. I wish him well in the years...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: I thank Ms McCrum. I read an article earlier today on thejournal.ie by Niall O'Connor, who seems to have been well informed about what would be said at this meeting. I congratulate him on that. The following statement in his article aligns with what has been outlined by the Secretary General and her colleagues: "The military also plans to introduce a direct entry scheme for qualified...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: Like colleagues, I welcome Ms Maguire and her team. I thank them for their input so far. Most of the questions I wished to ask have already been answered. I would like to begin by acknowledging, as Senator Gallagher and Deputy Callaghan did, that today is International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. It is worth noting that since 1958, Ireland is the only country that has had a...