Results 681-700 of 5,746 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: There was one goddamn helicopter available-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: -----and it was an ambulance helicopter that had to be taken out of service. Do not try now to make us the bad guys here. The bad guys are those people who allowed the organisation to have one helicopter available, and it had to be taken from Athlone. It is unfair to turn on those who criticise the situation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: Great people.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: They would not have stayed down.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I would like to talk to the Tánaiste privately on that. I do not think we can talk about it in public session.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: By the way, we are one of the better ones in Europe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: Richard Browne is doing a great job.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: It is from the veterans generally. We do not do military honours. We let our people down all of the time. In 1968, the then Chief of Staff wrote to the Minister for Defence and pointed out that we cannot give distinguished service medals and medals for gallantry to everybody. He said that they could not award medals to those killed in the Niemba ambush because it might look as if it was a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: What is the block? Will the Tánaiste do something about the blockage there is about recognising valour?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: Okay. I just said I would do it for the veterans.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council and Departmental Matters: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence (17 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: That is fine, Chairman, but I need to do so now because the IRG report was based on untested evidence. It was based on submissions made to people for God knows what reason. Certainly, there are serious allegations that need to be examined and anybody in uniform will agree there were issues, especially relating to sexual harassment, rape and bullying, but we do not yet know the level. We...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Cathaoirleach: two minutes and one subject. Yesterday's budget announced for the defence sector €176 million for capital funding, with €12 million for the recruitment of 400 additional members of the Defence Forces. I am really confused about this. They talk about a net increase of 400 members. Is this a net increase from the number that exists today? Is it a...

Seanad: Disability Allowance: Motion (11 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: During the pandemic, the Minister’s Department showed how quickly it can respond with compassion and move the country forward at a time of crisis. Senator Clonan came here with lived experience in disability. On the other side of the House, Senator McGreehan has a major interest in disability issues and has often discussed her concerns with me. There is a Green Paper on long-term...

Seanad: Budget 2024 (Finance): Statements (10 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I do not stand up here to throw water over the budget.

Seanad: Budget 2024 (Finance): Statements (10 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: Three and a half minutes. I will mention a few things that jumped out at me today. The mortgage interest tax relief is to be welcomed but I am concerned that the upper limit is €500,000. Where we live - the Minister of State knows it, it is not far from her constituency - two-bedroom houses are currently being sold for €555,000. I know the relief is aimed at those on tracker...

Seanad: Budget 2024 (Finance): Statements (10 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: There is no sign of any incentive for retention, of any effort to try to reach level of ambition 2 from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, of duty allowance or of help for the navy. There is nothing in the budget. There is talk of increasing the military by 400 people. To do so, we must first find the 1,000 who are already lost which make it 1,400 that we need and not 400....

Seanad: Budget 2024 (Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform): Statements (10 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I congratulate the Government. It has at last sent out a signal to foreign direct investment in this country that we do not get defence and security and have no interest whatsoever in it. The miserable additional €55 million increase in defence spending will just about allow the Defence Forces to tread water. There is nothing in it for them. The Government simply does not get it...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I have spent the best part of two and a half years trying to get people to listen to the shambles that was the previous search and rescue contract and the future search and rescue contract. As we know, it has gone sour, with legal action between the incumbents and the incoming contractor. Imagine my anger this morning when I read an article in the newspaper concerning the directors of...