Results 41-60 of 5,872 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: When we talk about risk - and maybe the Secretary General will not be able to answer this and the GOC will - there is a requirement with respect to the management of our airspace. There is a military-civilian airspace. Has there been engagement between the Department and the Irish Aviation Authority or AirNav Ireland, as I think it now is? Has it been informed of the situation?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Is there a problem with respect to Bristow being located now within military airspace? Is that problem being dealt with? Where are we with that?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I will make a last point because my time is running out. There was mention of the purchase of four helicopters. The Garda went to public tender for its helicopters and bought them at about €12.5 million to €16 million. The Defence Forces did not go to public tender and purchased them directly. My understanding is they are costing €28 million each. Where is the policy...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I am wondering should it not have gone to tender, in the view of the witnesses.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Secretary General said in March 2021 that if the Department was to buy helicopters for SAR it would be through public procurement tender which would take a long period of time. Despite this it went and bought four helicopters without a tender.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Taxpayers' money has not changed.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: It is taxpayers' money the Department is spending.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I will put all my questions and then ask the witnesses to respond. First, we were aware of an impending crisis back in 2021 and it became an actual crisis in October 2024. When was the Minister informed of the crisis? Why has it taken until June 2025 to deal with it? On specialist pay, all air traffic controllers are to be commissioned. I understand grade 6 pay, or tech pay 6, is not...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: That is my understanding.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: How many offers have there been under the service commitment scheme?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Am I correct in saying that nobody has had an offer yet?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: That is rather concerning. The Secretary General talked about Bristow moving in. We knew Bristow was moving to Weston a long time before 2024.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Has the Department worked out the terms and conditions for the service commitment scheme? What I have seen is that we are simply taking what was available to pilots and transferring it to air traffic controllers. Surely, these are two very different occupations.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Would Ms McCrum agree that most who are about to leave do not meet the 12-year criterion? A pilot has to have 12 years of service.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: They are not worked out yet.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Terms and conditions have not yet been agreed for the service commitment scheme for air traffic controllers. Therefore, no offer can be on the table at this point in time. Is that true or false? Will those who are either direct entry or promoted now to officer rank from air traffic control have to undergo such things as command and staff courses in order to progress through the ranks?

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I understand five will not qualify if the same criteria is being used as for the officers.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: There are no offers right now.

Committee on Defence and National Security: Recent Air Corps Developments: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: But the Secretary General wrote to Ken Spratt in March 2021. I have the letter here. She identified air traffic control as an impediment to SAR for the Air Corps.

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

Gerard Craughwell: Dr. Burke and Mr. Power are very welcome. To make my position clear before I start, the triple lock is a red herring in the Defence Forces' current context and we should be discussing the other aspects of the Bill. The Chair said we will get to those, and I accept that, but they are far more important when we talk about the impact of courts martial, the power to suspend personnel, etc. We...