Results 1-20 of 24 for cork speaker:Cathal Berry

Covid-19 (Defence): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister of State. To move on to the Naval Service, we know that two Naval Service ships have been in Cork Harbour for approximately 12 months. We recognise there was some miscommunication approximately 12 months ago as to whether they were in for maintenance or because of a lack of personnel and sailors. As of this date, 3 June 2020, why are the two ships still in Cork...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 May 2021)

Cathal Berry: ...295 maritime patrol aircraft in 2023. What I would say is that they are to be for maritime patrol and should be used exclusively for that purpose, especially given the fact we have two ghost ships in Cork because the Naval Service cannot put them to sea because of a crewing problem. We still very much need a utility transport aircraft for this purpose, particularly because the pandemic...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Policy (7 Apr 2022)

Cathal Berry: ...a strategic oil reserve here in this country. He mentioned the National Oil Reserves Agency, NORA, in response to me. Could he outline if we have 90 days of supply? Where is it located? Is it all in Cork, or are some of the reserves in different European countries? Will we have access to that in extremes?

Covid-19 (Defence): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister of State for clarifying this. The reason the two Naval Service ships are tied up in Cork Harbour at present is because of a lack of personnel. We understand this now. I am glad the Minister of State mentioned that pay is an issue. A high-level implementation plan was launched on the plinth on 4 July last year. One of the main focuses and reasons for it was to sort...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Naval Service (21 Mar 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...xc9; Eithne needs to be replaced. That is an absolute certainty. Perhaps touching on what Deputy Ó Snodaigh said earlier on this morning, the LÉ Eithne was built in the Tánaiste's home county of Cork. It is a pity we cannot build more equipment here in this country because, as Deputy Ó Snodaigh said, ethical procurement is important. If we want to be assured of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Feb 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...next while. I thank Professor MacCraith also for his role in the vaccination process and for his personal assistance at times, which was hugely appreciated. On his visit to the naval base in Cork – he may have gone to Collins Barracks as well - did he hear any positive stories? I get a lot of phone calls, as he can well appreciate, from people who are very happy in the Defence...

Covid-19 (Brexit): Statements (11 Jun 2020)

Cathal Berry: ...that agreement. I am concerned by this because last week the Minister of State with responsibility for defence agreed that two of our naval ships, approximately a quarter of our fleet, are in Cork Harbour unable to put to sea for want of sailors. Still more worrying was the confirmation by the Minister of State that 45 sailors, the equivalent of a ship's company, had prematurely retired...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Jul 2020)

Cathal Berry: ...matters with the Tánaiste. There is almost universal acceptance that there is a severe and worsening staff retention issue in the Defence Forces. All we have to do is look at the naval base in Cork where two naval ships are tied up. These vessels are unable to put to sea because there are not enough sailors to crew them. I have also been reliably informed that a further two ships...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Feb 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...people external to the Defence Forces and these rules were imposed on the Defence Forces. It is funny that it was mentioned that people did not know who the witnesses were when they showed up in Cork. I was that soldier around 2002 or 2003 when the Dr. Eileen Doyle commission came in to see us. As a result of this commission, these new complaints processes were brought in. I will not...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 May 2022)

Cathal Berry: I am not sure if the Taoiseach will recall exactly where he was on this day three years ago. He was actually on the Grand Parade in Cork when he quite kindly attended the military veteran's respect and loyalty parade on 4 May. That movement was established, as the Taoiseach is aware, to highlight the very poor terms, conditions and pay for members of the Defence Forces, a phenomenon that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 May 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...No, but it would certainly mitigate the downstream consequences and improve viability, survivability and outcomes. Ireland is fortunate to have two helicopters on station at the moment, one in Cork and one in Athlone. They provide a very good service at paramedic and advanced paramedic level within their scope of practice. Those two services have saved hundreds of lives since they...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Oct 2020)

Cathal Berry: ...discovery perspective? Second, we have an extensive pharmaceutical industry in this country. Is it playing its part in this global effort? Are we leveraging the expertise we have in Cork or in Newbridge where the Pfizer plant is located? Third, is there anything else we can do from a State or governmental perspective? Are we leveraging organisations such as Enterprise Ireland...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (16 Feb 2023)

Cathal Berry: ...sector can do it for the students on campus, why can the military sector not do it? It is the international norm. If I could make one small suggestion, the next time the Tánaiste is driving home to Cork, he should take junction 12 on the motorway and have a quick drive around the Curragh Camp, which is a kilometre off the motorway. He could see for himself the potential these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Current Issues Facing Members of the Defence Forces: Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (3 Oct 2023)

Cathal Berry: ...they can certainly comment on health and safety. I am no pilot but from what happened last week, when only one helicopter was available in the entire country to do a take down of a vessel off the Cork coast, does not sound right to me. It could be argued that only half a helicopter was available as it was tasked with a specific purpose in Athlone and had to be re-rolled, repurposed,...

Tribunal of Inquiry into certain matters relating to the Complaints Processes in the Defence Forces: Motion (24 Jan 2024)

Cathal Berry: ...Defence Forces culture and I want to address what the true Defence Forces culture is. The true Defence Forces culture was very evident in the take-down of the MV Matthewonly a few months back off the Cork coast, when we had operatives sliding down the fast rope, overpowering those on the vessel and basically executing the largest drugs bust ever in the history of the State. True Defence...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2022)

Cathal Berry: ...needs to be done, but also the patrol duty allowance. Because it is in his constituency, the Taoiseach would be aware that there is a major problem with the Naval Service at the moment. We get many calls from Cork, which I am very happy to take of course. Strictly speaking, they may not be my constituents, but they certainly are my people. Does the Taoiseach accept that there are...

Fisheries and Coastal Communities: Statements (17 Jun 2021)

Cathal Berry: ...this country. It has been dramatically depleted in the past five years in particular. We should have nine naval ships at sea, but we only have seven. The reason two are at anchor in the port in Cork is that we do not have the sailors to man them. It is an extraordinary situation to be in that we have the ships, but we do not have the crew. We have the hard part, but we do not have the...

Annual Transition Statement: Statements (15 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: ...developments in respect of MARA being established, the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 having been enacted last December and planning permission having been granted for the interconnector between Cork and Brittany. Those are all good things, but they are all just plans. People need to see action. As things stand, there are only seven wind turbines off our coasts. Most people are in...

Future of Regional Pre-Hospital Emergency Care: Motion [Private Members] (1 Mar 2023)

Cathal Berry: ...Fire Brigade, DFB, and all paramedic capability needs to be expanded, then, by extension, training pathways need to be improved. DFB works through the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland while the NAS works through University College Cork, UCC. However, the NAS worked through University College Dublin, UCD, up to three years ago. A large dedicated paramedical school in UCD is not only...

Ireland's participation in MARSUR III: Motion (22 Apr 2021)

Cathal Berry: ...I am in favour of it for three reasons, primarily. First of all, it is very simple. From Ireland's perspective, it consists of just a single computer and a single telephone in the naval base in Cork, which will allow our navy to communicate securely with both voice and data to like-minded navies across the European Union. It really is that simple. It is modelled on the same carbon copy...