Results 5,441-5,460 of 8,245 for speaker:Bríd Smith

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2018: Committee Stage (22 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: Okay.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2018: Committee Stage (22 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I support the amendment. It would be a useful report for us to have in general. I do not have the figures in front of me but carers provide significant service to the State by providing full-time care at home. If we treated them better and took them more seriously, we would get a lot more out of the population in terms of minding those who need to be minded. It is far better to be minded...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2018: Committee Stage (22 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: We should do both. The Department should produce a report in line with the amendment. This request is based on financial detail, hours of work and the like, whereas the committee could examine the issue in a more holistic way. We could invite representatives of the Carers Association, Age Action Ireland and various experts from different academic fields. I do not see how one precludes the...

Brexit: Motion (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: Jesus. The Deputies had half an hour.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: If it is okay with our guests, I will ask individual questions. I framed the questions based on the submissions as I read them. It is a very welcome report. It has utterly transformed the narrative on climate change and what needs to be done. It is very interesting that it was followed quickly by the Living Planet report from the World Wildlife Foundation, which backed up everything that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I have at least two for Professor Seneviratne, or at least one big one. I will try not to go on about it for too long. She refers to "human-induced global warming" a great deal in her submission. She repeats that phrase all the time. I want to ask her a direct question that will help us a lot as parliamentarians. I brought forward a Bill - I hope it will go through Parliament - to end...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I thank Professor Seneviratne, and I will quote her. My final question is for Dr. Aubert because he spoke a good deal about food production and diet. I am fascinated by this subject because I believe it is one of the biggest challenges we face. The witnesses took a look at the Irish agricultural sector, which is all about producing more cows for both beef and dairy production, and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Recruitment (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I have noted the number of young people who have entered the Visitors Gallery to listen to the debate. Listening to the Minister of State, I wonder how many of them will be future members of the Air Corps, the Naval Service or the Army. If they knew what were the conditions and pay of soldiers and members of the Naval Service and the Air Corps, work they would think twice or three times...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 62. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the measures he is taking to deal with the crisis in the Defence Forces in respect of the retention and recruitment of staff, for example, the basic operations of the Naval Service in its fishery protection role; and if he will review the policy in respect of recognition of representative associations in the Defence Forces as a mechanism to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I think the Minister of State is probably trying to acknowledge, without using the word "crisis", that there is a crisis in recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces, including the Naval Service and Air Corps. If he used the word, he could at least start to deal with the crisis in a realistic way. Talking about recruiting specialists and the financial resources being available to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: That is given as an example.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I used the term "for example".

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I cited sea fisheries as an example. The Minister of State should have read the question carefully. Whoever called his officials mandarins was correct. My question is about the retention and recruitment of staff and the current policy in respect of recognition of representative associations of the Defence Forces. PDFORRA recently took the Government to court over the Organisation of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: The Minister of State is fully aware that under the pay deal, Defence Forces pay will eventually return to 2008 levels in 2020. Yahoo. He should look at the increases in the cost of living and rents. What a great thing that members of the Defence Forces will have their pay brought back to 2008 levels. They are among the lowest paid public sector workers in the country. It is disingenuous...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Personnel (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: I am disappointed the Minister of State has not recognised the Defence Forces representative associations.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 70. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount of the budget in 2018 which will be taken by additional costs associated with PESCO related activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48393/18]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Ministerial Meetings (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 89. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he or his officials have met with representatives of a group (details supplied); the progress he has made in addressing the issues it has raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48390/18]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Expenditure (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 91. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the way in which the increase in the budget for his Department will be allocated; if this increase will deal with the working conditions and poor pay of members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48392/18]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Representative Organisations (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 94. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to recommend that the Defence Forces representative associations have access to the industrial relations machinery of the State, including the WRC and Labour Court; his views on whether such access will assist with the crisis in staff retention and numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48394/18]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (21 Nov 2018)

Bríd Smith: 96. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if Ireland's participation in PESCO is a breach of Ireland's neutrality in view of recent comments by EU leaders; if the view of other EU leaders that it is a step toward an EU army is shared by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48391/18]