Results 6,141-6,160 of 6,188 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Europe Day: Statements (7 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Is there a particular point the Minister of State would like to make?

Europe Day: Statements (7 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I would like the Minister of State to elaborate.

Europe Day: Statements (7 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I invite the Minister to comment because I have heard him and some of his colleagues attempt to make mischief with Sinn Féin's analysis of the European Union. It is not terribly complicated: it is possible to be in an organisation and to criticise it. It is possible to retain the view that Ireland should be in the EU and to say that things could go better, for example, in terms of...

Europe Day: Statements (7 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I emphasise once again that the European Union must play a much stronger role. It was a source of great concern that it took so long to get a meeting to discuss the EU-Israel agreement. The fact is that favourable trade arrangements remain in place. I note the role of the EPP in voting against stopping the flow of arms to Israel. The Government's approach to the triple lock neutrality...

Childcare: Motion (7 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Families are absolutely broken and struggling with the cost of childcare. Very often, I am not sure people in this place fully understand the pressure the cost of childcare puts on families. That is if families even can get a place. There are some people for whom money is no issue but they simply cannot find a place because of the underinvestment in childcare. For those for whom money is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 152. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will consider the introduction of service commitment schemes to retain key specialist functions within the Defence Forces and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18075/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: We all share a great deal of concern about the challenges faced by the Defence Forces in recruitment and retention. It is severe right across the organisation but it is felt most keenly in the area of specialist staff such as air traffic controllers, engineers and explosive ordnance disposals officers. This is a major challenge. There is a lot of competition from the private sector. We...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Much of the Tánaiste's response related more to the recruitment side of things. We have a significant challenge in that regard and we are not out of the woods by any manner of means.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: My specific question primarily relates to the retention of highly skilled people. I have put to the Tánaiste previously that much of the debate on this topic has been for an external audience. In truth, for all the big speeches, much of the substance of what is needed to ensure the sustainability of the Defence Forces is absent. The Tánaiste has been talking about fighter jets...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: As I understand it, the scheme to which the Tánaiste referred relates specifically to pilots.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The Defences Forces face challenges. If anybody is going to be decoupling the issues of pay and recruitment, it certainly will not be me. It is very much the case that they are linked. The point I am raising relates to the retention of existing staff and not recruiting new staff, which is also a challenge. Aside from the category that is covered by the service commitment, there are whole...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 156. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will outline his proposals to remove the triple lock neutrality protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18077/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Yes.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: My question is somewhat different from Deputy Gibney's, albeit hers makes an important distinction that needs to be made. People have been talking about the Security Council. There is no dispute that the world is changing. That is recognised. It is a question of what Ireland's place in this changing world is. If we remove the triple lock neutrality protection, we will potentially expose...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: There was not a person in Ireland who wanted us to withdraw troops from the Golan Heights or was in favour of that, and that was done for budgetary reasons. That was for budgetary reasons because of the Government. That was the primary obstacle. The last time Irish troops were pulled out of a peacekeeping mission, it was entirely the decision of the Irish Government and it was not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: What is the timeline for that?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 154. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to outline, further to recent Dáil debates, his views on past health and safety measures in the Air Corps, and potential engagements with interested groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18076/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Over the course of many years, it seems many Air Corps personnel, primarily young working-class people who took jobs in the maintenance department of the Air Corps, were exposed to very hazardous and dangerous conditions with very few, or effectively no, safety precautions, certainly nothing by way of masks, adequate ventilation and so on. There are huge concerns about the health...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I do not accept that for one second. Over many years, this House has dealt with many issues that have been proceeding through the courts and the State rightly did not intervene as between the two different parties or try to disturb the process of the courts. However, that is totally separate from whether the State itself identifies that there is a policy issue and a need for a policy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I put the Tánaiste on notice that I will be bringing this up again in six weeks and six weeks after that too. I am going to continue to pursue this. I would like it if we could bracket the State Claims Agency part and put that to one side because that is not what I am talking about. That needs to proceed and I hope it works out well, or as well as possible, for those affected. One...