Results 11,341-11,360 of 14,127 for speaker:David Stanton

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I join Deputy Brady in wishing our Ministers and the diplomatic staff abroad all the best for the St. Patrick's Day events. I have been there, as I am sure many others have. We have significant programmes of engagement at those events. They are important and open doors. I have a question about Global Ireland 2025. I know culture officers were supplied for New York and London recently....

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I welcome the Minister and his officials. Irish Aid is doing amazing work across the world. The Chairman will recall that on 8 February last, the committee heard a briefing from Dóchas, Misean Cara, the Marist Asia Foundation, Plan International Ireland and Concern Worldwide, all of which outlined a bleak picture across the world with respect to education. They were all quite...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I agree with the Minister of State, having seen that in action. Deputy Brady mentioned at the last session the issue of a one-stop shop or an Oireachtas line for people to contact us. Even during the break, I had a call from a constituent as to how they can help and what they can do with respect to people from Ukraine coming here. It would be a good idea because colleagues across both...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (10 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I suggested earlier that perhaps the Defence Forces might be invited to assist if they are required because they have a lot of logistical experience and expertise, as Deputy Berry knows well. We recently received an email from Trócaire with respect to the European corporate sustainability due diligence directive. It has certain concerns about the directive. I do not want to open...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I welcome the Minister and his officials. I have questions on pensions. Could we get a breakdown of the 300 Permanent Defence Force, PDF, people who retired on pension? Of the 12,890, could the Minister comment on the issue of pension abatement? Where members of the Defence Forces who leave and take up employment in the public sector, their pension is abated. Are there any movements to...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: My understanding is the change was brought in as part of the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, although I may be wrong about that. I understand it was to be reviewed with a view to returning to what it had been prior to that but, again, I am not sure whether that is the case. There was some discussion of the issue recently, so I thought I should raise it.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I will be quite brief. I note that the PDF strength is also dropping from 8,659 in 2019 to 8,468 in 2021, which would be a concern. The 2022 Estimate is lower than the 2021 outturn for allowances. Could the Minister comment on why that is the case? Is it because of the reduced numbers in the PDF? Could he provide a breakdown on the PDF strength as well between the Army, the Air Corps and...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I think it was in both. There was a gratuity involved certainly with the Army Reserve at one stage. I do not know if it is still there or not or whether it is covered under allowances; I am not sure. As I said, the numbers are dropping. At one stage, there were approximately 15,000 people in the FCA, as it was called way back. Now, that number is down to 1,400 people and dropping. If...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I note that in the briefing we received, under subhead A15, communications and IT, there is no mention of cybersecurity. We have security issues on land, sea and air at this time but the other concern is cybersecurity. I see no figure for that and did not hear any mention of it in the Minister's statement. I know there are confidentiality and security issues involved in this but even...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I will be brief because I know it is getting late. I am searching for the recruitment budget, which is important. I see funding for advertising is mentioned under miscellaneous expenditure, with a figure of €450,000. Does that cover recruitment or is recruitment provided for elsewhere? I refer to the figure of €450,000 under A22, relating to miscellaneous expenditure and...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Defence (Revised) (9 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I am not sure whether the issue would have an impact on the decision-making of anybody who was thinking of rejoining the Defence Forces, having retired previously and drawing down a pension. If they rejoin, their remuneration will not be significantly greater than what they get from their pension. At one stage, there was a campaign to try to get people to rejoin the Defence Forces. I am...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Coastal Protection (22 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter and allowing me to speak to it. The ice in the Antarctic and in Greenland is melting at an alarming rate, as was stated in a joint report published in Ireland last year by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Marine Institute. That report, in a finding similar to that of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, found that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Coastal Protection (22 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: I thank the Minister of State for her response. She referenced "flood risk" more than once in her reply. A sea level rise does not recede. When it rises, it stays up. There is a difference between it and flood risk - floods which come and go. When the sea level rises, it stays up and does not recede. This is what we have to look at. I invite the Minister of State to check out...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (22 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: 30. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures her Department is taking to assist and support migrants to access employment; the way in which such measures are evaluated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14683/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (22 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: 38. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures that her Department is taking to assist and support persons who find it difficult to gain employment; the way in which such measures are evaluated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14682/22]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Fire Safety (22 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: 103. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 165 of 15 September 2021, if his Department has completed its review of the public consultation submissions on furniture fire safety regulations; when he expects further recommendations on revised regulations to be issued; the next steps in the process; and if he will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (22 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: 529. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered adding a school (details supplied) to her Department’s recently expanded DEIS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14632/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: 547. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the resources that her Department put in place in the 2021-2022 school year to facilitate extra secondary school places in east County Cork; the further resources she intends to put in place in the 2022-2023 school year given the demand for school places in the east County Cork area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14813/22]

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: With respect to third country nationals coming into Ireland, and God knows we have a lot of people coming in at present through no fault of their own and not as their first choice, there seems to be a problem with respect to people registering here as pharmacists. We passed the Pharmacy Act 2007 which put in place a third country route of registration. There seems to be an ongoing problem...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (24 Mar 2022)

David Stanton: 52. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way his Department is supporting persons with disabilities to access training and employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15465/22]