Results 3,301-3,320 of 9,148 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Protected Disclosures in the Public Interest (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: As the Minister knows, the position of Ombudsman for the Defence Forces was established after the then captain Tom Clonan blew the whistle on serious matters. This led to the formation of the office. Recently there has been some controversy because the Minister has made the position a part-time one and appointed to it a person who served in the Defence Forces rather than an outsider. Will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Protected Disclosures in the Public Interest (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Minister will be aware of the serious concerns of PDFORRA about the decision he made to make the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces a part-time one and to appoint a retired colonel, Liam McCourt, to the position. To be clear, I do not question the character or sterling record of Mr. McCourt. The issue for PDFORRA, however, is that there was a full-time independent person in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Protected Disclosures in the Public Interest (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Minister cannot resist the opportunity to pass the buck. His stewardship over two Departments is an absolute bloody disaster. PDFORRA, which represents the vast majority of men and women serving in our Defence Forces, has expressed grave concerns about the decision he made in this matter. No aspersion is being cast on retired Colonel Anthony McCourt, but PDFORRA is making the obvious...

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 8. To ask the Minister for Defence his plans for the Defence Forces to participate in any EU battle group in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20053/14]

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The question is self-explanatory. I am seeking an update on any plan the Minister has for the Defence Forces to participate in further EU battle groups.

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is not the Minister's perspective on these matters, and I presume if he had his way he would like to end Ireland's neutrality, but there are concerns about the creeping militarisation of the European Union over many years. Only six EU states are not full members of NATO. A recent report stated that "the NATO Response Force and EU battle groups are complementary, mutually reinforcing...

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Our Defence Forces can gain the same expertise taking part in what they have done historically, namely, solely UN peacekeeping missions, without being aligned to NATO forces in these EU battle groups. I quoted from the report the hope and ambition of some people who oversee these matters at European level. This is part of what the Minister does. He accused Deputy Daly of supporting Osama...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Equipment (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 14. To ask the Minister for Defence the value of weaponry and equipment for military purpose purchased from Israel or Israeli companies or planned to be purchased from Israel or Israeli companies since March 2011. [20052/14]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Council Meetings (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 18. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the last meeting of the EU Foreign and Defence Ministers which took place in Luxembourg on 15 April 2014. [20049/14]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Ombudsman (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 25. To ask the Minister for Defence if he met with the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces this month as planned; and if he will provide an update on the meeting. [20050/14]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Reorganisation (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 22. To ask the Minister for Defence his plans to bring in changes to the system whereby personnel recruited after 1994 are disadvantaged compared to pre-1994 recruits in terms of the gratuity payment, pension arrangements and opportunities for promotion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20051/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The committee has had the opportunity to deliberate on the petitions before us today and I will read our decisions. The first petition for consideration was P00010/13, from Mr. Patrick Smyth, calling for the introduction of legislation to allow for the creation of an offence of reckless lending. The petitioner is of the view that the banks should be held somewhat responsible for the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (7 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We will actively monitor the responses. This matter can escalate into unnecessary civil, legal action. It would be much more desirable to have guidelines that were clear to all parties. We will actively monitor that as it progresses. Thank you, Deputy. Our last petition is P00009/14, from Mr. Aaron Davey, calling for the legalisation of cannabis use in Ireland. The committee has...

Order of Business (8 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: While I know it was raised earlier, I would like to get some sense of when the Cooke report into the allegations that the GSOC offices were bugged will be published and when the debate will take place. That was supposed to have been presented to the Government and to these Houses before Easter. Second, on the Legal Services Regulation Bill, it is outrageous that we are over three years...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Ireland Remit (8 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 127. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 111 of 16 April 2014, to the effect that responsibility for protecting the freshwater pearl mussel falls within the remit of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, if he is satisfied that all of the actions taken by Inland Fisheries Ireland and/or its predecessor organisations in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Stocks (8 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 128. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 113 of 16 April 2014, if he is satisfied that the opening of the rivers specified in that question for the catching and killing of salmon is fully justified by reference to the surplus in their salmon conservation limit as confirmed in his response; and if he will make a statement...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries Stocks (8 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 129. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 113 of 16 April 2014, the reason for the apparent contradiction in his answer where he states that the information requested by this Deputy going back from 2006 to 2013 is not readily available and yet he presents the data for the period from 2007 to 2013 but not the data from 2003...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (8 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 154. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to set out the number of Garda vehicles that were available to the gardaí in County Donegal in 2008 to 2013, inclusive; including a breakdown of the type of vehicle, that is, car, van, motorbike and so on; and to set out the current Garda vehicle fleet in County Donegal. [20665/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (8 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 155. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to set out the amount of money spent in purchasing new Garda vehicles for gardaí in County Donegal in 2008 to 2013, inclusive; and the amount planned to be spent in 2014. [20666/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Transport Provision (8 May 2014)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 156. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to set out the number of new Garda vehicles purchased for the gardaí in County Donegal in 2008 to 2013, inclusive; including a breakdown on the type of vehicle, that is, car, van, motorbike and so on; and the number of new vehicles that are to be brought into service in 2014. [20667/14]