Results 5,261-5,280 of 5,766 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: They might help us if they learn about government.

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister of State is welcome to the House. There are some very serious issues with the Digital Services Bill that to date have not received enough attention, like the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 that preceded this. That Bill managed to sail through the Dáil with very little opposition. I come at this from a very clear...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Feb 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: Can the Senator tell us what the book costs?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Feb 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: What about getting off homework?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Feb 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: I am wearing my pin today for Lá Fhéile Bhríde. It is fitting that today, one of the strongest women in Irish representation, Antoinette Cunningham of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, is retiring. Antoinette leaves behind some fantastic achievements, including access to the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court for members of An Garda...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: I am sorry that I was not here but I was in the Seanad with the Tánaiste dealing with the tribunal Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: In the answers that have been given since I arrived, there has been talk about consultation and reflection. I am afraid that the consultation side is dismal. The Department does not really consult with either PDFORRA or RACO, and if it does, from what I can see, it is only tokenism. I speak in particular of head 25 and the restriction on the director of military prosecutions. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: First and foremost, I served in the Defence Forces myself. Any soldier who was charged during my time had to go before their company commander. A company commander is expected to be independent in the approach they take to a soldier who has been charged with an offence under military law. The corollary of what the representatives are saying is that if the director of military prosecutions...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: Is it not true that the adjudicator has already condemned the lack of communication and engagement with the representative bodies?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: I want to move on to head 26(j), which speaks about the non-involvement in politics. The rest of head 26 mutes the organisations. They cannot speak on Government policy, etc. I assume all the representatives of the Department who are present are members of a trade union. It may be the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants or some union for the Civil Service or public service. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: I want to come back to that. The representatives could have stopped at the first line where it finishes at the word “politics” and deleted the rest. There is absolutely no need for the rest to be there. It could be interpreted as a gagging order on the representative bodies so that they could not make a comment, irrespective of custom and practice to date. This legislation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (30 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: I am a little concerned about the oversight body that is being established. The participation of the Secretary General of the Department, for me, is anathema. The idea of the Secretary General of a Department overseeing his or her own Department is fundamentally wrong. I just wanted to put that on the record, for what it is worth.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Cancer Services (7 Feb 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister of State is welcome to the House to discuss this important matter. At the end of 2022 there was an announcement awarding €900,000 to dental schools for head and neck cancer treatments. This would have been the first time funding was made available for pre-radiation and rehabilitation of head and neck cancers. These are the only cancers where patients had to pay for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Cancer Services (7 Feb 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive answer, albeit that she did not have the full detail until she came here today. It is correct that the service was allocated €315,000. In light of the fact that Cork University Dental School and Hospital has withdrawn from that service, the only centre in the country now is the Dublin Dental University Hospital. It is looking for...

Seanad: Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: First, I would like to extend my sympathies to the Bruton family, Finola and our colleague, Richard. Whenever death comes, it comes suddenly, even if there is a long lead into it. We are never prepared for it. It is no secret that I grew up in a staunch Fine Gael family. My father was a blueshirt to his marrow. He was a sadly misguided man who drove me into the Fine Gael Party as a young...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: And they are from Kenmare.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: It is a beautiful part of the country.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: That was when the Leas-Chathaoirleach togged out for the reserves.