Results 8,821-8,840 of 10,944 for speaker:Matt Carthy

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

Matt Carthy: Are we taking the whole thing in one go?

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

Matt Carthy: I will put each question. The Cathaoirleach Gníomhach can decide when other members need to come in. I will start with Part 2 and the EOB. The general scheme does not currently mandate the body to report to the Oireachtas, which was one of the recommendations of the IRG. Would it not be appropriate, within this part, to include a head making provision for the body to attend the...

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

Matt Carthy: However, the Department is very clear the legislation will actually preclude somebody who has a relationship with military organisations for being the chair of this body.

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

Matt Carthy: On head 25, I am not clear on the Department's position of barring two titles, the director of military prosecutions and military judges, and there is scope within the head of the Bill to include others, and bar them from membership of a representative association on the basis that they are required to be independent. The director of military prosecutions is free to be a member of a trade...

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

Matt Carthy: I thank Ms Tiernan for that. I suggest that as part of our pre-legislative scrutiny we would invite all the representative organisations and ICTU to comment on that and other points. I agree with Deputy Berry that membership of ICTU and provision for it is an important step forward. It is important to allow the Defence Forces to have representation, in particular when key talks are...

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

Matt Carthy: Every day in this place we find legislation being used for something that the original drafters could never have envisaged. The fact is that if we provide a Minister with a power then we are providing them with the legislative basis for them to use that power at some point in the future. I understand that in the course of negotiations RACO and PDFORRA might have accepted this provision...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: That is why I am asking whether we have a sense of the percentages.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: The Tánaiste has seen nothing in the media, therefore, that would make him think there is a leak in the Department.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: Okay.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: From previous years. Okay. I am happy to allow others to come in if the Cathaoirleach can let me back in.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: They might be more understandable if they were speaking French.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: I take it we can ask questions across both Votes. I have fewer questions in this instance. I agree with the Tánaiste that the actions of a number of states to withdraw or suspend funding to UNRWA is indefensible. I welcome his stated position that the Government will not be party to any such action. My questions are twofold. When looking at states that have withdrawn funding from...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: I am convinced that an increased allocation from Ireland would have broad if not unanimous support in the Houses and would send a strong message.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: During the year we had a number of discussions on the International Criminal Court and the particular investigation. I will not go into the politics of Ireland joining or not. One of the responses by the Government was to make an increased contribution to the court. There has been quite an amount of criticism of the prosecutor for what is perceived to be slowness in the approach to the...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: Was that ring-fenced for the specific purpose?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: Okay.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: It is going back to 2014 and there has been no ruling. The Ukrainian case, for example is 2021 and-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 27 - International Co-operation
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (1 Feb 2024)

Matt Carthy: I am not suggesting any interference. I am seeking an update in terms of the timeline as the prosecutor will set it. I think the committee requested an update from the prosecutor. I mentioned it at a meeting but I am not sure if I made a formal request that we would do so. I think it is entirely appropriate. In the absence of definitive rulings from the international courts, the...