Results 21-40 of 1,416 for speaker:Robbie Gallagher

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 : Discussion (Resumed) (19 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome both gentlemen here this morning and thank them for bringing their expertise and clarity to their arguments. I have found it very useful. Following on from Deputy Callaghan's point on the whole debate, unfortunately, we live in a world where the headline dictates the story in many ways. It can be very difficult to move beyond the headline because the world moves so fast, . The...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 : Discussion (Resumed) (19 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I will make a general point. I noted Dr. Burke's comments on the issue of neutrality. It seems that we are long overdue a sensible and calm debate about neutrality and what it means in the context of where we are in today's world. What does our neutrality mean? Does anyone really know what neutrality means in a day's work? I do not know. I am not sure what it means. We need to be open...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 : Discussion (Resumed) (19 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: We are meant to be here to open our minds, listen and learn.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (18 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I, too, welcome Senator Pat Casey's guests, namely Pat and Barry, and the school pupils. I hope they have a very enjoyable day here. One of the many difficult aspects of the current housing crisis is the availability of funds for investment in housing and, indeed, many other projects. Government finance has accelerated over recent...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (18 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for his contribution. I know the area is not his own and that it is that of the Minister, Paschal Donohoe, as he alluded to. I find the response rather disappointing. While I take a point about the State savings scheme, if we have a resource of €170 billion sitting on deposit that makes very little interest for those savers, surely it is a resource the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: Last week, we learned that the British Government had made a commitment of £50 million towards the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast. This follows on from a similar commitment given by the Irish Government back in 2024 to a similar figure through the shared island fund. When we combine the contributions from both Governments, plus the GAA's contribution, I think the figure is...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome all the witnesses here this afternoon. I concur with the Chair's comments about Garda Flatley. It was a truly horrific incident and I extend my deepest sympathies to the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors and the membership. I thank the representative organisations for the diligent work they do on behalf of their membership. I know it is very much appreciated by Garda...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Business of Joint Committee (12 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I propose Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome our guests this morning and thank them for their very detailed and passionate outline of their views. On the triple lock itself, would our guests accept that the current system we have is working adequately or do they feel that it needs reform? That is my first question which is directed at all three witnesses, if they wish to comment.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (10 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I will proceed, if that is okay.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (10 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. This matter relates to defective apartment blocks and where exactly matters stand in that regard. In January 2023, the Government announced its approval of draft legislation to support the remediation of apartments and duplexes constructed between 1991 and 2013 and affected by fire safety, structural safety and water ingress issues. It...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (10 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I move that the House stand suspended until after the vote.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (10 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Grealish, and his guests to the House. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, for outlining the interim remediation scheme. There is an urgency attached to this because we are speaking about fire safety. On the face of it, listening to the Minister of State's response, it has been a fairly long-winded exercise to date. We are going through...

Seanad: European Council Decision: Motion (10 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following...

Seanad: European Council Decision: Motion (10 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for outlining very comprehensively the motion before us. From a Fianna Fáil perspective, I welcome the debate and support the motion. It is important that we have as much co-operation as we possibly can. As the Minister of State said, we are not committing to anything at this stage. Rather, we are only opening negotiations...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Policing Matters: An Garda Síochána (10 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: The Commissioner and deputy commissioner are very welcome. I join my colleague, Deputy Gannon, in passing on condolences on the death of Kevin Flatley, the 90th member of An Garda Síochána to lose their life in the course of duty. It goes to show what a perilous and dangerous job it is. There are very few occupations where people get up in the morning, put on their clothes and...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Policing Matters: An Garda Síochána (10 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: If I take it down to basic levels, the sight of a Garda member on patrol, regardless of what the operating model is called, is one that most people strive for and the sense of security it gives people is priceless. We should never lose contact with that. My concern is that we seem to be reactive rather than proactive. In our geographical area, Drogheda and Dundalk are more high-incident...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Policing Matters: An Garda Síochána (10 Jun 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: At a justice committee meeting I attended during the previous term, I was informed by the then Minister that more than 80% of international protection applicants were coming in to the country via the open land border with Northern Ireland. What is the current estimate of that figure? I understand there is a Garda unit operating along the Border. How successful has the unit been and is Mr....

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: I extend a very warm welcome to Ms Maguire and her team for this very important discussion. I understand today is international peacekeeping day. I take this opportunity to thank sincerely the members of the Defence Forces for the work they have done and continue to do on behalf of the State. It is important that we say we are all extremely proud of the work they do. I am conscious of...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Robbie Gallagher: Who gives the Department that information that enables it to make its mind up? Who supplies that information that satisfies it on whether this is a good thing or not?