Results 361-380 of 732 for speaker:Cathal Berry

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I do appreciate what Deputy Clarke has said. A lot of groundwork and preparatory work has been done but the real debate happens in the Dáil anyway. It will be subsequent to today and to the Cabinet’s decision. I will make one final-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I will make my last point, and everyone here might not agree with me on this, but the farm boy inside me is speaking. PESCO to the military is really what Europol is to An Garda Síochána. An Garda Síochána interacts with Europol. It gets excellent information and it gets excellent training. It ploughs that back and makes Ireland a safer place. I see the four...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (29 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this important debate on the Offences against the State Act and the Criminal Justice Act. I also welcome that we have to renew these special powers at least every 12 months; it is a prudent and sensible way to do business. We would all prefer if the Special Criminal Court did not exist and if there was no need for it. However, the court...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for his response. I welcome the permission for the PDFORRA and RACO to associate with ICTU. That is at least half a step forward. The measures to which I specifically referred are on page XXIV - it is in Roman numerals - in the report. The commission identified four things: it recommended an increase in military service allowance for people with fewer than three...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister. The reason I raise the Labour Court issue is that many of the Minister's Cabinet colleagues would probably not be aware – I would not expect them to be aware – that military personnel are the only people without access to the Labour Court. To me, a panel of international experts recommending specific pay improvements should at least hold equivalence. It...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: 69. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will outline the pay improvement measures recommended by the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces; the expected timeline for the implementation of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33771/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: As we are aware, approximately five months ago, the Commission on the Defence Forces report was published. There are a number of very specific pay improvement recommendations in that report. I would be grateful if the Minister could update the House on what those pay improvement recommendations are and, most importantly, what is the timeline for implementation of the recommendations.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: 99. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if members of the Defence Forces are being paid at least the national minimum wage of €10.50 per hour in accordance with the National Minimum Wage Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33770/22]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: 109. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when he expects the first member of the Reserve Defence Force to deploy overseas on a six-month tour of duty on a United Nations mandated peace support operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33772/22]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: 116. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of advanced paramedics and paramedics in the Defence Forces in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022; if this decline in numbers is compromising the safety of Ireland’s troops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33773/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Ukraine: Engagement with Ukrainian Committee on Foreign Affairs and Inter-Parliamentary Co-operation (28 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank Mr. Merezhko for his excellent presentation. We are very sorry for what is going on in his country at the moment and we totally recognise the reality of the situation. I take his views on board in relation to recognising Russia as a terrorist state and applying pressure and greater advocacy in relation to classifying it as sponsor of state terrorism as well. I appreciate those...

Proposal for a Directive on Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence: Motion (21 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I very much welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important debate on the proposal for an EU directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence. I support it for number of reasons. It modernises our procedures and, as the Minister said, standardises them to a minimum standard, at least, across the European Union. I wish to focus on three areas. It is good that...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (21 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate in advance of the EU summit later this week. On Friday, it will be four months since the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine so it is fitting and appropriate that the agenda of the EU summit is dominated by the Ukrainian crisis. That is as it should be. First, I welcome that it now appears Ukraine and Moldova will officially...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: We know that central banks across the world are starting to raise interest rates now. The European Central Bank, ECB, is likely to begin to move the rate next month. Traditionally, Irish retail banks have been very quick to raise interest rates for borrowers but very slow to raise them for depositors and savers. Does the Government have any plans to ensure that Irish retail banks will not...

Annual Transition Statement: Statements (15 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister of State for his opening statement. I welcome the publication of the annual transition statement for 2020. It is 18 months late, but it is still a very useful piece of evidence and information. Given it is the last one, I also welcome the opportunity to contribute in this regard. In my limited time, my comments will focus on the concept of energy security, or, more...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: We were told that the inflationary spike we experienced last year would be transitory. We appreciate now, however, that inflation is firmly entrenched in the global economy and it is having a massive impact on the cost of living for everyone in the country. The US Federal Reserve is also meeting tonight and that organisation will likely increase interest rates in America by up to 0.75%....

Garda Síochána (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister of State for his opening statement. I very much welcome the opportunity to contribute to the discussion of this Bill. I fully recognise its importance and the urgency associated with it. I take on board as well the points that have been raised by other Deputies. There are two ways of looking at it. First, we would all prefer to not to be here discussing very detailed...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: Good afternoon to the Minister and colleagues. I raise a local issue with the Minister today. While it is primarily local, it has international significance. I had a pint in the South Pole Inn in Annascaul, County Kerry, a while back. It was Tom Crean's old pub. Last week, I got to visit the Shackleton Museum in Athy. I am not sure if the Minister has been there but I thoroughly...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for his response. The treaty is only seven pages long but I accept that there are some bureaucratic hurdles. I am slightly reassured that there has been some progress. This year is important because it is the centenary of Ernest Shackleton's passing. The climate crisis and the war in Ukraine are still raging. I appreciate and welcome the fact that public funds are...

Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Jun 2022)

Cathal Berry: I thank the Minister for his detailed opening statement, which was very helpful. I thank the Minister, the Minister of State and their staff for the detailed briefing we received yesterday, which was very useful. I only wish that the opposition spokespeople would get more such briefings on other topics. Perhaps the Minister and Minister of State could raise this with their Government and...