Results 4,921-4,940 of 4,951 for speaker:Diarmuid Wilson

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 (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-----

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I am sorry I was late but I listened to them on the phone. Ms Ní Bhriain stated: I feel a particular responsibility to mothers, family members of Defence Forces personnel, teenagers and former peacekeepers, who shared their stories with me ... [conveying] genuine fear at what may lie if [the Government abolish the] triple lock. In her...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: Okay. It is important then that Mr. Kelly realise the fact the people who stand for election put themselves forward. In every election, there are hundreds of people who put themselves forward, whether at local or national level. Some are successful and most are not, but at least they try. I suggest Mr. Kelly try it some time before he makes those comments about public representatives. ...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: I am sure you do not.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: I am sorry but you do not degrade Members of the Houses-----

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: -----or question them if you have not put yourself before the public.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: So-----

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: If tomorrow morning this island was invaded, who would defend us?

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: But that is nonsense.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: It is actually nonsense

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: It is.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: It is utopian.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: Yes, but I am talking about since we have had a 26-county Republic.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Diarmuid Wilson: We have to deal with reality here. In an ideal world, everybody would get on with everybody and there would be no war. We spend trillions of dollars as a world looking up into the sky to see if there is anybody else out there but we cannot get on with ourselves. I really appreciate the witnesses' presentations but in other words, they are saying we should not have a front door or a back...