Results 81-100 of 5,962 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The Irish troops will not be deployed without the Irish Government.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Sorry to cut in again. The point was made. I am as concerned as any citizen in this country at a rogue Government deploying troops somewhere in the world for some war or other. I have a difficulty using the United Nations Security Council but we are a democratically-elected Parliament. There has been suggestion that there should be a referendum. I put to Mr. Andrews that we hold a...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I do not accept the notion of a firewall. I have never accepted we are a neutral state. We do not fulfil the requirements for neutrality. As Professor Tonra and Ray Murphy said, we do not meet the international law requirement. What is Irish neutrality - it is Irish neutrality. That is it.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Ms Boylan will have to clarify that. That is a very serious comment. Chair, people's reputations have been brought into question. On witnesses who came before this committee, Ms Boylan said unlike others, who have to benefit.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: You cannot let that go.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: It does not matter, you cannot let it go.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: That has to be challenged.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the witnesses. I will start off by stating once again that the triple lock is a red herring and that we should be spending our time on other things to do with the Defence Forces. I will give the witnesses a definition of sovereignty. Sovereignty refers to the supreme authority and power of a state or governing body to rule itself without interference from outside sources. In...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: In fairness, I think the Irish people are not that silly. It is very clear that once United Nations Security Council clearance is given for an operation, we can deploy troops if we so wish. Without that we cannot, and it is as simple as that.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: We have already provided military aid to Ukraine.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: The weekend of 12 and 13 July is a weekend of commemoration and remembrance. The Royal British Legion's annual event at Islandbridge takes place on 12 July and the Irish commemoration takes place on Sunday, 13 July. As president of the Connaught Rangers Association and a former member of the Royal Irish Rangers, I will be there. I encourage people to be there. As a nation, we have grown...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: It was €30 million worth, nonetheless. It is wonderful to see how the security services can work together to stop gun runners and drug runners. The sad thing is that we do not have sufficient naval cover to cover the entire coast.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: This morning at a meeting of the defence committee we heard how Defence Forces personnel take their instructions from the Department and from the Minister when it comes to policy issues. Last week, we had a meeting about the shortage of air traffic controllers and we were assured everything was in hand. I learned over the weekend that the offer of the bounty if you want to remain in service...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: Let us never forget about the institutions we are talking about and that the horrific things that took place in these institutions was known far and wide within our society. I remember the great threat as a child was that if you misbehaved, you would find yourself in Letterfrack. People knew that if you went there, you were going to be subjected to brutality, at least, if not other sorts of...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: It is not the same letter. There are two different letters. Given what we are talking about and the years and years of pain and suffering, ten minutes of the Seanad's time will not kill anybody.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Gerard Craughwell: I am not going to take a lot of time on this. My colleague, Senator Boyhan, said more than any of us could say. The passion with which he speaks is incredible, and I am proud to call him my friend. Ordinarily, I would be against a motion seeking something to be laid before the House in 12 months, but on this occasion I support this for one reason and one reason only. By looking for it to...