Results 401-420 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

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)

Charles Flanagan: Will Deputy Carthy leave it there for the moment?

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)

Charles Flanagan: There is a lot in that. I will briefly add my part before we move into answers. My big concern is the lack of any optimism on the part of our five guests. The big difference between now and the last time we met is the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. I find the level of pessimism and discontent to be quite worrying and before we conclude I would like to hear whether there...

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)

Charles Flanagan: Yes.

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)

Charles Flanagan: I think we are heading towards a conclusion now. The witnesses have dealt with the issues as put forward. It only remains for me to thank them for their frankness, the direct nature of their presentation and their answers. On behalf of the committee, I offer our good wishes to them for the remarkable level of professional service shown last week off our south coast in very difficult and...

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)

Charles Flanagan: I think we could have a meeting with that group. It was on our agenda in any event but it has taken on a greater level of importance, given there is such a divergence of opinion between, on one hand, what is happening, and on the other hand, what we are hearing.

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)

Charles Flanagan: In response to Deputies Berry, Stanton and Carthy and Senator O'Reilly, we will evaluate the issues raised this afternoon. We will apportion responsibility for departmental engagement on those and we will be happy to have a further meeting over the next few weeks. We have the Tánaiste here next week but I think it is on foreign affairs issues. We will have the Tánaiste here to...

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)

Charles Flanagan: I thank Mr. King.

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)

Charles Flanagan: I will invite Deputy Berry to speak and then I will ask the witnesses to go over the outstanding questions.

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)

Charles Flanagan: I have received apologies from Senator Ó Donnghaile. I welcome from the Department of Defence, Ms Jacqui McCrum, Secretary General; and from the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, Chief of Staff. They are here to brief the committee on the implementation of the recommendations of the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, with a particular focus on the...

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)

Charles Flanagan: I do not doubt that at all. If you raise your hand, you will be invited to participate in the usual way. I welcome the ambassador, H.E. Ms Mari Skåre, and the other members of the public to the Gallery. With that, I invite the Secretary General, Ms McCrum, followed by Lieutenant General Clancy, to make their opening statements.

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)

Charles Flanagan: Thank you very much. A number of members are offering. Deputy Carthy was first to indicate but I am conscious that Deputy Cronin said earlier that she would have to leave.

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)

Charles Flanagan: You might even provoke me to change my mind.

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)

Charles Flanagan: Thank you, Deputy.

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)

Charles Flanagan: We will have a number of members ask questions before we go to the Chief of Staff and Secretary General for a response. Deputy Stanton raised issues earlier that we will come to now. He will be followed by Senators Joe O'Reilly and Ardagh and Deputy Cronin.

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)

Charles Flanagan: I thank the Senator. We have a lot of questions there from Deputies Carthy and Stanton and Senator Joe O'Reilly. I will hand back to our guests to deal with them in an apportionment that they feel appropriate, after which I will call on Senator Ardagh and Deputy Cronin.

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)

Charles Flanagan: Having regard to the number of specific and detailed questions from Senators Ardagh and Craughwell, we will take those now before coming back to Senator Wilson and Deputy 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)

Charles Flanagan: That completes that round. I am conscious of the time and I am conscious that three members still have some questions or observations. I will go to Deputy Cronin. I apologise for the earlier confusion.

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)

Charles Flanagan: Maybe Deputy Berry might like to get written replies to the questions as opposed to-----

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)

Charles Flanagan: -----in the circumstances. I ask the Secretary General and Chief of Staff to respond to the remaining questions from Deputy Cronin, Senator Wilson and Deputy 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)

Charles Flanagan: The Deputy likes comprehensive replies, so they can be given to him in writing. We are coming towards the end.