Results 221-240 of 798 for speaker:Cathal Berry

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implementation of the Recommendations of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Discussion (26 Sep 2023)

Cathal Berry: I will be quick because I am conscious of the clock. I will make three quick points. First, I am very heartened by what the Secretary General has said in relation to the patrol duty allowance. If there is to be a resolution in the next number of weeks, that would be a major step forward. The entire committee visited a naval base approximately 18 months ago and the one message we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implementation of the Recommendations of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Discussion (26 Sep 2023)

Cathal Berry: I can dial in afterwards.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implementation of the Recommendations of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Discussion (26 Sep 2023)

Cathal Berry: Most people say that. In any case, I am happy to wait for the answers.

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023: Second Stage (21 Sep 2023)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister of State for his detailed opening statement. I welcome the opportunity to make some comments and contribute to this debate on the windfall gains in the energy sector. Like my colleagues, I certainly welcome the content of this Bill, but also like my colleagues and like the Minister of State, I recognise how belated it is. The war in Ukraine began 18 months ago and we...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: 4. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he expects details of a cow reduction scheme to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35133/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: I know the Minister is a busy man, as is his colleague, Senator Hackett. I am not sure if he got a chance to read the entire Irish Farmers' Journalthis week. There was a very interesting article on page 14. The newspaper was seeking the views of farmers on a potential dairy reduction scheme. My key question to both Ministers is on whether the Government has proposals for any potential...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for that very useful response. I very much accept his views in regard to the beef sector. Some of the responses were quite interesting. Some 80% of the respondents to the survey by the Irish Farmers' Journal said they want nothing to do with a dairy reduction scheme. We can understand why; it is a very emotive issue. They have invested in their own technology and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Agriculture Industry (13 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: I totally accept the Minister's bona fides in that regard. For me, priority number one must be the technology pathway. The Minister announced yesterday his plan to increase clover, reduce fertiliser use and to have better feeds to reduce methane, among other measures. There is an option here, and I am glad the Minister is exploring it and doing it from a partnership perspective. What...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: 560. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether he expects to introduce a suckler reduction scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35134/23]

European Council Meeting: Statements, Questions and Answers (12 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: I welcome the opportunity to comment on the most recent meeting a fortnight ago. It is only right that Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine dominated proceedings and the agenda. That is completely appropriate and to be expected. I welcome the EU’s ongoing condemnation of the unnecessary conflict and the statement that the war would end tomorrow if the Russian Federation would...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: 58. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to outline in tabular form, the number of commissioned officers promoted in the Army Reserve and Naval Reserve, by rank, from 01 January 2022 to 30 June 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34610/23]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: 58. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to outline in tabular form, the number of commissioned officers promoted in the Army Reserve and Naval Reserve, by rank, from 01 January 2022 to 30 June 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34610/23]

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: I raise with the Taoiseach today the issue of modern methods of construction to help alleviate our national housing crisis. We know that the Office of Public Works, OPW, is doing some good work at the moment, putting up modular housing around the country. These are high-tech high-spec modular units but they are all single storey bungalow-type accommodation. The vast majority of EU...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Engagement with the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (11 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: It is being strung along.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Engagement with the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (11 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: I am sure the witnesses recognise that they are behind friendly lines. Everyone on the committee is totally motivated to try to make things as good as we practically can. I thank Mr. Richardson for his opening statement. It was very stark, as the Chair said. It was candid and very hard-hitting. Not only do I agree with everything in it; I fully endorse it. It is entirely my precise...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Engagement with the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (11 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: I want to come in on this. This is my first Dáil term but to what extent is this committee culpable in that regard? We are supposed to be providing oversight to the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Defence. If a Department is not doing a job that it announced with great fanfare in 2015 and then utterly ignored it thereafter, surely there is some responsibility on us...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Engagement with the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (11 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: They are not the rules of the Defence Forces, they are the Minister's rules that are imposed upon the uniformed services. This is very important. The Defence Forces get a lot of stick for their archaic regulations. They are not the regulations of the Defence Forces. They are ministerial regulations drafted by the Department and imposed on the Defence Forces.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Engagement with the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (11 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: Cyber-community.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Engagement with the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (11 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: My final point is a general one. I am going to double down on what I said earlier. This committee should probably adopting a more assertive role when it comes to defence similar to what the Committee of Public Accounts has been doing very effectively in recent weeks in respect of its work. This testimony would not be acceptable on Capitol Hill. No Congressman or Senator would accept it....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Engagement with the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association (11 Jul 2023)

Cathal Berry: They take it seriously in the US, and for good reason. Surface ships are pushing up to the 12-nautical-mile limit, we have no idea where the Russian submarines are and we are being utterly reckless when it comes to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country. I thank the delegation for attending and for giving their absolutely blunt and candid assessment. It is hugely appreciated.