Results 10,001-10,020 of 10,959 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: Will Ms Sinnamon remind the committee of the current number?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: We are a fair bit away from it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: It was remiss of me at the beginning not to mention the members of the Defence Forces currently serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, under the most difficult of circumstances. These circumstances are equally difficult for their families back home. I wish to record our thanks for the work they are doing and for continuing what is a very proud tradition of Irish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: Mr. Murtagh gave a different answer today in terms of a statutory instrument. We might get more detail on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: Cuirim fáilte rompu go léir. I thank the witnesses for being here and thank Ms Sinnamon for her opening statement. I hope Ms Sinnamon does not mind me being a little critical but, with due respect, her statement could have been read by the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence or by an official in the Department. It is important that an oversight body provide a broad oversight...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (15 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: 57. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the meetings he has had, and the briefings he has received, in respect of the North-South interconnector; and if he has had any meetings in this regard with local communities or landowners that are directly affected by this project. [41438/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (15 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: 62. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on his engagements with EirGrid at which he has received an update on the North-South interconnector. [41437/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: 1. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on the current situation facing Irish Defence Forces personnel deployed to Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL mission; and his response to the recent attacks against UNIFIL by Israel. [42031/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: I want to put on the record of this House the universal sentiment of the Irish people that we are incredibly and rightfully proud of the men and women of the Irish Defence Forces who are serving with distinction in Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission. They are part of a long tradition of proud participation in UN peacekeeping missions by the Defence Forces. Will the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: I welcome the Tánaiste's assurances on the safety of our Defence Forces. Another very drastic red line was crossed by Israel last Sunday when two Israeli tanks forcibly breached a United Nations base. Two hours, or a little more, later peacekeepers observed the firing of several rounds to the north and despite the wearing of protective masks, 15 peacekeepers suffered skin irritation...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: Notwithstanding any appeals that have been made to the Israeli Government, it is fair to assume, although disappointing that it is the case, that Israel is unlikely to heed the calls of the international community because the evidence we have, not only over the past year but for much longer, is that Israel does not need any words, only significant sanctions. There is no indication that such...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: 3. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount of funding surrendered from his Department to the Exchequer, in 2023; the reason the allocated funds were unspent; the amount he expects his Department to surrender in 2024, and the reason therefore. [42032/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: This question is fairly straightforward. At a time when we continue to see more members of the Defence Forces leave than join each year, could the Tánaiste outline how much money from his Department was actually surrendered back to the Exchequer in 2023, the reason these allocated funds were unspent and whether he expects his Department to surrender further funds in 2024?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: People will be astounded to see the Department of Defence surrendering any money back to the Exchequer, considering the challenges that the Defence Forces are currently facing in the retention and recruitment crisis and the ambitions that have been set out, particularly in the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. I have raised with the Tánaiste on a number of occasions the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: I assure the Tánaiste that I would not suggest to the Government to throw money anywhere because it is quite good at doing that of its own volition, but here is the crux. For the past number of years on budget day or in the budget documents released by the Department, the Tánaiste has said that the budget includes provision for the employment of 400 additional members of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: 5. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the recruitment target for the Defence Forces; and the number who were inducted and the number who left the Defence Forces in each year from 2020 to 2024. [42033/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: This question is to adjudicate the performance of the Government in respect of the Defence Forces. Sometimes the Tánaiste says there is unfair criticism. It would be important to set out for the Dáil, in each year of this Government from 2020, the target recruitment for the Defence Forces and, in each year, how many were actually inducted and how many left, in other words, the net...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: It is hard to ask a supplementary question when I do not have the substantive response to the question I asked. I take the Tánaiste's commitment to provide the precise figures. Here is what we do know from the Tánaiste's response. There are currently fewer than 7,500 members of our Defence Forces, 2,000 below the establishment figure and a whopping 4,000 below the two-figure...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: To be clear, I am not dismissing the retention issue whatsoever. I am saying we have a big retention issue, on which the Tánaiste has failed to get a handle. I have also said I welcome the increase in the mandatory retirement age but have said that will not, in itself, deal with the retention issue we face. The truth is that as of today, more people have left the Defence Forces this...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (17 Oct 2024)

Matt Carthy: Will that make the 400 target?