Results 101-120 of 1,512 for at speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: What a lesson I have had today in understanding what has been confusing for years. I am looking at the old wording of the Constitution, which states "The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home."

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: Senator Ruane remarked on the social welfare changes that forced single mothers to declare that they were available for work once their children turned 14. Was that complying with the Constitution as it stood at the time? I doubt it very much.

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: I understand exactly where the Senator is coming from. Speaking of being married or not married, a friend of my father for 33 years was married for seven years. When he separated from his wife, he moved in and lived with another woman. When he died 26 years later his pension was paid to his former wife, not to the woman he lived with. That was an anomaly. What I see in this...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: That is fine. It says that it will keep women from careers and employment. The Minister needs to address that, because that is another important issue that is impacting the way this referendum will go. I am afraid the wording we have at the moment is flawed. My colleagues on both sides this morning have shown the flaws. The Civil Engagement Group and Senator McDowell have shown the...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Gerard Craughwell: I wish to put on the record that I have been a carer for both of my children. I have been a carer for my grandchildren. In fact they play hell with me when I am on my own with them. They stay up late and convince me that I do not have put them to bed early. They do all sorts of things. My two children ring me constantly when they have problems. They do not seem to feel that they have to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Coast Guard Service (13 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister of State was spokesperson on defence in a former life. The notion that a country would not have sovereign capability in search and rescue is repugnant to any reasonable person. The Irish Air Corps put a 415-page document together as part of their bid to take just one base. We wanted CHC, the SAR operator, to hold three bases and the Air Corps to take just one base. I made...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Coast Guard Service (13 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: The crash of Rescue 116 left the Department exposed as a Department that was unable to oversee the search and rescue system in Ireland. As my colleague has pointed out, 80% of the crew of one base is about to be withdrawn for training with Bristow Ireland. This means that this base must close. I am asking the Minister whether he is prepared to call in the Irish Aviation Authority...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: The Bill contains vague language such as "from time to time". That is not good enough when it comes to legislation. We need to know there will be a directive from, perhaps, the Minister that once the Bill is passed, there will be an onus on the authority to produce a report, whether biannually or at certain times. The phrase "from time to time" is very vague. I will not talk forever on this.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: It is relevant when we are talking about the Garda. We need to know who is responsible for what because we do not know. My colleague is 100% correct. We have been raising for months the issue of who is in charge of intelligence and security in this country. The bottom line is that there is an opportunity now to open the conversation. If we are not going to change the Bill, there is an...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: National cybersecurity is based in the Department with responsibility for communications. The Minister will find that in Israel, for example, the director of national cybersecurity is in the office of the prime minister. Most directors elsewhere are at government level and not subject to some department's oversight. They work directly for the prime minister. We really need to look at our...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: ...who have gone to the dentist to get their teeth cleaned have come to me about PRSI. They are paying €386 in PRSI and cannot get dental care. It was suggested in a rebuttal here last year that we can make voluntary contributions. I ask those advising the Minister whether they would be prepared to pay 4% of their salaries in PRSI contributions and then pay another €5,000 in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: Last night, we had an excellent debate on the issue of members of local authorities. We are coming up to local and European elections, to be held next year, and a number of senior members of local authorities have decided they will pack it in at that stage. They will get a relatively small lump sum for up to 40 years of service in some cases. Why is it that outgoing members of local...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (7 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister is welcome. First and foremost, I want to congratulate him and the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, on what has been a very good social welfare budget. It clearly set out to look after the less well-off in our society, which is really good. I want to devote my time today to speaking about class K PRSI. I delivered a rapporteur's report on class K PRSI in 2016, which I have here...

Seanad: Local Government Matters and City and County Councillors: Motion [Private Members] (6 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I formally second the motion. The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I think this is my first time to address him since he was elevated as a Minister of State. I am very happy for him. He was a good local representative himself in his time. We are talking about the erosion of power in local authorities and it is important that we put things in context at the very outset. I...

Seanad: Local Government Matters and City and County Councillors: Motion [Private Members] (6 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: When we look at issues like security and the personal security of county councillors, I note that the amount of money for telephone and broadband has been reduced.Why, when I get an allowance to carry out parliamentary duties, is it called an allowance when it is a sum of money that is not subject to tax? When a county councillor gets an allowance, it is referred to as pay and it is liable...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Transport Authority: Chairperson Designate (6 Dec 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the new chairman of the NTA. I always put on record, when we speak to newly appointed chairs, the point that it is a complete waste of time for them to come into us because, at the end of the day, we have no authority whatsoever over their appointments. I thank Mr. Strachan for taking the time to come in to set out his stall. I will raise two issues that come across my table...

Seanad: Recent Violence in Dublin City Centre: Motion (29 Nov 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: ...should continue to do it. On the riot, I am probably the only person in this room was ever actually involved in a riot. I was sergeant in charge of a riot section and we faced 15,000 people on that particular day. I can tell the House that it is a damn scary place to be when one is facing a madding crowd but our gardaí did well. There is a notion about that there were not enough...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I came up here to talk about security but Senator Ruane has sent me off on another track. She is 100% correct. We have let communities down in areas. I lived in Limerick for a number of years and there were two estates whose residents were constantly referred to as troublemakers, scumbags and so on. In Galway city, there were similar estates and there are areas in Dublin that are...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Second Stage (28 Nov 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Minister of State for being here. I should start by saying that I am delighted to see that the Naval Service seagoing allowance has been retained. That is one of the good things in the budget. An awful lot more work needs to be done with respect to our soldiers, sailors and airmen. The Minister of State might consider whether the duty allowance should be made tax-free. That...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Nov 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I join with the best wishes to Mary as she moves on to the next stage of her life. On 8 November 1960 an ambush took place in Niemba in the Congo. On this day that same year the bodies of the troopers killed in that ambush were brought home to Ireland. I want to read their names into the record: Lieutenant Kevin Gleeson, 2nd Field Engineer Company; Sergeant Hugh F. Gaynor, 2nd Motor...