Results 5,821-5,840 of 5,914 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I am sorry, I do not want to interrupt the Secretary General unnecessarily but I want to know if the Minister was informed as far back as 2022.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Does the Secretary General want me to read her own letter?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Secretary General expressed doubt herself. She referred to the fact that air traffic control would be problem.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Absolutely. I acquired the letter through freedom of information and I published it when I got it, so it is in the public domain.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: That is not the point. I am asking the Secretary General because she knew there was a problem coming.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Secretary General knew there was a problem. That was March 2021. Then in December 2021 she was aware of the fact the joint working group saw a crisis coming and she was required under terms of reference to inform the Minister. Did she inform the Minister?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Secretary General warned it was coming.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: When we talk about risk - and maybe the Secretary General will not be able to answer this and the GOC will - there is a requirement with respect to the management of our airspace. There is a military-civilian airspace. Has there been engagement between the Department and the Irish Aviation Authority or AirNav Ireland, as I think it now is? Has it been informed of the situation?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Is there a problem with respect to Bristow being located now within military airspace? Is that problem being dealt with? Where are we with that?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I will make a last point because my time is running out. There was mention of the purchase of four helicopters. The Garda went to public tender for its helicopters and bought them at about €12.5 million to €16 million. The Defence Forces did not go to public tender and purchased them directly. My understanding is they are costing €28 million each. Where is the policy...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I am wondering should it not have gone to tender, in the view of the witnesses.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Secretary General said in March 2021 that if the Department was to buy helicopters for SAR it would be through public procurement tender which would take a long period of time. Despite this it went and bought four helicopters without a tender.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Taxpayers' money has not changed.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: It is taxpayers' money the Department is spending.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I will put all my questions and then ask the witnesses to respond. First, we were aware of an impending crisis back in 2021 and it became an actual crisis in October 2024. When was the Minister informed of the crisis? Why has it taken until June 2025 to deal with it? On specialist pay, all air traffic controllers are to be commissioned. I understand grade 6 pay, or tech pay 6, is not...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: That is my understanding.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: How many offers have there been under the service commitment scheme?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Am I correct in saying that nobody has had an offer yet?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: That is rather concerning. The Secretary General talked about Bristow moving in. We knew Bristow was moving to Weston a long time before 2024.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Has the Department worked out the terms and conditions for the service commitment scheme? What I have seen is that we are simply taking what was available to pilots and transferring it to air traffic controllers. Surely, these are two very different occupations.