Results 1-20 of 5,754 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: In recent days, AIB has repurchased quite a lot of its shares from the Government. On the one hand, we should be happy about this. On the other hand, it brings back to mind the misery that the financial crisis brought to this country. There are still tens of thousands of people who are severely in debt and have distressed mortgages. These distressed mortgages have been passed from banks...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I wish to raise the case of Ryan Cornelius who has been in prison in Dubai for 17 years. He first went to prison when his youngest child was six years old and that child is now 23 years. Last Friday, I met his wife and relations. Initially, Ryan was sentenced to ten years in jail, but as he reached the end of that sentence, another set of trumped up charges were made and he was sentenced...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I would like to be associated with the expressions of sympathy on the death of Garda Flatley to his wife, his two daughters and his extended family. As my colleagues have mentioned, 90 gardaí have left their homes to go on duty and never returned.There are also the gardaí who left their homes, went on duty and were injured while on duty. I am mindful of my young brother, who was...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Are there sausage rolls on it?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Leas-Chathaoirleach and the Acting Leader will know that I have spent the best part of five years - in fact, longer, if I think about it - examining search and rescue. They will also know that the contract that has been awarded is an absolute disaster. They will know further that the Irish Air Corps put forward a 480 page submission to take one base and possibly two. This would have...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I congratulate the Defence Forces on the wonderful event at Arbour Hill. As always, it turned out excellently, with great guards of honour and indeed the Cathaoirleach did pretty well himself reading the prayer.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: There has been a lot of talk about the purchase of primary radar for the Defence Forces. As a result of the shambolic SAR contract that has been awarded to Bristow Ireland, which came to this country without the resources to take on the contract, the company has now poached four of the air traffic controllers from Baldonnel. We are going to find ourselves with a brand new Government jet...

Seanad: Higher Education: Motion (7 May 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister is welcome to the House. It was good to see him in Wexford last week addressing my former trade union. He got out alive, which has to say something for him. I was delighted to hear my colleague from Limerick speak about the education that was available there. I am a second-chance learner myself, and it was Limerick Senior College that opened the door for me to a degree from...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Leader will be aware that I have spent the past five years concerned about the search and rescue service that operates in this country. The award of a contract recently to Bristow was to bring with it all sorts of additional services. We have heard colleagues this morning talking about the lack of ambulance services. The legal battle between CHC and Bristow has been resolved, but part...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Last night, I spent my time switching between various news channels to watch the greatest bully on the face of the earth deliver additional tariffs. The 104% tariff on China is an example of what happens when a bully is allowed to get away with what he is doing. There is something unseemly about watching news programmes on which spokespersons for the United States say that 70 countries are...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Never before in our history has democracy been so under threat. We now have three leaders in the world who feel they can do as they please with impunity. We have Putin taking what he wants in his attacks on Ukraine; we have Donald Trump in the United States threatening to take Greenland by force if he has to; and we have, further south in the world, the Chinese threatening Taiwan, a...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (8 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I agree with much of what Senator Higgins said. In any marine accident, speed is of the essence in getting answers and understanding what happened. That is truly important. The Lucas case raised certain issues with respect to interviews, the removal of certain items from the scene of the accident and, if I recall correctly, the investigation into the life jackets that were used. I may be...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (8 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I am not going to delay on this. I am just concerned where there is vague language when we are talking about regulation. The word "may" should never appear in anything. It should be very clear. There should be an onus and duty on those to carry out whatever instruction in whatever section of the legislation there is. The word "may" gives an opt-out to people. It allows for a situation...

Seanad: International Trade and International Relations: Statements (3 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: That is correct. The Tánaiste is very welcome to the House. I thank him for his congratulations on our return to Seanad Éireann, and congratulate him and his party on their return to government. The soundings from all sides of the Government is that we are now in a crisis and we stick together. We have done it before. We did it with Brexit and we did it very well. I am...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Many in this room will be aware that at the fall of Kabul, when the western states left Afghanistan, the Irish ambassador to the UN at the time issued a statement that Ireland stood with the women of Afghanistan. What exactly did that mean? It meant sweet damn all, to be honest about it. Few of us can be unaware of what is going on in the Middle East. It does not matter which side of the...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (2 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister is welcome to the House. This is my first time addressing him since he was appointed to this role and it is good to have him here. I will start by saying that I have no time for the Israelis and what they have done. I compliment the Irish Government on taking the decision to support the South African case. What is being done by Israel - and I include Hamas and Hezbollah in...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (2 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister, before he left the Chamber, gave oxygen to this legislation, and thank God for that. I oppose the Bill as it is currently written. I compliment the Civil Engagement Group on the work it has done. Senator Black has been a strong voice for Palestine in this House for as long as she has been here. She is to be commended for that. I ask that we suspend Committee Stage and allow...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (2 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Why would we single out one country? Let us look at the practice of bringing armaments through Ireland by any country. It is wrong in every sense of the word. When we offered our unequivocal support to Ukraine, which I fully endorsed, it never came before the Oireachtas to be debated. People talk in this Chamber about neutrality but we have never-----

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (2 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Yes, and section 2 is about controlling armaments.

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (2 Apr 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Acting Chairperson for the clarification. I want the Bill to pass but to pass in such a way that it can actually be implemented. All speakers referred to aircraft flying through our airspace. We cannot see what is in our airspace. We cannot get up to our airspace and force rogue aircraft carrying munitions to land in Ireland in order to inspect what is in their fuselage. How...