Results 1-20 of 270 for speaker:Duncan Smith

Middle East: Statements (2 Jul 2025)

Duncan Smith: Given the slaughter, the genocide and the last 20 months of horror, to wake up to the news, as we did this morning, that perhaps there will be a 60-day ceasefire will be welcomed by most people. Of course we will welcome it if it happens but for a number of reasons it is hard to have confidence in a ceasefire in this conflict. One reason is that the person who announced it this morning,...

All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Statements (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Duncan Smith: I welcome the time to speak on this topic. The northern commuter line is one of the most stressed lines in this country. The plan in the all-island strategic review, which is a long-distance project, aims at four-tracking that line. That is a must for towns like Donabate, the population of which is going to increase by up to 5,000 people in the next couple of years, or 25%. It is the...

Nursing Homes: Motion [Private Members] (2 Jul 2025)

Duncan Smith: Two weeks before the "RTÉ Investigates" programme, a man in his 80s came to my clinic. He makes a bare minimum of 14 trips a week to the nursing home in which his wife is living. He visits in the morning to make sure his wife's day can begin with care, dignity and love. It is not the nursing home's job to provide love but it is its job to provide care and dignity. He goes again at...

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

Duncan Smith: I thank the Chair and warmly welcome all the witnesses. Their depth of experience is not only their service to the State, which is unbelievable, but also in peacekeeping and within United Nations. It gives a very different flavour to this particular group of witnesses which is much needed in this committee. There is a deep sense of pride, as Mr. Doyle said with regard to the shiver up...

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

Duncan Smith: Those of us concerned about the removal of the triple lock hold that concern because of our love and desire for the United Nations, in general, to be the only global multilateral organisation, albeit the UN Security Council is paralysed and is the only legal entity that can give assent to missions. The witnesses say the future for us looks like deploying peacekeeping through NATO or the...

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

Duncan Smith: Indeed.

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

Duncan Smith: The assembly will not have the authority. It is not about being mature or immature. Everyone on this committee, whether they are for or against the triple lock, understands the changing nature of international security. My concern is the United Nations is very weak at present. This panel has huge experience, more than anyone here, in dealing with the United Nations, both operationally and...

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

Duncan Smith: Would Ireland bring a motion forward saying we want to support, let us say, the EU-led peacekeeping mission to Ukraine? If we brought a motion to the General Assembly and it is passed there, at least that would give us an assent. We could pass it in the General Assembly-----

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

Duncan Smith: It would not be legally binding but just for us in this building, it is something for us to latch on to. It would be a triple lock.

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

Duncan Smith: The non-member has been here a long time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 (1 Jul 2025)

Duncan Smith: I wish to pick up on Mr. Smyth's last point. Has the Department provided an opinion to the Attorney General on services? Has it provided its own internal departmental legal advice to the Attorney General for him to make his own opinion on or to feed into those deliberations?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 (1 Jul 2025)

Duncan Smith: The ICJ advisory ruling of last year certainly precipitated a shift in how the previous and current Governments have dealt with this issue. Last July, the ICJ found that states were under an obligation to prevent trade with the settlements. In September, Ireland co-sponsored a resolution at the UN General Assembly that recognised this obligation and that was passed. Does Mr. Smyth accept...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 (1 Jul 2025)

Duncan Smith: Would Mr. Smyth accept that the heads of Bill may not be fully compliant with the obligations to prevent trade as per the ICJ ruling?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 (1 Jul 2025)

Duncan Smith: I thank Mr. Smyth and I might turn to Mr. Keown. In answering my previous question, Mr. Smyth mentioned that the Government believed this was the more defensible way to move forward. While it may say that decision is based on legal advice, is this more of a political decision to go this way? Is it something that the political division of the Department of foreign affairs has fed into in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 (1 Jul 2025)

Duncan Smith: I have a really quick question that may have a short answer. In this area in recent months, have any other foreign diplomatic services contacted Mr. Keown at his level or grade to seek advice as to how they could develop a Bill?

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: That is all eating into all of our time. It eats into the time of all of us who are coming behind. I intend to use only one minute of my time. Public transport is under huge pressure in our city and surrounding areas. BusConnects, where we desperately need it in north County Dublin, in Donabate and Portrane, has been delayed yet again until autumn 2026. A service there, the 33B, is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: People have previously been rushed towards the end of their contributions.

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

Duncan Smith: I thank the Cathaoirleach. There is no doubt the UN is in a weakened position and the UN Security Council is paralysed. For those of us who want to see the UN restrengthened, commit to it and value Ireland's history and tradition with the United Nations, I will posit a theory. I will direct the question to Mr. Murphy first. Setting aside operational practicalities, at least in theory, if...

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

Duncan Smith: I understand that. We are talking about the direction of travel in the EU, which I do not dispute, that Kaja Kallas and others want to bring EU nations towards. I have huge worries about that direction, the militarisation of Europe and Ireland being caught up in that. I have a massive concern about us simply removing the triple lock without at least examining other methods for a potential...

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

Duncan Smith: I have a question for Professor Tonra. Does the triple lock stop us investing in our Defence Forces' capacity, protecting our undersea cables, engaging with PESCO, Partnership for Peace and similar which we have already done? Does it generally stop us increasing our capacity for national security?