Results 181-200 of 422 for speaker:Duncan Smith

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: Since the latest meeting of the Business Committee, we have seen the new rules from the US on J1 and other visas. The Taoiseach has described them as excessive, but does he have any words of comfort for the thousands of young Irish people who have to give over five years' worth of social media usernames? This is having a chilling impact on our young people and other applicants for visas....

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: Regarding our air domain, what is our current aircraft capacity? Where do we need to get to with numbers of aircraft in order to provide the optimum level of protection for our air domain?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: Where does unmanned drone technology fit in with our overall capability in this space?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: Was there a procurement process last year for drone technology?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: We have none of those but they would be in the plan?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: In terms of our drone capability now, which states are the world leaders in developing that and from whom are we purchasing what we have at the moment?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: Would we have closed any deals with the likes of Israel, Iran or the United States for purchasing drone technology in the previous 12 months?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: That is good to know. I will move to the ATC issue and the targeting and enticing of skilled staff from our Defence Forces to a private operator. Our party policy is that we would love to see an examination of whether the Coast Guard could be operated through our Defence Forces. I am not asking for a comment on that specifically but could the witnesses comment in some way? Are there...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: I am not saying that, by the way.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: I thank the Chair.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: I will begin by recognising the work of the Passport Office and how year on year it is improving. The Minister's colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Emer Higgins, did the State some service a couple of years ago when she highlighted that "passport express" was an out-of-date title for the service at the time. She may have got some online criticism but she was spot on in what she said....

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: Will it require an extra degree of flexibility and reaction from our own diplomatic service to do this? Are they getting much line of sight in terms of the challenges coming down? What extra pressures are on them in terms of spending the Estimates we have allocated?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: Given the paralysis imposed upon UNRWA, will it be able to put the money we have allocated to it to use in 2025?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: It is worth saying that our commitment to development aid in its many manifestations is one of the twin pillars, along with peacekeeping, in why Ireland is held in such high regard. Does the Tánaiste feel in his relatively short time as Minister so far, that with other states peeling back from commitments to development aid, Ireland's leadership in this area has increased? Perhaps the...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: I might come back on another twin pillar on peacekeeping when we are in the defence committee. On subhead A6, contributions to multilateral organisations, notwithstanding our long-term commitment, which the Minister mentioned in his opening statement, our funding has gone down in the area following a review of how we fund them. That review is ongoing. Where is that review at and how...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: I have two questions. My second one is a bit out of left field, but the Chair might give me a bit of time at the end. My initial question relates to subhead A7 and concerns the measures to support the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy. There is a relatively modest amount of funding compared with other subheads here. I am keen to understand what our approach is going to be to the...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: Yes. I understand the Minister is the line Minister in charge of what is at the core my next question. On 28 September, a huge American football game will be taking place in Croke Park. It will be a major expression of American sport and culture. We have in the past had military flyovers in Dublin for college football games. We have had F-16 jets and V-22 Osprey aircraft flying over....

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: UNRWA is under fierce pressure in Gaza and Palestine at present. I welcome the increase in funding the Irish State has given. Does the Tánaiste think, given the deteriorating situation day to day with regard to aid in Gaza, the figure could be revisited and we might end up increasing it? Should we increase it again in the course of this year?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: Thank you.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (24 Jun 2025)

Duncan Smith: 283. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the possible roll out of the taxi EV grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34338/25]