Results 2,781-2,800 of 8,245 for speaker:Bríd Smith

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. We are in a bubble here and we are not dealing with reality in the way we are talking about this. I remind everybody that we are talking about climate change. Has the Department studied the recent IPCC report? This conversation does nothing to deal with the urgency of the situation we are facing. That report warned us that within the next...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: Fine, but it was still an unfortunate choice for Mr. Watt. I know schools where the kids are trying to get money from the Government to invest in solar power and they are knocking on doors and nobody is listening to them. I would welcome the establishment of an independent overarching body that would listen to communities and put pressure on officials such as Mr. Watt and Mr. Moran to say...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I refer to the Citizens' Assembly recommendation for an independent review body. If, on the one hand, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and farming organisations are encouraging farmers to rear more cows and herds for dairy and for export, at no stage would the Department of Finance step in to say this will cost a significant amount in the long run because of carbon...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I have not had a response to my question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: Has he read the IPCC report and does he think that his Department is doing enough to face up to the challenge?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 62. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the measures he is taking to deal with the crisis in the Defence Forces in respect of the retention and recruitment of staff, for example, the basic operations of the Naval Service in its fishery protection role; and if he will review the policy in respect of recognition of representative associations in the Defence Forces as a mechanism to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I think the Minister of State is probably trying to acknowledge, without using the word "crisis", that there is a crisis in recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces, including the Naval Service and Air Corps. If he used the word, he could at least start to deal with the crisis in a realistic way. Talking about recruiting specialists and the financial resources being available to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: That is given as an example.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I used the term "for example".

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I cited sea fisheries as an example. The Minister of State should have read the question carefully. Whoever called his officials mandarins was correct. My question is about the retention and recruitment of staff and the current policy in respect of recognition of representative associations of the Defence Forces. PDFORRA recently took the Government to court over the Organisation of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: The Minister of State is fully aware that under the pay deal, Defence Forces pay will eventually return to 2008 levels in 2020. Yahoo. He should look at the increases in the cost of living and rents. What a great thing that members of the Defence Forces will have their pay brought back to 2008 levels. They are among the lowest paid public sector workers in the country. It is disingenuous...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I am disappointed the Minister of State has not recognised the Defence Forces representative associations.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I have noted the number of young people who have entered the Visitors Gallery to listen to the debate. Listening to the Minister of State, I wonder how many of them will be future members of the Air Corps, the Naval Service or the Army. If they knew what were the conditions and pay of soldiers and members of the Naval Service and the Air Corps, work they would think twice or three times...

Brexit: Motion (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: Jesus. The Deputies had half an hour.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 70. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount of the budget in 2018 which will be taken by additional costs associated with PESCO related activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48393/18]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Meetings (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 89. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he or his officials have met with representatives of a group (details supplied); the progress he has made in addressing the issues it has raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48390/18]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 91. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the way in which the increase in the budget for his Department will be allocated; if this increase will deal with the working conditions and poor pay of members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48392/18]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 94. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to recommend that the Defence Forces representative associations have access to the industrial relations machinery of the State, including the WRC and Labour Court; his views on whether such access will assist with the crisis in staff retention and numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48394/18]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 96. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if Ireland's participation in PESCO is a breach of Ireland's neutrality in view of recent comments by EU leaders; if the view of other EU leaders that it is a step toward an EU army is shared by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48391/18]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: If it is okay with our guests, I will ask individual questions. I framed the questions based on the submissions as I read them. It is a very welcome report. It has utterly transformed the narrative on climate change and what needs to be done. It is very interesting that it was followed quickly by the Living Planet report from the World Wildlife Foundation, which backed up everything that...